A couple of days ago when I went out for my morning walk I noticed something had changed. Instead of warm and sunny, there was a chill in the air. I then realized that fall is approaching and I needed... Continue Reading →

In one of my recent columns I stated that if an engine runs knock free on an 87 octane fuel, using a higher octane fuel will not benefit you in any way. I received several inquiries about whether this was... Continue Reading →

Ben Visser is an aviation fuels and lubricants expert who spent 33 years with Shell Oil. I recently received a question from reader Bill Blank asking whether there was more BTUs in higher octane fuels and if there was any... Continue Reading →

Ben Visser is an aviation fuels and lubricants expert who spent 33 years with Shell Oil. In one of my past columns, I criticized the ethanol industry and others for using “bad science” to promote their products. I received several... Continue Reading →

Ben Visser is an aviation fuels and lubricants expert who spent 33 years with Shell Oil. He has been a private pilot since 1985. Reader Jerry Johnson recently wrote in with a question about fuel storage: “Rotax indicates that octane... Continue Reading →

Ben Visser is an aviation fuels and lubricants expert who spent 33 years with Shell Oil. He has been a private pilot since 1985. How do you test for ethanol in auto gas? Recently, I’ve received a lot of e-mails... Continue Reading →

Ben Visser is an aviation fuels and lubricants expert who spent 33 years with Shell Oil. He has been a private pilot since 1985. I recently received a note from reader Scott Shroyer, who is looking to buy a used... Continue Reading →

Ben Visser is an aviation fuels and lubricants expert who spent 33 years with Shell Oil. He has been a private pilot since 1985. In my last post, How long can fuel be safely stored?, I talked about the storage... Continue Reading →

Ben Visser is an aviation fuels and lubricants expert who spent 33 years with Shell Oil. He has been a private pilot since 1985. Asking about the storage life of 100LL and auto gas is like asking a doctor, “How... Continue Reading →

Ben Visser is an aviation fuels and lubricants expert who spent 33 years with Shell Oil. In a recent post I discussed the problems with ethanol and water in a plane’s fuel system. I received a large number of replies... Continue Reading →