EAGLE Assesses Alaska’s Specialized Avgas Needs
Alaska’s main fuel distributor says an ASTM specification is a requirement for any unleaded fuel it will handle.
Representatives of the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative visited Alaska recently to gain a better understanding of the unique circumstances faced by operators and fuel distributors in the far-flung state. Piston aircraft (about 7,000 in total) are a lifeline for many communities and individuals in Alaska and the state has the highest per capita use of general aviation in the U.S. so EAGLE says its members heard that a smooth transition to a thoroughly vetted unleaded fuel is vital.
"Most of the state’s 100LL supply is delivered by barge from California, distributed by Crowley, the primary distributor and reseller in Alaska," EAGLE reported. "In meetings with EAGLE representatives, Crowley officials stressed that any fuel they deliver or sell must meet an ASTM specification standard -- a critical factor for the entire aviation industry." That would eliminate GAMI's G100UL from the running for a replacement fuel because the company is not pursuing an ASTM specification, saying the FAA STC it has obtained for its fuel actually surpasses the standards and testing methods used by ASTM. Two other fuel developers, Swift Fuels and Lyondell/Basell have both submitted their candidate fuels to ASTM but have not yet achieved a specification. EAGLE's full report follows.
