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A Cessna 172 Skyhawk.
The FAA said Sept. 17 that it has granted approval for the use of a second 100-octane unleaded fuel in piston aircraft, specifically Cessna 172R/S Skyhawks.
In a brief statement, the agency said it has approved the use of Swift 100R unleaded avgas by supplemental type certificate (STC) in Skyhawks powered by Lycoming IO-360-L2A engines, marking “an important step” in the FAA and industry effort to supply unleaded fuel for the entirety of the U.S. piston aircraft fleet.
Developer Swift Fuels, of West Lafayette, Indiana, has said that it plans to seek an initial STC for the use of 100R from the FAA, then expand the approved model list of piston aircraft and engines that can burn the 100-Motor-Octane fuel instead of 100LL leaded avgas. Swift is also pursuing a new product specification for 100R through standards organization ASTM.
The FAA in September 2022 approved General Aviation Modification Inc.’s (GAMI) G100UL unleaded avgas for use in every spark-ignition piston engine and airframe powered by those engines. G100UL also was approved incrementally across the fleet, beginning with STC approvals for certain Cessna 172 engines and airframes in 2021.
GAMI, however, has not sought a product specification through ASTM, which is considered key to industry acceptance of its fuel.
A third unleaded avgas candidate—UL100E—is undergoing full-scale engine and airframe testing under the FAA’s Piston Engine Aviation Fuels Initiative, which could lead to the agency granting fleetwide authorization for its use in 2025.
LyondellBasel, a multinational chemical company, partnered with San Antonio-based VP Racing Fuels in 2018 to develop the avgas in response to an FAA call for new unleaded fuel offerors.
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