In a move that surprised everyone, the FAA this fall approved the use of GAMI’s 100UL fuel essentially fleetwide for piston-powered light planes. The approval was a godsend, as the window for developing and delivering a new sufficiently high-octane unleaded fuel was closing fast. And with the Santa Clara decision still clearly in the rearview, the availability of 100UL will provide a safety cushion at airports where low lead becomes unavailable. The approval is not by any stretch an immediate fix, as it will take years for the company, working with AvFuel, one of the largest avgas distributors in the United States, to roll out the fuel nationwide.
FAA‘s Approval of 100UL
Key Takeaways:
- The FAA unexpectedly approved GAMI's 100UL unleaded fuel for nearly all piston-powered light aircraft, a crucial step for the aviation industry.
- This approval addresses the urgent need for a high-octane unleaded fuel, providing a safety net as traditional low-lead avgas becomes unavailable.
- Despite the fleetwide approval, the nationwide distribution and availability of 100UL fuel by GAMI and AvFuel will be a multi-year process, not an immediate fix.
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