4 ms·

A large proportion of piston-powered aircraft are relatively old — many are general aviation aircraft, and the hours put on the airframes are small compared wit

A large proportion of piston-powered aircraft are relatively old — many are general aviation aircraft, and the hours put on the airframes are small compared with most commercial aircraft, so most predate the ban of leaded automotive fuel. There's a lot of resistance to changing anything around aviation, especially when it comes to engines. Many (or most?) piston-powered aircraft are single-engined aircraft, where a single failure makes the plane a glider.

dghughes 12y ago
Old being the key since the engines require lead for valve lubrication and most have a carburetor not fuel-injection so power is not as good as fuel-injected. Getting power out of a certain quantity of fuel is also a big plus since the 100 liters of leaded avgas you carry can take you 600km but unleaded maybe only 500km.
- tobinfricke 12y ago
  We have to weigh these benefits to (piston-powered) general aviation (mostly a hobby?) against toxifying the environment. Frankly I don't think piston-powered GA is vital enough to our economy/society to justify such a long grace period on removing the leaded fuel. If our Cessnas can't climb quite as fast or fly quite as far - that seems a very reasonable cost for removing a known potent neurotoxin from the environment.
  - dghughes 12y ago
    That's the thing though they have to climb and go fast since the stall speed is always on your mind as a pilot especially when I was learning to fly. I just hate to think of all the avgas I got on my hands when checking the fuel before each flight, dip the wood stick in the top tanks to check teh level. But even worse is when you use a small graduated cylinder with a metal spike to drain off a good 100ml of fuel from the under-tank to check for water then throw it on the ground! The taxi area must be loaded with lead.

4 ms·

A large proportion of piston-powered aircraft are relatively old — many are general aviation aircraft, and the hours put on the airframes are small compared wit

by gsnedders 12y ago

dghughes 12y ago
Old being the key since the engines require lead for valve lubrication and most have a carburetor not fuel-injection so power is not as good as fuel-injected. Getting power out of a certain quantity of fuel is also a big plus since the 100 liters of leaded avgas you carry can take you 600km but unleaded maybe only 500km.
- tobinfricke 12y ago
  We have to weigh these benefits to (piston-powered) general aviation (mostly a hobby?) against toxifying the environment. Frankly I don't think piston-powered GA is vital enough to our economy/society to justify such a long grace period on removing the leaded fuel. If our Cessnas can't climb quite as fast or fly quite as far - that seems a very reasonable cost for removing a known potent neurotoxin from the environment.
  - dghughes 12y ago
    That's the thing though they have to climb and go fast since the stall speed is always on your mind as a pilot especially when I was learning to fly. I just hate to think of all the avgas I got on my hands when checking the fuel before each flight, dip the wood stick in the top tanks to check teh level. But even worse is when you use a small graduated cylinder with a metal spike to drain off a good 100ml of fuel from the under-tank to check for water then throw it on the ground! The taxi area must be loaded with lead.