AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2010 - 12

AOPAACTION

COMPILED BY KATHY DONDZILA

What AOPA is doing to keep you flying

AOPA’s new information tool on fuel
A special message from AOPA President Craig Fuller
or almost 20 years, AOPA and other general aviation associations have actively been involved in the issue of un-leading avgas. But this year, the issue took on a new urgency, and a SWAT team of AOPA communications and government relations professionals has focused intently on federal developments that will now likely lead to unleaded avgas in our future. Our focus has been on representing the interests of all our members in regulatory proceedings and keeping you informed. Most of our work has been behind the scenes, but increasingly, as developments warranted, we’ve stepped up our communications, education, and advocacy on the leaded avgas

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issue. And with the new ePilot Special Report series, we are taking another step toward keeping you informed and involved in a process that will surely impact all of our flying for years to come. This transition process is already complicated—and confusing. Consider the many organizations and factors that will be involved: at least two major federal agencies, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the FAA; possibly Congress; several GA and petroleum industry associations and companies; new fuel and engine technologies; critical safety considerations; economics; and important infrastructure issues. There are many aspects of this process that will be

unclear for some time to come. But some are clear now: • 100LL will remain readily available, but there is currently no clear “drop-in” replacement for 100LL. • An industry avgas coalition has organized around a Future Avgas Strategy and Transition Plan—that

is committed to a process and path that will address the needs of the entire GA fleet. • This process toward a single-fuel solution that assures safe operations, meets infrastructure concerns, and affordable economics will take many years.

GA coalition submits first round of avgas comments to EPA
‘Not sufficient data for an endangerment finding...’ By Tom Gibson
A major benchmark in the avgas transition process occurred recently, with the submission of formal comments to the EPA by the General Aviation Avgas Coalition. AOPA is a leader in the coalition, which includes both aviation and petroleum industry representatives. The coalition affirmed its commitment to finding a single unleaded fuel that will be acceptable to the entire GA fleet and industry infrastructure, explained what the industry has already done to reduce lead emissions, and discussed plans for the future in its comments. The key focus was on the need for a careful study of the issue. “There is not enough data nor is there a requirement for the Environmental Protection Agency to find that avgas represents an ‘endangerment’ under the Clean Air Act, and careful study is needed before any decision about an alternative to leaded fuel can be reached,” the coalition wrote. The coalition’s comments, written in response to an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) on avgas lead emissions, reiterated the EPA’s point from the ANPR that more study is needed on the impacts of GA’s existing use of leaded fuel before the EPA can make an informed decision on the issue. The GA coalition asked the EPA to continue to work with the industry
AOPA PILOT •

and increase the FAA’s involvement to gather the best possible data. The EPA’s ANPR was published in response to a Friends of the Earth petition that asked for either an endangerment finding under the Clean Air Act or further study into the effects of emissions from leaded avgas on health and the environment. “The entire general aviation community took a very hard look at the data the EPA presented and the questions they asked and concluded that our best input to EPA is to suggest that neither the situation nor their own findings suggest an endangerment finding is warranted,” said AOPA President Craig Fuller. GA Avgas Coalition members include AOPA, the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the American Petroleum Institute (API), and the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (NPRA). “The technical challenges of removing lead from aviation gasoline are formidable,” said Rob Hackman, AOPA vice president of regulatory affairs and liaison to the General Aviation Avgas Coalition. “Given the widespread impact of the actions described in the ANPR—particularly how they might affect the safety of flight—any determination related to lead emissions from pistonengine aircraft must be supported by sound and complete data.”

12 • NOVEMBER

2010
AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - November 2010
