15 July 2026
The race to replace 100LL avgas with an unleaded equivalent fuel has taken another significant step forward.
Swift Fuels has dramatically expanded FAA approval for its 100R unleaded fuel while another US company, VP Racing, also developing unleaded avgas, has strengthened its European aviation fuel ambitions through the acquisition of Irish distributor Pro Energy Fuel.
The bigger story for General Aviation is Swift’s announcement that the US Federal Aviation Administration has expanded its Approved Model List (AML) to include more than 1,200 piston engine models and over 1,600 aircraft types. The list is here.
The move significantly broadens the number of aircraft eligible to use Swift’s 100R unleaded avgas under the company’s Supplemental Type Certificate (STC).
The approvals form part of the FAA’s programme to eliminate leaded aviation gasoline in the United States by the end of 2030.
According to Swift, the newly approved engines represent around 56% of current US 100LL consumption, making this the first phase of a wider transition that will eventually include higher-performance engines over the next two years.
Swift says 100R is already on sale at five US and five European locations and expects many existing UL94 users to switch to the higher-octane fuel over the coming weeks.
The company says approved locations now include the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Austria, Canada and Australia.
The company is keen to stress that 100R is currently the only commercially available 100-octane unleaded avgas that combines FAA-approved STCs with an ASTM production specification. It also says the fuel is fully miscible with 100LL, allowing aircraft to operate safely while the transition away from leaded fuel continues.
For UK pilots, however, widespread availability remains the next hurdle. Although the fuel has reached a handful of European airfields, distribution will need to expand significantly before unleaded 100-octane avgas becomes a practical replacement for 100LL across Britain.
Meanwhile, another piece of the supply-chain puzzle has fallen into place. US fuel specialist VP Racing Fuels has acquired Irish aviation fuel supplier Pro Energy Fuel Ltd, establishing a new European headquarters in Sligo with operations in Poland and the Netherlands.
The acquisition strengthens VP Racing’s aviation fuel distribution network across Europe and supports development of the company’s own unleaded avgas, known as UL100E. That’s being developed in partnership with LyondellBasell and is still progressing through certification.
While Swift has moved into commercial sales with regulatory approval already in hand, VP Racing’s investment underlines growing confidence that unleaded avgas will become the future of piston aviation.
For aircraft owners and aerodromes, the challenge is no longer whether leaded fuel will disappear but which unleaded alternative will become the industry standard.
