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| Ethanol
This page will be updated with information on ethanol in auto fuel and how it is detrimental to aircraft. We will also post resources here to help us all try to keep a source of ethanol free fuel available. If you have not listened to our ethanol show yet you can listen to it here
You can email us at ethanol@flighttimeradio.com and we will keep you informed. FACT: Approximately 64,000 certified aircraft have FAA STCs (Supplemental Type Certificates) to run auto fuel plus many more experimental aircraft. FACT: The FAA STCs do not allow auto fuel containing ethanol to be used. FACT: Many states already have, and many more are working on, regulations mandating 10% ethanol to be used in auto fuel leaving many aircraft owners without non-ethanol containing fuel available to them. This is causing many problems for owners of aircraft, boats, older vehicles, and other engines. FACT: Auto fuel is much more economical than aviation fuel for aircraft that can use it. FACT: Many older aircraft use auto fuel instead of aviation fuel because they were made for aviation fuel containing much less lead than currently available aviation fuel. The higher lead content in the aviation fuel causes lead fouling problems, valve sticking, and other problems. Those aircraft have less problems running auto fuel. FACT: Aircraft using auto fuel without ethanol are not running aviation fuel with harmful lead content. FACT: Ethanol is also detrimental to many other types of vehicles including boats and older cars. Some of the reasons ethanol containing fuel should not be used in aircraft include: Water may not be able to be sumped during a preflight inspection because the water will blend with the ethanol. This water can separate from the fuel at higher altitudes and lower temperatures causing engine stoppage and fuel line freezing. Materials used in seals, hoses, and O rings in aircraft are not compatible with ethanol and can deterioriate or swell and cause in flight engine failures and fuel leaks. Ethanol containing fuel does not contain the same energy per unit of volume which will decrease fuel range by an unknown amount rendering published and approved fuel charts inaccurate. Ethanol is corrosive to materials used in aircraft fuel systems and engines. Ethanol will soften and disolve some resins and sealants used in composite aircraft fuel tanks causing leaks and fuel line blockages.
Warning Regarding Use of Alcohol Blended (Ethanol) Fuels
Using Ethanol blended fuels in anything other than modern automobiles can cause serious problems. This includes airplanes, boats, and in small engines such as lawn mowers, chainsaws, weedeaters,etc. Problems caused by the alcohol content include: Deterioration of fiberglass fuel tanks, corrosion in aluminum fuel tanks, and decomposition of certain types of sealers used in aluminum tanks and aircraft wet-wing tanks. Fuel Leaks caused by the deterioration and corrosion. Deterioration of certain types fuel lines, fuel system components, and engine seals. Unexpected Engine stoppage due to clogging of the fuel system and filters by particles caused by the above deterioration. Ethanol is a powerful solvent and will dissolved and dislodge deposits of prior types of fuels which can clog filters and stop up fuel lines and injectors. If you use automotive fuel in anything other than a modern automobile designed for alcohol blended fuels, be sure that it does not contain ethanol. Be aware that Ethanol blended fuels, while burning cleaner and producing more power, will have lower fuel mileage per gallon. The Federal government had mandated use of reformulated fuels (either MTBE or ethanol) but has since repealed that mandate. Reason: ground water contamination by MTBE and above stated problems with ethanol. Some government agencies (not federal) have mandated use of ethanol fuels for automobiles, but boating and aircraft advocacy groups have persuaded most of them to allow exceptions in premium gas in order to have non alcohol fuels available for aviation and recreational users. If the regular blend at the pump has ethanol, check to see if premium is alcohol free. Refiners do not produce ethanol blends because it damages the piping in their equipment. Some distributors have elected to blend in ethanol for various reasons. For related reference information see the links below from boating and aircraft sources: http://www.uscgboating.org/recalls/pdfs/BSC85_1.pdf begin on page 6 http://www.uscg.mil/reserve/msg06/alcoast/coast516_06.htm http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001211X10420&key=1 http://www.aviationfuel.org/faqs/ethanol_blends.pdf |
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