AvGas 100LL is an endangered species, but most people have no idea why

Here at AirVenture 2004, one of the most interesting and many times overlooked things to see are the smaller forums and seminars that are presented at the far end of the Honda Pavillion forums. One of the ones being held today drew our attention; it was a presentation on the future of avgas, the leaded fuel the vast majority of our piston-engine aircraft need to get us from here to there.

This forum was presented by Ben Visser of AeroShell/Shell Oil Products US. Mr. Visser has worked in fuels and lubricants for over 35 years, the last 20 of which have been specifically in the aviation side of the company. He has chaired the Committee and authored most of the SAE/Milspecs for aviation oils.

No doubt about it, Ben knows what he's talking about, and what he had to say was eye-opening.

The bottom line on avgas 100LL is that the fuel is not dangerous just because it contains lead. In fact, there are no recorded incidents of lead poisoning that can be traced back to avgas. Lead poisoning from exposure to lead-based paint is a problem, but the fuel we put in our airplanes is not. However, there are a number of reasons why avgas is a very endangered species, and the ones we heard surprised us.

For starters, the market for avgas represents one third of one percent of the market for automotive gasoline. Granted, that seems obvious, since there are not nearly as many airplanes as there are cars, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Because avgas has lead, it cannot be transported through normal fuel pipelines. If that were to happen, the pipes would be contaminated with lead and could not be used for other fuels. That leaves only two options, rail or trucks, and both are significantly more expensive.

The additive used to add lead into avgas is only made in one plant on the entire planet, and that plant is located in the United Kingdom. There's one more plant capable of producing it, but it's closed. Another additive used to make sure that the lead in the fuel doesn't come out as lead is EBD. Unfortunately, that additive is a known carcinogen, and its use and production is strictly regulated.

It doesn't stop there. The EPA has classified used motor oil as a non-hazardous substance because it contains less than 10 parts per million of lead. However, guess what happens to used oil coming out of piston-engine airplanes? That's right, it's got a lot more lead, so it cannot be disposed of in the same manner as used automobile oil. In fact, estimates are that it costs a whopping $4 per gallon to dispose properly of used aviation oil.

The future looks grim for our precious 100LL. The list goes on, and one of the items on it is the lack of a substitute for 100LL that will work with our engines. Obviously, you cannot add lead or octane supplements to unleaded fuel -- that's a tradeoff that can damage your engine or severely affect performance. Unfortunately, there's no good answer, but companies like Shell are looking for ways to address the problem.

Next time you fillup your tanks at the local airport pump, count your blessings. Who knows how long you'll be able to do it... and at what price.

FMI: www.shell.com