[TLRippon]

I honestly thought nothing would get my mind off COVID 19 until I heard from a contact that in a forthcoming article from the next issue of an association magazine (Don't want to say which one in case it is not true) that production of TEL is about to cease making leaded AVGAS a thing of the past.

Can anyone else confirm/deny this?

The implication for all the fleet of high compression engine aircraft is disastrous.

Just to be clear, that would be Arrows, Commanders, anything with an IO360 engine or most turbos.

Something up there is telling me I have made my last flight. Luckily the aircraft is currently at an airfield where it can be parted out.

[G-BLEW]

I had a video chat with Martin Robinson, should be able to post tomorrow. He talks a little bit about TEL.

Ian

[Rob L]

TEL: Tetraethyllead

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraethyllead

[PeteSpencer]

Well, that’s made a gloomy day even gloomier

[GrahamB]

Rob L = Rob ?

[Cessna571]

I’ve been running a classic car on lead replacement and octane boost since lead finally disappeared.

(It was possible to get leaded petrol for quite a while after it was taken off the forecourt)

I presume it’ll just be the same for aero engines. Unless they have hardened valve seats already? or maybe they’ll be able to have them installed on engine rebuild/recondition.

I don’t think it’s that worrying tbh, TEL was a way of solving a problem that’s since been solved in other ways

[TLRippon]

The problem is with regulation and modification. Clearly the best route would be to design a mod or transfer to a different engine, the cost of doing so would not be justifiable to a type certificate holder especially if their interest was served by selling you a new aircraft. Many Lycomings for example can run on UL91 but the high compression models can’t. If there is no fuel substitute which can be made available or no approved engine upgrade path, then the aircraft is scrap.

[GrahamB]

The (I believe) latest version of Lycoming SI 1070 giving which fuels each engine variant can use is here.
There are IO360 variants which can use unleaded fuel.

[TLRippon]

The (I believe) latest version of Lycoming SI 1070 giving which fuels each engine variant can use is here.
There are IO360 variants which can use unleaded fuel.

Unfortunately not the C series in commanders.

[PeteSpencer]

Or arrers

[GrahamB]

What a bogger.

[johnm]

Our IO540 can run on UL91 but requires a different engine oil and we also use CAMGUARD

[riverrock]

The UK company that makes TEL reports AVTel and TEL for cars separately, and says AVTel will still be profitable once their one automotive customer (Algeria) stops ordering it.
See here https://finance.yahoo.com/news/edited-t ... 30880.html from their report 4 weeks ago.
I suspect they will keep making TEL for aviation but have now stopped automotive? I'd be very surprised if their investors allowed them to stop making a profitable product.

[GrahamB]

I believe the issue is the forthcoming implementation of the EU REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) legislation.

Even if the UK chooses not to implement it for AvGas, it may not be economically viable for the sole remaining manufacturer (who is in the UK) to continue to do so.

I’d have thought that EASA would be banging at the door of the EU Chemicals Agency, but it all seems very quite on that front.

[Mick Elborn]

AOPA are working on this. UL94 may be the answer, but that has to be determined, especially for Warbird types.

From AOPA USA this may be of interest.