4 ms·
Ugh! And the small planes are probably allowed to use leaded fuel, so they will spew lead that slowly drifts down to where you are.
by hollerith 2y ago
Ugh! And the small planes are probably allowed to use leaded fuel, so they will spew lead that slowly drifts down to where you are.
- wkat4242 2y agoThey definitely are allowed to use leaded fuel (though these days it's low lead). Problem is there's no good replacement. Nobody bothers making the bigger GA aircraft (eg not ultralight) with an engine that was designed later than the 50s. It's like technology just froze. In reality it didn't freeze but regulation and certification costs rose and it no longer became viable to build new engines for such a small market. The old ones retain their certification even though they don't meet the new rules. The ultralight sports category has much less regulation and they do have modern gasoline and diesel engines like Rotax. There's a few aftermarket turbodiesel options for GA aircraft but they're usually not manufacturer approved, and they need a complete replacement every few years instead of just an overhaul. Anyway this is why the stupid lead is still around. Us pilots all hate it because we breathe it too and we get it on our skin during fuel inspections.