5 ms·
Have there been any publicized studies done on the reliability of aircraft engines, with and without lead? I’m guessing this is what made the transition take so
by drzoltar 5y ago
Have there been any publicized studies done on the reliability of aircraft engines, with and without lead? I’m guessing this is what made the transition take so long, but I can’t seem to find any references.
- p_l 5y agoAnother problem is, IIRC, that many replacements for leaded fuels have evaporation & performance issues at lower pressures that don't matter in a car but can be critical in airplane (it's even worse with ethanol additives, IIRC).
- strangemonad 5y agoIt’s a rather complex topic with all sorts of factors including economics of a small market and FAA red tape. Av web has a great multi part on failure modes of engines and why new engines often don’t succeed https://youtu.be/mwpzTnLC8BY https://youtu.be/mwpzTnLC8BY https://youtu.be/_k1TQGK3mZI https://youtu.be/_k1TQGK3mZI
- phoenix3200 5y agoThere are some claims out there that engines run better without lead (it eats away at seals and whatnot).
- ericpauley 5y agoAlso fouls spark plugs, sticks valves, contaminates oil, and covers the underside of the plane. Leaded avgas is all-around nasty stuff.
- hugh-avherald 5y agoI can't find it, but NASA concluded that piston engine reliability is generally a mystery.