Flying on sustainable fuel achieved...

[DAKSY]

The first passenger flight powered by 100% sustainable fuel just took off

United just ran a test flight with a fuel made from fats, cooking oils, and grease that results in 80% fewer emissions than regular jet fuel. Now it’s up to the government to allow it on commercial flights.

www.fastcompany.com

 

[begreen]

Folks near the airport reported sudden cravings for french fries.

 

[SpaceBus]

I hope they can get the lead out of AV Gas next.

 

[stoveliker]

Hm. My brother worked on such girls with KLM and I think Exxon about 15 years ago. And they used it. Maybe not pure but mixed with conventional kerosene, but still. Fun project in test planes with one engine on normal kerosene for safety, and one on the (mixed) renewable stuff.

 

[ABMax24]

I hope they can get the lead out of AV Gas next.

If only there was an incentive to get MOGAS certifications on small aircraft, there are a lot of small planes that are already capable of burning 91 octane ethanol free gas.

I guess supply is also the issue, many operators use avgas because that's what airports carry, if more places had MOGAS on hand it would be utilized more.

I got the chance to go for a ride through the mountains this summer with a pilot in a Cessna 172 with a MOGAS certification, it operates the same as in avgas, but saves about 35% in fuel costs.

There will though still be some aircraft that need the octane of lead, and also it's lubricating properties to protect things like valve seats.

 

[SpaceBus]

If only there was an incentive to get MOGAS certifications on small aircraft, there are a lot of small planes that are already capable of burning 91 octane ethanol free gas.

I guess supply is also the issue, many operators use avgas because that's what airports carry, if more places had MOGAS on hand it would be utilized more.

I got the chance to go for a ride through the mountains this summer with a pilot in a Cessna 172 with a MOGAS certification, it operates the same as in avgas, but saves about 35% in fuel costs.

There will though still be some aircraft that need the octane of lead, and also it's lubricating properties to protect things like valve seats.

I know why TEL is used, I just wish there would be a bigger push to phase it out. There are other additives, they just cost more, and like you said, the infrastructure is already there for LL100

 

[ABMax24]

I know why TEL is used, I just wish there would be a bigger push to phase it out. There are other additives, they just cost more, and like you said, the infrastructure is already there for LL100

I wish there was a simple alternative to TEL. In theory it's possible to make 100octane lead free fuel, but i think there might then be other issues with meeting fuel specs such as vapour pressure, and it would probably require large volumes of toluene, which brings up issues as it is a carcinogenic aromatic.

I had hoped that the small diesel aero engines would takeoff, but their adoption seems limited. It would further simplify things as most of them can burn Jet A, which would only require 1 fuel to be stored at airports. It also appears to be easier to replace Jet A with biofuels vs 100LL.

 

[SpaceBus]

I wish there was a simple alternative to TEL. In theory it's possible to make 100octane lead free fuel, but i think there might then be other issues with meeting fuel specs such as vapour pressure, and it would probably require large volumes of toluene, which brings up issues as it is a carcinogenic aromatic.

I had hoped that the small diesel aero engines would takeoff, but their adoption seems limited. It would further simplify things as most of them can burn Jet A, which would only require 1 fuel to be stored at airports. It also appears to be easier to replace Jet A with biofuels vs 100LL.

Agreed, even diesel would be better, but the issue is the majority of craft using 100LL are hobby aircraft, and they can't afford to update powerplants or get new craft. A drop in lead free fuel for legacy aircraft would be nice. I think NOx emissions need to be addressed soon as well.

 

[begreen]

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is being studied intensively for our region. Several refineries are being built or permitted. The move is on. Here is a deep dive into a study on the topic.

https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/2180/2020/11/SABWG-Final-Report-November-2020-compressed.pdf

 

[MongoMongoson]

Agreed, even diesel would be better, but the issue is the majority of craft using 100LL are hobby aircraft, and they can't afford to update powerplants or get new craft. A drop in lead free fuel for legacy aircraft would be nice. I think NOx emissions need to be addressed soon as well.

This is a company in Racine, WI developing a diesel aircraft engine. The man who started this company also started the company where I work, making LED lighting. It was the leader in outdoor LED lighting, for a while.

Small Aircraft Jet Fueled Engine - DeltaHawk Engines

This is not just another aircraft engine. This is a jet-fueled, turbocharged, supercharged game changer.

deltahawk.com

 

[MongoMongoson]

A little more info on DeltaHawk. The engine has been in development for something more like 20 years. The owner I referenced bought in about 4 years ago. He did not start the company.

I toured the facility recently and talked to the engineers and technicians designing and testing it. It sure looks like a fun place to work.

Very cool design. Once it is running it requires no electricity of any kind to keep the plane in the air. It can run on bio diesel, and they see a lot of potential in the European market for the engine.

I did not ask about PM2.5 emissions, although I probably should have.