100UL and Us

Any DA40 related topics

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Rich
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Re: 100UL and Us

Post by Rich »

Rich wrote: Wed Apr 06, 2022 3:40 pm I sent this off to GAMI, relevant to those of us with Surefly or Electro-air:

Numerous aircraft engines have been modified with electronic ignitions (in whole or part) which advance the spark beyond the fixed value of the original, traditional magnetos. Will there be restrictions on the use of the spark-advance feature of these components?
I sent the same inquiry to Surefly and got this response:

Good morning Rich, this is Kevin with SureFly Tech. Support. At present we have not gone through the FAA testing to get an approval for 100UL to be used in variable timing on our SIM’s. 100LL is the only fuel STC’d for use in variable timing on our SIM’s at this time. As 100UL gets more wide spread use we will look into the testing process to get it STC’d.

Amended: I got a followup from Surefly:

Hey Rich, the SureFly owners are aware and looking into the situation.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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haykinson
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Re: 100UL and Us

Post by haykinson »

For what it’s worth, since my home field now has the Swift UL94 fuel, I got a (city-paid) STC for the plane to use this fuel. There are stickers and all that. I wish it was the G100U though instead.
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OriensFlight
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Re: 100UL and Us

Post by OriensFlight »

After a little research, it appears:
1) Swift's proprietary 94UL is being sold at a number of airports around the country, is the same weight as 100LL, but requires an STC from Swift to be used in a DA40-180 Lycoming IO-360. (Swift markets this 94UL STC with the implied promise that the STC holder will receive the future Swift 100UL STC for free.)
2) GAMI has worked with the FAA on their proprietary G100UL, gotten essentially all the approvals, but FAA headquarters is 'dragging its feet'* on issuing the final documents. (*-the most politically correct way I could phrase this.)
3) Swift also has a 100UL effort, but their FAQ indicates that it is "currently undergoing testing and certification with the FAA."
4) Both GAMI and Swift's 100UL products would be proprietary, but manufactured and distributed by license holders.
5) Both GAMI and Swift's 100UL products would be drop-in replacements for 100LL, meaning an aircraft or fuel storage 'container' could hold either 100LL, or 100UL, or any combination of both. (Note this is different from Swift's UL94. Their FAQ states: "FBO’s who sell 100LL to higher compression aircraft must keep UL94 in separate storage tanks.")
6) Both GAMI and Swift's 100UL products would weigh more than 100LL. 6.3 lbs./gal for G100UL vs. 6.0 lbs./gal for 100LL.
7) Both GAMI and Swift have commented to varying degrees on the FAA-managed PAFI fuel test program.
8) GAMI has had a Cirrus aircraft using their G100UL formulation for over 10 years. (I can't recall if it was an SR20 or SR22, but honestly, does it matter to us. ;) )

Questions:
- With the Swift 94UL STC it appears this approves the engine to consume Swift's 94UL, but how do parts manufacturers, Diamond, the FAA, pilots, and most importantly insurance companies feel about this fuel being 'used' in all other parts of the fuel/power system? Are we going to play the "Well, the most important thing is the engine, so since that's covered we'll risk the rest." game?
- Will the 100UL fuels require an STC for each aircraft, complete with stickers and POH/log-inserts, or by some regulatory magic will it just require the fuel pump to have paperwork on file?
- Are we potentially looking at a future where multiple differently-formulated 100UL fuels will be sold by different distributors across America?

ps: For the record, I will be one of the first to cheer when we finally get TEL out of our fuel.
Hans
N556LU / 40.763 - 2007 DA40 XL G1000 w/WAAS, SVT, TAS & ADS-B @ RAM Aviation in Healdsburg, California
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dgger
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Re: 100UL and Us

Post by dgger »

I am just watching from a distance, but just by chance saw AVweb‘s summary of the 100UL drama, yesterday:

https://youtu.be/9F-WngVMJBQ

From what I understand, any drop-in replacement legally requires either a load of STCs or an act of congress, according to AVweb.

On my side of the Atlantic things are heating up around lead as well. As far as I understand things the import of TEL or products containing TEL will be banned from the beginning of 2025. Apparently no TEL is produced in the EU, so I guess we are about to witness some rather drastic changes around here.
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chili4way
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Re: 100UL and Us

Post by chili4way »

The type certificate for the DA40 is held by Diamond Canada. Does this mean Transport Canada needs to do the fuel and related systems approvals? The DA40 and the few DA42-360s are the only two avgas-powered Diamonds.
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TimS
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Re: 100UL and Us

Post by TimS »

If the plane is registered in Canada. Then yes.
If in the USA, then you are dependant on the FAA either releasing the fuel under EAGLE or the FAA issuing an STC. Note; for the STC you will have to purchase it!

Tim
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Charles
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Re: 100UL and Us

Post by Charles »

As a data point, a few years ago, environmentalist commissioned a pretty thorough and professional study of lead concentration around our airport (CYHU). It's a busy airport with about 150,000 movements per year plus at least 100,000 touch and gos by piston aircraft.

The study concluded that lead concentration near the airport was no higher than anywhere else.
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DaveS1900
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Re: 100UL and Us

Post by DaveS1900 »

I have the Swift UL94 STC on my 2002 DA40. I haven't had the opportunity to buy the fuel yet. However, there are a growing number of FBO's that carry the fuel.

Go online and purchase ($100) the Swift STC for your tailnumber airplane. They send you the STC documentation and stickers that go alongside the fuel filler caps. There are no mechanical modifications that need to happen. The only catch is that a mechanic has to log the STC. I bought it and then asked the mechanic during my annual to "install" it. It took him all of 10 minutes

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Re: 100UL and Us

Post by dant »

2) GAMI has worked with the FAA on their proprietary G100UL, gotten essentially all the approvals, but FAA headquarters is 'dragging its feet'* on issuing the final documents. (*-the most politically correct way I could phrase this.)
The FAA tweeted a couple weeks ago that an independent group had proposed the latest phase of tests.
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Rich
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Re: 100UL and Us

Post by Rich »

chili4way wrote: Sun Aug 14, 2022 3:06 pm The type certificate for the DA40 is held by Diamond Canada. Does this mean Transport Canada needs to do the fuel and related systems approvals? The DA40 and the few DA42-360s are the only two avgas-powered Diamonds.
Plus the DA20. There are plenty of those out there.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
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