Ethanol Free Auto Gas in California!

turbo · #1 07-20-2011, 06:38 PM

linked from another site.

http://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30639

N427EF · #2 07-20-2011, 08:14 PM

Sounds almost too good to be true.
One can hope that other states will follow suite.

I wonder when we are going to hear the big announcement.

Ron Lee · #3 07-20-2011, 08:23 PM

The real question is whether many airports have the infrastructure to have both 100LL (which by the way will be here a long time), and 91 octane auto gas.

SteveinIndy · #4 07-20-2011, 08:36 PM

There's a reason why I am not screwing around with a rotary or 100LL engine on my aircraft. Actually there are several, but this minor annoyance is one of them.

flyingriki · #5 07-20-2011, 11:45 PM

Not just California, they need all the support they can get!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Clear-...06596916044897

N941WR · #6 07-21-2011, 03:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Lee

The real question is whether many airports have the infrastructure to have both 100LL (which by the way will be here a long time), and 91 octane auto gas.

Many of the airports out here still have two tanks from the days when they sold 100LL and 80 Oct. So that may not be as big a problem as you think.

Of course, many of those old tanks have been taken out of service, so maybe it will be an issue.

Jack Tyler · #7 07-21-2011, 07:02 AM

Clear Gas is just the latest E-0 initiative to be announced (out of Merced, CA if memory serves). There are others. But Ron's point is worth considering:
"The real question is whether many airports have the infrastructure to have both 100LL (which by the way will be here a long time), and 91 octane auto gas."

Many smaller airports in my part of the country have dug around and found the funding to install self-service 100LL systems for their ramps because it's a win-win: increased fuel sales (24/7) without increased labor costs, and somewhat lower fuel prices (which in turn may attract even more fuel sales for those ramps). So now there's the 100LL tank in the fuel farm, the fuel truck itself, and the 100LL self-service tank + system - plus of course the JetA supply system. That's already a lot of fueling infrastructure for a smaller airport.

Seems to me it's a hard sale, for airports set up like this, to fund yet another fuel + fueling system, no matter how much many of us would like to see it. Fuel sales would shift (from 100LL to E-0) more so than increase, so how is the cost of the new fueling system to be covered? So far, I haven't seen Clear Gas address this in their promotional efforts.

Jack

Mel · #8 07-21-2011, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack Tyler

So now there's the 100LL tank in the fuel farm, the fuel truck itself, and the 100LL self-service tank + system - plus of course the JetA supply system. That's already a lot of fueling infrastructure for a smaller airport.

You really can't count the truck as an additional source. They typically have to refill the truck from one of the tanks on site.

Paul Lamar · #9 08-22-2011, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveinIndy

There's a reason why I am not screwing around with a rotary or 100LL engine on my aircraft. Actually there are several, but this minor annoyance is one of them.

The rotary runs fine with the alcohol in the fuel as long as you have a metal
tank. It is only a problem with composite tanks.

Paul Lamar

humptybump · #10 08-22-2011, 01:21 PM

Airport distribution will be the challenge to anything other than a "100LL swap out". While a few mom-and-pop airports may still have their old 80LL system, all of the airports I've hit this year have switched to self-serve systems and have no legacy tank/pump.

I do hope a no-lead solution emerges sooner than later. Our environment, engines, and wallets will "breath" easier.