Unleaded Avgas Flyoff in a Beech Baron

[@mattkaczorowski3099]

I can't wait to start using this stuff! I don't care if it will initially cost a bit more, I don't want to be near lead, I don't want it in my engine and I certainly don't want to be dusting the people below with it!

[@flyyourdream9716]

Why!!!! Why in the world is this not main stream ?? This is a huge advancement in piston engine aircraft engines and it is being present as an almost non event in the mainstream. Even AOPA’s weekly episode, they barely even touch on this if at all! This should be at the the very forefront! This is one of the biggest if not the biggest advancement in GA in my lifetime. So why in the world is it being so hush hush and not being pushed in all the channels!? All I see on the GA news channels is CA and the likes hating on 100LL. Well this is the fix, without question. The big “letters” can do better. Let’s get this fuel front and center, there is no reason this can’t be national news! Thank you for shining a small light on this and continuing to bring us the information! We (GA) need this fuel to be THEE fuel from now into the future!

[@McStebb]

The FAA sunk an inordinate amount of money into their fruitless "EAGLE" initiative, but produced basically no meaningful results (mostly because there's a conflict of interest where the TEL producers don't want to give up their monopoly on small piston aviation fuel) They don't want to admit that EAGLE was a failure, and making GAMI G100UL the standard would be just that. So the FAA is turning their nose up at G100UL for... political reasons, as usual.

[@LTVoyager]

Huge advancement? 😂. Not even close. This is just catching up to where the auto industry was 40 years ago. Rotax aircraft engines are a far, far bigger advancement that this.

[@FlyingNDriving]

​@@McStebbthis right here, you just hit the nail on the head so perfectly. Can't have one man from the private sector cornering the market... Need all the big companies in EAGLE and PAFI out w/e getting their kick backs...100% political

[@rjtoten]

@@LTVoyager you're way off base. show me the 130 octane unleaded auto gas 40 years ago

[@LTVoyager]

@@rjtoten The fuel being discussed is 100LL. Try to stay focused.

[@craigsanders6925]

VP is also making unleaded aviation fuel. Lots of motorsports fuels that are higher than 100 octane, no reason it couldn't be modified for use in the low tech tractor motors that are used in planes.

[@voigtscott]

Great to hear that G100UL is performing as advertised. And that it actually is outperforming 100LL in some ways! I wonder what the profit margin for the oil companies will be on G100UL compared to 100LL.

[@silasthomas1454]

Avgas is such a slim niche market in terms of barrels/yr that’s it’s not really that interesting to the big refiners…. But still I wonder too.

[@429thunderjet2]

Oh, I wouldn't worry about the oil companies, they're going to make their margins regardless, kind of like insurance companies, they never loose either. My two favorite big corp businesses, can you tell? Ha! I hear Unleaded Av Gas is likey to be more expensive. Because It's going to be a more highly refined fuel when they don't have lead as a crutch for octane enhancement. But in the end it's going to be good to reduce maintenance costs. Just my 2¢.

[@brocluno01]

So these were freshly overhauled engines. Did they have a change of valve seats during the overhaul? What about the valve recession seen in older engines converting to 100UL ??

[@JustSayN2O]

I am very relieved to see that Mr. Braly cleaned up his beard. It was getting might scruffy. I remember writing a comment on a G100UL video update from about two years ago, that upon receiving FAA approval for all aircraft non-diesel piston engines, he ought to shave. Anyway, George deserves the Nobel Prize in Aviation for what he's accomplished !

[@bernardanderson3758]

This looks like another great way to create ways of saving operating costs

[@wspa7456]

My big question which is not addressed here, concerns the exhaust valves. Lead acts as a cushion for the seats. How are the exhaust valves and seats holding up?

[@429thunderjet2]

It is said that lead forms a sacrificial layer between the valve and valve seats that helps to keep the seats from microwelding and recessing. So engines that don't already have good hardened valve seats will eventually need them I would imagine.

[@dsalnorcalmd]

Isn’t it better to spend a bit more now to help stop airport demise due to using aircraft lead pollution as an excuse. It is also better for the engine and makes for easier move to electronic monitoring and control of engine like cars.

[@MarcMadoc]

When you consider the damage lead causes in nature - it's neurotoxic, accumulates without being eliminated in living organisms - I was very surprised to learn that aviation still uses it... We need to push in this direction.

