Ethanol in fuel hinders NC firefighter, Kentucky pilot cancels Las Vegas flight

Kent Misegades | GAfuels | February 17, 2011

The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer, aviation sales rep for U-Fuel, and president of EAA1114.

As the number of signatures on our petition to the EPA urging a ban on the blending of ethanol in 91+ octane gasoline surged past 6,500 this week, we noted one recent comment on the Pure-Gas.org listing of sources for E0, this one from a North Carolina firefighter: Recently our fire department was responding to a brush fire where the fire was about to get into a barn. Our brush truck has a gasoline powered engine (which is almost new) in which we had a difficult time cranking to extinguish the fire. Upon our investigation after the fire we found the cause of the failure of the pump operating was due to ethanol gas.

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Jabiru rescinds approval for ethanol-blended fuel in its aircraft

Kent Misegades | GAfuels | February 15, 2011

In the Winter 2011 issue of “The Flock”, Jabiru USA’s newsletter, owners of Jabiru airplanes were notified that previous approvals for autogas containing up to 10% ethanol have been rescinded:

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Petersen Aviation responds to GA Avgas Coalition

Kent Misegades | GAfuels | February 14, 2011

Letter to the Editor By Todd Petersen, President, Petersen Aviation

A recent post in GANews by Chris Dancy, Media Relations Director of AOPA, indicated that they felt they have been mischaracterized in our recent blog postings. Nothing could be further from the truth. The GA Avgas Coalition has repeatedly ignored mogas as an alternative for aircraft owners and pilots despite our pleas to the aviation alphabet groups for support of ethanol-free fuel (E0) in light of the ever-increasing use of ethanol in the nation’s fuel supply. Now quite suddenly, we seem to have their attention.

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EASA warns again about ethanol in Mogas

Kent Misegades | GAfuels | February 8, 2011

The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer and aviation journalist.

Despite widespread concern over property damage caused by ethanol’s presence in fuels in the U.S., and direct links between ethanol production, rising food prices and unrest in the Middle East, Europe recently approved the use of up to 10% ethanol in automotive fuels. Given the widespread use of Mogas in Europe’s aviation community, EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency, has issued a renewed warning titled SIB 2007-01R1, “Use of Automotive Gasoline (Mogas) containing Bio-Ethanol”, which can be found here. This EASA Safety Information Bulletin contains the following:

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The blending wall remains intact despite misguided E15 waiver

Kent Misegades | GAfuels | February 7, 2011

The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer and aviation journalist.

Many of our readers may have heard that the EPA has granted an E15 waiver for 2001-2006 autos and light duty trucks, in addition to the former E15 waiver granted back in October for 2007 and newer vehicles. Theoretically this means that about 2/3 of the auto fleet in the US could pump E15 into their fuel tanks if they wanted to. However, the waiver is voluntary and, in fact, nobody has to actually make E15.

As you can imagine, the ethanol industry is ecstatic. Their foremost lobby, Growth Energy, gushed “… last week’s decision blew a hole in the blend wall.” The reality is that nothing could be further from the truth.

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Aviation Fuel Club takes off, as AOPA chief’s number don’t add up

Kent Misegades | GAfuels | February 1, 2011

The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer and aviation journalist.

The 2011 Sport Aviation EXPO in Sebring is now history, and if you have read the reports in all the various aviation media, you’d think the only exhibitors there were airplane makers – few reported on things on display indoors. After attending this fine little event in 2009 and 2010 as a correspondent for the EAA, this year I was an exhibitor, representing the aviation fuel station maker U-Fuel. The “big tent” where U-Fuel, which introduced the Aviation Fuel Club at the show, and several dozen other exhibitors were showing off their wares was fairly crowded on all but the final day of the show, attesting to the many new things that debuted in Sebring this year.

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Citizen group to measure lead around Vero Beach Airport

Kent Misegades | GAfuels | January 30, 2011

The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer and aviation journalist.

A group of concerned citizens in Vero Beach, Fla., calling itself the Airport Oversight Committee, is moving forward on plans to measure lead emissions at public parks near the airport. As described by the group’s spokesman, David Risinger last fall, the intent is to investigate the potential health risks to the public caused by avgas-burning aircraft operated from the airfield, one of the busiest training operations in the country. As reported recently in TCPalm, funds are now being secured for the study which is estimated to cost $10,000.

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U-Fuel launches Aviation Fuel Club

Janice Wood | GAfuels, Products | January 20, 2011

U-Fuel of Eau Claire, Wis., a pioneer in self-service fuel stations, has established the Aviation Fuel Club.

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Avgas in 2011 — Logic will prevail

Kent Misegades | GAfuels | January 16, 2011

The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer and aviation journalist.

As an engineer and a pilot, I believe that logic, combined with the amazing ability of free markets to decide between winners and loser, generally prevails, and even when do-gooders, politicians and bureaucrats do their best to throw a wrench into the works. Ben Sclair entertained us last month with some predictions for the New Year, so here’s mine concerning aviation fuels: Logic will prevail and we’ll resolve the uncertainty surrounding aviation fuels with a multiple-fuel solution that includes Mogas. Let me explain my reasoning.

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Pilots comment on Mogas and ethanol

Kent Misegades | GAfuels | December 16, 2010

The GAfuels Blog is written by two private pilots concerned about the future availability of fuels for piston-engine aircraft: Dean Billing, Sisters, Ore., an expert on autogas and ethanol, and Kent Misegades, Cary, N.C., an aerospace engineer and aviation journalist.

The number of signatures on our petition requesting the EPA to prohibit the use of ethanol in Premium gasoline continues its steady rise. Among the nearly 4,000 people who have so far signed it, many are airplane owners who have documented the impact of ethanol contamination of Mogas, the other FAA-approved aviation fuel that can safely and affordably power 70%-80% of all piston engine aircraft, and nearly 100% of a new LSA airplanes. Below are several recent comments that passionately urge our government to preserve an ethanol free fuel for aviation and engines found in millions of other applications. Continue Reading »