Colorado Airport Well Ahead of FAA’s 2030 Deadline

The management of Broomfield, Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC) asserts the facility is on track to make the switch to exclusive unleaded aviation fuel sales three years ahead of the FAA’s 2030 deadline. In addition to being the Centennial State’s fastest-growing airport, BJC is home to fifty businesses and no fewer than three flight-schools.

Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (RMMA) director Paul Anslow ascribed the airport’s rapid progress toward the sale of unleaded aviation fuel, in part, to a used tanker-truck the airport authority was able to acquire.

"The reality is, everybody in the industry wants to switch over [to unleaded aviation fuels],” Anslow opined. “We want to be good stewards and we want to be good neighbors. Nobody is saying ‘we want to stick with leaded fuel;’ everybody wants to switch over.”

Colorado Pilots Association president Adrian Nye set forth in a statement: "This is a huge, proactive step by Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport and Jefferson County to help the general aviation industry make the switch to fully unleaded fuel.”

Mr. Nye added: “Colorado's general aviation pilots and community are proud to be helping lead this effort nationwide, and look forward to a safe, responsible transition over the next few years."

Mr. Anslow noted a drop in the price of unleaded aviation fuel over the time since RMMA made known its intention of joining Arapahoe County, Colorado’s Centennial Airport (APA) in stocking and selling the stuff. Anslow believes the cost of unleaded aviation fuel will drop further still as more airports make the switch.

Colorado Aviation Business Association (CABA) board chairman Brad Ellion remarked: "Colorado has a long, proud history of pioneering aviation advancements, and today's announcement is in keeping with that tradition. There are still considerable supply, infrastructure, and certification challenges to overcome in making the fleetwide transition to unleaded fuel, but today's action by RMMA and Jefferson County is a great step forward, and CABA will continue to work with our elected officials to advance policies to prudently and safely help that transition."

The leadership of the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport aspires to see the entirety of BJC non-jet fuel sales to be lead-free by autumn 2024.

FMI: www.faa.gov/unleaded