Originally Posted by
PiperCameron
Though it isn't likely to be 'banned' over here because (a) the 'Big 4' oil companies (one in particular) kinda enjoy the monopoly they have right now and (b) GA industry in this country is too small for anyone in power to notice (or care) that we're still using it! Aviation White Paper, anyone??
They're not that noble.. GAMI were prompted to pursue its own alternative because they saw an opportunity (if it worked) to make some serious money.
If Innospec USA stop making TEL for whatever reason then, yeah, GAMI can just wander in and take over whenever they like. So it's politics, not technology or cost or anything else that's the real issue (in the USA as well as here).
I often read your posts as actually making my point.
I agree, it's politics that will determine whether LL Avgas will continue to be available in Australia (and the USA). There are plenty of environmentalists in Australia who have the ear of people who have a big and occasionally decisive chunk of votes in various parliaments around the place. It is precisely because the "GA industry" in Australia is so small that it easy to sacrifice without causing too much political damage. And LL Avgas is rounding errors on the oil companies' petty cash float.
I didn't suggest GAMI were in it as a charity. George Braly is a very, very smart man and I hope he gets very, very rich off G1000UL. That's as it should be in capitalist countries.