With Two New Piston-Engine Aviation Oils
Castrol, we found out at Oshkosh,
came to life as a brand in 1899, and by 1905 the company was making
the first-ever aviation oil, Castrol R. High-performance aircraft
were the proving ground for that product, which wasn't replaced
until the 1930s, with a product known as Castrol XXL.
Castrol has decided to get back into that
piston-aviation market, and has done so in a big way, with two
brand-new oils. Maybe we should call these, "eight new oils," as
each -- an ashless dispersant and a straight oil, are available in
four weights: 65, 80, 100, and 120.
Castrol -- Aero BP -- wanted to re-enter the piston market
(after getting a turbine oil in the Exxon-Mobil merger), and spent
a lot of time finding out just what qualities potential customers
wanted.
The list was short, sweet, and classically difficult. Customers
wanted
- better rust and general corrosion protection
- improved lubricity
- improved thermal stability and
- better corrosion protection, especially on yellow-metal
bearings
Since these are truly new oils, you can count on the Castrol
products' having the new 'Lycoming additive' already in there, in
proper concentration and properly suspended. Also, as new oils, you
can count on the most-modern additives and base formulation.
Beyond all that, Castrol wanted to add pilot convenience in as
many areas as they could control. Castrol Aviator is available
through Air BP and Castrol distributors in the US, with the rest of
the world available within weeks, through the same channels.
To add to convenience and make their product popular, Castrol's
bottle is a nice departure from what we're used to: it's in a very
heavy plastic bottle that won't be easily cut or punctured, topped
by a unique internal pour spout. Yes, Matilda, it's resealable,
with a screw-on cap that's part of the whole package.
You'll note two handles on the bottle, too, which make
dispensing the oil a little less-likely to result in smudged wrists
and cuffs. With two handles, there's always a way for you to tie
the bottle, out of the way, and not loose in the back of the
plane.
It comes in liters, to satisfy European Union requirements, so
remember, when you're buying a case, you're getting about 6% more
oil than you're used to getting.