[@twest344]

I hate to say it, but here goes...the only way 100LL goes away is if it is banned by state or federal govt. Pilots are very conservative in nature (I DO NOT mean the political sense of conservative vs liberal, I mean "slow to change"). The majority of pilots, flight schools, and airports will be wary of a new fuel. If GA100 is adopted slowly, the price will remain high because it will be produced in small quantity (economics 101). At some point the govt will step in- once non-pilots learn that we have a viable unleaded alternative, the lead ban that has applied to every non-aircraft engine in North America will be applied to aircraft. I personally would use GA100 today if it were available nearby, but I don't know of anyplace near me that sells it.

[@cfdfirefighter]

I think if the price is lower by a significant amount that would help with adoption. Government regulation should never ever be the first option.

[@429thunderjet2]

​@@cfdfirefighter I'd say it likely won't be lower. Sounds like higher. Because it's going to take a more highly refined fuel when they don't have the lead crutch for octane enhancement.

[@dermick]

I hope we get this fuel or an equivalent out to all airports quickly. I run UL91 and mogas in my IO-360 8.5:1 compression engine when I can get one of these unleaded options, and 100LL when I'm traveling.

[@EllipsisAircraft]

Octane is 100 Octane. It is also far less volatile with a lower vapor pressure than Avgas. (Less vapor lock, higher altitude capability).

[@bernardanderson3758]

Bring the Baron to different locations to FBOs

[@_OZAV_Intnl]

... the "new" ability of the Rotax and few other engines, to fly on the unleaded is good for the sport prospects, the fuel-financial wise, and the environmental-wise - also very helpful. So, in the way, it's the way that is 'meant to be'. While, is also much safer, the fuel volatility is reduced much down, comparing to kerosene and avgas, that can be in the comparison seen as a lot more volatile, comparing to unleaded. Along with the story - it's also the best for the engine to use the such type rather as the unleaded - having always that bit of the 'oil touch' inside, as well, which improves performance and longevity of the engine, on a long run. This list here, in the favor of the unleaded is probably a 1000 items long, but here it is, just to highlight a few. Aviation: it's where we innovate, and the unleaded initiative should go forward as possible, and adopted as a standard, soon as possible. The aircraft engines health-wise, the economy-wise, and the environment-wise, the outcomes will be only: what we need to see, and to have applied urgently, out there :).

[@429thunderjet2]

Any gasoline is more volatile than kerosene diesel. And lead is not a good lubricant.

[@FlyingNDriving]

3:10 this is the epitome of gamis work. A huge deal because of how seemless it is

[@libertine5606]

Sounds too good to be true. Hopefully, there are no hidden gotchas. Hopefully, any additives they put in aren't found out to be more environmentally dangerous than lead. As a life long pessimist I will hold back elation for now and hope that I will be happily surprised. All those benefits you stated definitely out weigh the cost increase. Considering I was a fueler once I turned 16 and working in the stuff for years, being exposed to all that lead, who knows I could have been a Einstein! Instead of the lug head that I am! 😁

[@FlyingNDriving]

Do a tour, let us see it for ourselves, let us maybe fly it

[@JustSayN2O]

Now that the leaded avgas problem has been solved, what do you predict the GA-haters will start screaming about next?

[@429thunderjet2]

Shush! don't give them any ideas! Lol

[@williamk5998]

The comparison is only valid if there is a control group. We can’t say that both engines are operating similarly on the unleaded, unless it has previously been proven that they operated the same when they were both running leaded, or for that matter both unleaded. Even if this was the case, this represents an n of one. No statistical consequence. With that said, there are other benefits to our engines running unleaded, however, I think that would only be worthwhile if the price was the same or very similar, which very much does not look like it is going to be the case.

[@stellahighton74]

Gami has the most advanced engine test system to monitor the most basic engines ever built. ?

[@smacmoyle]

thanks for making avgas even more expensive

[@scottycatman]

It's a tiny difference and it will likely end up cheaper than leaded AvGas in the long term, but you won't have to worry about that. It will also result in the ability to use synthetic engine oil, increasing the TBO of engines.

[@smacmoyle]

Wow. That’s pretty optimistic. I’ve never seen prices go down. Should have let sleeping dogs lie.

[@Finder245]

Lead is not cheap. Transporting it is also a mess. Maintenance will likely be lower on unleaded. This is a good thing.

[@LTVoyager]

Once 100LL is purged from the system and the GAMI fuel is the mainstream fuel, it will be as cheap as 100LL and possibly cheaper given the cost of making, transporting and using tetraethyl lead.

[@jacksonbuxton3175]

Aviation is already so expensive! This will make it more difficult for the average individual to access and enjoy aviation.