24 February 2022
The EAGLE has landed – the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative, that is, and it’s supported by all of the main aviation groups in the US.
EAGLE is a plan to move piston-engine aircraft from leaded avgas to lead-free aviation fuels by the end of 2030, and comes on the back of two airports in California stopping selling leaded fuel.
It was announced at the annual State Of The Industry conference staged by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) in Washington, USA yesterday.
Crucially, EAGLE calls for a viable high-octane unleaded replacement for the current 100 octane low lead aviation gasoline (100LL), without compromising the existing transportation infrastructure, aviation safety, and the economic and broader public benefits of general aviation.
EAGLE is built on four key pillars – Regulatory and Policy, Unleaded Fuel Testing and Qualification, Research and Development, and Business Infrastructure and Implementation.
Industry stakeholders and the FAA will begin working on the EAGLE initiative right away with a partnership symposium, to define a detailed workplan, planned for March.
The announcement of EAGLE came with comments by all the leading aviation associations. Here are a few:
Jack Pelton, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA): “Securing a lead-free future for aviation fuel is a formidable challenge, but the aviation community has faced and met previous challenges with ingenuity and imagination.
“Our goal is to solve the complex issues surrounding lead-free aviation fuels with innovations that ensure safety, as well as reliability, marketplace availability, and continue to provide the countless benefits of general and recreational aviation to our nation and the world.”
Mark Baker, President and CEO of AOPA: “While the industry has a shared vision of a lead-free aviation future, the transition must be done in a smart and safe way, and in a manner that works for the entire general aviation fleet.”
Pete Bunce, GAMA President and CEO: “The future of light general aviation depends on moving away from leaded fuels. GAMA’s manufacturing and maintenance companies look forward to working with the FAA, industry colleagues and other stakeholders to carry out this challenging and ambitious initiative.
James Viola, President and CEO of the Helicopter Association International (HAI): “This initiative is the right thing to do for the environment and the economic health of our industry. The vertical flight industry is eager to work with all stakeholders to move the EAGLE initiative forward.”
