Jason Plautz, E&E reporter
As small general aviation planes prepare to move away from leaded fuels, the Federal Aviation Administration has told industry groups it will create a new office to oversee the transition to cleaner unleaded gas.
The Fuels Program Office, or AIR-20, will be "responsible for providing technical expertise and strategic direction in the planning, management and coordination of activities related to aviation fuels," according to a letter signed by FAA acting Administrator Michael Huerta. The announcement comes in response to recommendations from the Unleaded Avgas Transition Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which met earlier this year to discuss the move to unleaded fuel.
Aviation fuel was exempt from a U.S. EPA campaign that began decades ago to phase lead out of fuel for environmental and health reasons, and now aviation gas, or avgas, is responsible for half the lead released in the air. The general aviation industry, which covers smaller piston-engine planes, has been working with FAA to prepare for a transition to unleaded fuel by 2018 amid concerns that a new fuel could damage existing engines.
A final report by the rulemaking committee delivered to FAA earlier this year recommended the agency set up a fuel-development road map for the industry, establish a testing and certification system for unleaded fuels, and create a centralized certification office to support unleaded avgas projects. The committee also recommended creating an industry-government joint initiative to implement an unleaded fuel for the existing fleet.
Stakeholders were pleased that the FAA had taken up the suggestion. In a statement, the General Aviation Avgas Coalition, an alliance of aviation groups, said the creation of the fuels program would help ease the transition to unleaded fuel.
"The FAA's direct involvement and participation in this process is critical to ensuring a fleetwide transition to an unleaded avgas that will maintain consumer confidence and ensure the least impact on the existing fleet," the coalition said in a statement. "The establishment of the new Fuels Program Office will ensure an efficient use of both government and industry resources and will provide a more comprehensive pathway and timeline to an unleaded fuel."
In an interview, Rob Hackman, vice president of regulatory affairs for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, said the office's formation was significant because it would allow all policy to be formed under one roof rather than requiring stakeholders to go to different departments.
FAA said the office will be managed by Peter White, who led the rulemaking committee meetings.
Copyright 2012 Environment and Energy Publishing, LLC
