GAMI G100UL lands at Reid-Hillview Airport
First airport to offer 100-octane unleaded fuel for retail sale
Santa Clara County signed on with energy distribution company Vitol to bring General Aviation Modifications Inc.’s unleaded G100UL fuel to the San Jose, California, airport. The county stopped the sale of leaded avgas in January 2022.
Vitol delivered over 7,500 gallons of G100UL to Reid-Hillview of Santa Clara County Airport on October 28 and started truck-service sales on October 30 at $6.99 per gallon, about 25 to 30 cents per gallon higher than full-service avgas sold at nearby airports. The fuel is currently not available for self-service.
GAMI offered incentives to encourage local pilots to purchase the supplemental type certificate, including a full refund of the cost of an STC purchased by November 1, and a free Form 337 sign-off during a rollout event scheduled for November 2 at Reid-Hillview. Customers who purchased the STC previously will be offered a voucher good for an equivalent fuel purchase.
After the county-wide ban on fuel containing lead took effect, it replaced 100LL avgas with Swift Fuels’ UL94, an unleaded 94-octane fuel that is only certified for use in about 68 percent of the GA piston fleet. Reid-Hillview will offer both UL94 and G100UL. UL94 will remain the only piston aircraft fuel available at San Martin Airport.
As more airports begin to make the transition to an unleaded future, other unleaded aviation fuel manufacturers are working toward producing and widely distributing their unleaded avgas alternatives.
Swift Fuels was recently granted its first STC for its 100-octane unleaded aviation fuel, 100R, in Cessna 172 R and S models with Lycoming IO-360-l2A engines. Swift Fuels CEO Chris D’Acosta said the company plans to seek additional STCs with the goal of becoming the global replacement for 100LL within three to five years.
LyondellBasell and VP Racing Fuels’ UL100E is currently undergoing engine and airframe testing through the FAA’s Piston Engine Aviation Fuels Initiative, better known as PAFI. The companies hope to earn fleetwide approval for UL100E in 2025.
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