We’ve been covering biofuels a lot on this blog but most of the coverage has been on its application to Jet Fuel – not AvGas. Our operators fly piston aircraft that use AvGas (100 low-lead, or 100LL) – so how would biofuels potentially apply to the operations of FlyMiwok’s operators?
Swift Enterprises Ltd., of West Lafayette, Ind. has engineered a fully renewable hydrocarbon-based fuel synthesized from biomass that has demonstrated performance equal to or better than 100LL aviation gasoline.
According to Swift’s website, the advantages of using Swift Fuel are substantial:
* Seamless replacement of 100LL (no engine modifications)
* 15% increase in range over 100LL (no oxygenates)
* 20% drop in pollutants over the current 100LL fuel
* 15% more volumetric energy than 100LL
* No need for stabilizers or additives
AviationWeek wrote a story about Swift in July making the point that
Since the use of lead was banned for road vehicles, general aviation aircraft comprise the largest domestic users of tetraethyl lead additive fuels and are responsible for 45% of the ambient air lead inventory. As a result, many groups are pushing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to eliminate 100LL altogether. Because of the lead content, plus the fuel’s relatively low production levels, it is expensive to produce, ship—it cannot be transported in pipelines—and store.
The article also mentions that
[the fuel] has undergone preliminary testing at the FAA William Hughes Technical Center, Atlantic City, N.J. Researchers there determined the new fuel had a motor octane number (MON) of 104.4, versus a 103.6 MON in 100LL purchased locally. When fed to Lycoming IO-540-K and TIO-540-J2BD engines, chosen for their high-octane demand, the SwiftFuel provided slightly better detonation performance than the 100LL, had an energy content that was 96.3% of the 100LL and produced greater than 98% of the power of 100LL. On a volume basis, the SwiftFuel also contained 13% more energy.
These are excellent results.
The company’s latest online presentation calls the new AvGas 100SF (as opposed to 100LL). It also claims that commercialization will start in Oct. 2009 with manufacturing starting in Oct. 2011.
Swift flew an RV-4 on a mix of 100LL and 100SF to Oshkosh’s EAA Airventure this year.
We’re very excited about Swift’s progress and hope that these projections will materialize as planned.
Gad Barnea – CEO – FlyMiwok, Inc.
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