After avgas

What happens when GA’s fuel disappears?

Leaded avgas is powering its last flights as health and environmental concerns compound harsh logistical reality to spell an imminent end for the fuel. That’s trouble for many high performance light aircraft owners, who currently have no other fuel to turn to. Most piston aircraft don’t need the power boost lead additives provide, but the Cirrus SR22s, Mooneys and other go-fast pistons drink 80 percent of the world’s avgas, and they need the high power they were designed to burn. Many general aviation airframes that use avgas can operate on lower octanes also face uncertainty in availability, but viable alternative fuels are available today for those piston aircraft.

Experts agree fuel costs are on the way up across the spectrum, whether the fuel uncertainty is overcome by a variety of news fuels and new engines, or one drop-in alternative fuel acting as savior.