Aviation magazine - 100LL alternatives

[Not Me[_2_]]

I think I might have seen one of the aviation magazines running a story
recently on alternatives to 100LL fuel for airplanes. The jist of the story
was a newer engine running a more common (and cheaper) fuel.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? Which magazine was it in?

Thanks for the assistance!

Blue skies...

[Peter Dohm]

"Not Me" > wrote in message
. ..
> I think I might have seen one of the aviation magazines running a story
> recently on alternatives to 100LL fuel for airplanes. The jist of the
story
> was a newer engine running a more common (and cheaper) fuel.
>
> Does this sound familiar to anyone? Which magazine was it in?
>
> Thanks for the assistance!
>
> Blue skies...
>
>
I didn't see it and don't know. But there are a couple of points that
really needs to be made as early in the thread as possible.

1) The move to alternative fuels, such as mogas, and the related STCs
were initially related freedom from lead fouling. Since that time, there
has been a drastic reduction in the amount of lead that is actually
contained in 100LL, and the concern about lead fouling has been partially
replaced by a concern about the continued availability of a niche market
product.

2) There is still another very sound argument for running the lower
compression engines, with fixed timing, on the fuel grade for which they
were developed. They will run a little cooler, and will develope a little
better power on the correct grade of fuel--since excessively high octane
fuel is similar in its effect to a slightly retarded spark.

3) Most of the newer gasolene engines designed for sport aircraft seem to
have the same fuel grade requirements as the older low compression designs.
I won't speculate on which of several possible reasons is the driving force.

4) The cost of fuel sold at airports seems to be driven by a combination
of sales volume and severance fees levied by the local port authorities. At
some airports 100LL costs less than JetA, and at others it is the other way
around; but the one sold in the greater volume does seem to cost less. I
have no experience at any of the airports where Mogas is sold.

The salient point is that, to the best on my knowledge, price per gallon was
never a driving force for any of the manufacturers or STC developers--with
regard to gasolene. OTOH, the diesels are very much driven by the desire
for more horsepower hours per gallon--and therefore per dollar.

Peter
Just my $0.02