Turbine engine an alternative for small aircraft?
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The only real alternative to 100LL in Europe are Diesel engines using Jet A-1. One has trouble getting 100LL fuel south and east of Germany/Austria even now - and I can only see the decrease in sell of Avgas, not an increase. I think the chance of getting a new gasoline on the market in Europe is highly unlikely, if not utopic.
With Thielert and AustroEngine engines you can use whichever mix of Diesel and Jet A-1 fuel you like (with respect to fuel temperature limitations of course) and you can get Jet A-1 basically everywhere in the world. Sadly, USA and Europe are light years away in the GA terms, but that's the world we live in.
Regarding the turbine engine - I think there isn't a turboprop (let alone turbojet) engine which has a comparable efficiency to a piston engine below 400 shp (which I believe this topic is discussing).
Originally Posted by Jabawocky
It is 100% compatible with Avgas, in any mix you create. Take 999 gallons of Avgas and mix in 1 gallon of G100UL and you have have 1000 gallons of G100UL conforming fuel. Sure it has a TEL content still but it is a conforming fuel certified to go fly. So tank mixing, either in the ground or wing is not an issue.
Regarding the turbine engine - I think there isn't a turboprop (let alone turbojet) engine which has a comparable efficiency to a piston engine below 400 shp (which I believe this topic is discussing).
Last edited by FlyingStone; 27th Oct 2012 at 15:52.
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I think there isn't a turboprop (let alone turbojet) engine which has a comparable efficiency to a piston engine below 400 shp
I don't think any turboprop engine gets anywhere near piston engine SFC. TPs are better than jets but even if you push the TP engine to its best operating regime (FL250 etc) it is still at least 30% worse than a piston engine would be.
But with avgas costing €3/litre in much of the more remote Europe, there are other considerations. I do a fair # of longer trips and would really like to burn avtur. Currently the only practical options are a DA42, or a Jetprop
Two very different mission profile aircraft!
I don't particularly believe lead in avgas is a risk to the environment, but it's toxic enough that I would prefer not to have to deal with it myself.
By the time I've dipsticked the tanks, refuelled, and tested the tanks for water, I'm as likely as not to have gotten at least a splash on me. By my reckoning 5 mls of 100LL would have about 2.5 milligrams of the stuff, or about a milligram of lead, which is about 170 times the targeted maximum daily intake for a Californian (6 micrograms).
Assuming it doesn't depend on something even nastier, bring on unleaded.
By the time I've dipsticked the tanks, refuelled, and tested the tanks for water, I'm as likely as not to have gotten at least a splash on me. By my reckoning 5 mls of 100LL would have about 2.5 milligrams of the stuff, or about a milligram of lead, which is about 170 times the targeted maximum daily intake for a Californian (6 micrograms).
Assuming it doesn't depend on something even nastier, bring on unleaded.
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abdg
from a toxic point of view, the AVGAS is less harmful than most of your unleaded mogas.
The G100UL is as best I can tell is no worse, however it will be far healthier for your engine.
The only thing TEL does in AVGAS is create a stable octane rating. Lead does nothing else positive and only helps clog up your engine, especially those who do not use the red knob properly.
The sooner it is gone the better. Should not be long anyway.
from a toxic point of view, the AVGAS is less harmful than most of your unleaded mogas.
The G100UL is as best I can tell is no worse, however it will be far healthier for your engine.
The only thing TEL does in AVGAS is create a stable octane rating. Lead does nothing else positive and only helps clog up your engine, especially those who do not use the red knob properly.
The sooner it is gone the better. Should not be long anyway.
The only real alternative to 100LL in Europe are Diesel engines using Jet A-1. One has trouble getting 100LL fuel south and east of Germany/Austria even now - and I can only see the decrease in sell of Avgas, not an increase. I think the chance of getting a new gasoline on the market in Europe is highly unlikely, if not utopic.
Sadly, USA and Europe are light years away in the GA terms, but that's the world we live in.
