E15: Let the lawsuits begin!

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.

Few proposals from the EPA have generated broader opposition than increasing the allowable limit on ethanol blended gasoline to 15%, commonly known as E15. But this didn’t prevent the EPA in October from approving E15 for use in vehicles built since 2007. As many opponents predicted, the lawsuits have now begun, for instance this one from a coalition of farm, food and petroleum industries. While we are not aware of any aviation alphabet groups joining these suits, pilots who need ethanol-free Mogas are making themselves heard on this petition to the EPA.

As news of the petition grows throughout the aviation, boating, snowmobile, classic car/bike communities, all who have experienced the many negative effects of ethanol in their engines are providing a strong basis for a grassroots effort to ban the use of ethanol in Premium gasoline, preserving the unleaded avgas that has been in widespread use since the 1980s.  If you are one of these, please pass the word on to others.