Pilots of older aircraft worry about the future availability of 100LL avgas, and environmentalists are not happy with the ecological impact of leaded fuel. To satisfy both concerns, inventor Tom Ehresman of Colorado is working on an engine modification that would allow avgas-burning engines to convert to diesel or Jet-A. That is just the kind of innovation the Lindbergh Foundation seeks to support — new aviation technology that preserves the health of our natural environment. The grant of $10,580 reflects the amount that Charles Lindbergh spent to build the Spirit of St. Louis. Ehresman hopes the award will help to attract more investors, and if he has the financial support, he could have a working prototype in two or three years. The retrofit kit could go to market for about $6,000 or so, he estimated.
His system would remove the magnetos, spark plugs and fuel injection system from the 100LL engine and replace them with a diesel injection pump and nozzles. The vent system of the airplane would also need to be modified, he said. The award, which is financed by Lycoming Engines, was announced at AirVenture on Wednesday. Applications for next year’s Lindbergh-Lycoming grant are open until November 1, go to LindberghFoundation.org for more information.
