Using AVgas in your small engines
Curious as to others experience using Aviation gas 100LL which is a low lead 100 octane fuel. I have been using in all my small engines; lawn equipment and generators, for some time with excellent res...
Forum Discussion
Kpackpackkelley wrote:
I wonder why they can't use ethanol gas in airplanes. When I found that out I got a little suspicious .
EVERYTHING used to make or operate an airplane has to go through FAA certification. It's a long, expensive process. Consequently, very few improvements or changes are made. Last I heard, small aircraft engines were still using carburetors and magneto ignition. (Maybe that's changed - it's been a long time.)
So, who's going to pay to certify an engine to use auto gas with 10% ethanol? There's no money in it, so nobody is going to do it. It's not that it is a bad idea, or won't work. It just hasn't been certified for use in aircraft engines.
You can get an Auto Gas STC (Supplemental Type Certificate) for 48 engine types and over 100 airframes. However, "the use of gasoline containing alcohol must be avoided because it can cause corrosion in the engine, damage the aircraft fuel system, decrease range, and increase the tendency toward vapor lock." It also cannot be used in commercial operations.
