UL94 MON Avgas To Be Sold In Collaboration With Swift Fuels

Gary Jet Center has announced that it will begin selling unleaded aviation gas for piston aircraft, specifically UL94 MON avgas, in collaboration with Swift Fuels, LLC. With the addition of a specialized fuel truck, Gary Jet Center will make available UL94 MON in addition to the Jet A and 100LL it sells as an FBO based at KGYY, just 25 minutes outside of Chicago.

"With the demands in the aviation market to begin using unleaded avgas, we began seeking a premium quality aviation gasoline to offer our customers," said Mike Partin, General Manager of Gary Jet Center. "In working with Swift Fuels' CEO, Chris D'Acosta, we immediately acknowledged their product, UL94 MON, was unique and desirable to pilots, and their fuel expertise is unmatched when it comes to unleaded avgas."

Following the market-wide ban of lead in automotive gasoline beginning in the 1970's, the FAA began collaborating with industry specialists to find a suitable replacement for 100LL, in order to eliminate all use of lead in avgas. While tetraethyl-lead does boost octane in gasoline, lead buildup contributes to spark plug fouling, acidic corrosion and increased wear-and-tear of piston engines. Furthermore, the combustion of 100LL avgas emits ultrafine toxic lead particulates into the air which public health officials have documented as harmful to both humans and the ecosystem.

Swift Fuels CEO, Chris D'Acosta, commented, "We are working with regulators, aircraft/engine OEMs, pilots, airports, municipalities, airport boards and supply chain folks to educate the market on the virtues of unleaded avgas. This is all part of our multi-year transition plan moving towards the full replacement to 100LL. We're extremely proud to be the unleaded fuel of choice by progressive leaders like the Gary Jet Center."

The need to move toward unleaded avgas has also been recognized on a global scale, which is why the FAA has orchestrated the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative [PAFI] to evaluate unleaded alternatives to 100LL avgas. The work done by Swift Fuels in this area has already established them as a leader in the PAFI program. Their 100+ high octane avgas was selected in February 2016 by the FAA as one of two fuels for further evaluation and the only "all-hydrocarbon" fuel in the final phase of engine and flight testing program.

Recognizing that PAFI Phase-II testing would take a 2 - 3 more years, Swift Fuels took the initiative to get Avgas supplemental type certificates (STC's) on certain aircraft models that represent about 10% of the piston fleet. They then commercially launched a new Unleaded 94 MON Avgas, an intermediate unleaded blend that is now approved for use on hundreds of lower octane aircraft makes and models. Together with all eligible FAA type certificated aircraft, plus aircraft placarded with autogas STC's and the new avgas STC's, Swift believes that up to 65% of the US piston engine fleet could fly the UL94 fuel. This fuel is available now on a nationwide basis and is 100% "drop-in ready" (i.e. no hardware modifications are required).

Swift Fuel's Unleaded 94 MON is sold wholesale -- priced competitively with 100LL and is expected to remain low subject to oil market volatility.

(Source: Swift Fuel's news release)

FMI: www.swiftfuels.com