Steve Sliwa Posted March 8, 2012 Report Share Posted March 8, 2012 [TABLE=class: content, width: 99%][TR][TD][TABLE=width: 100%][TR][TD=class: fullissuecontainer][TABLE=class: copypaneloutlined, width: 100%][TR][TD=class: fullissuecontainer][TABLE=width: 610][TR][TD=class: fullissuecontainer, width: 610][TABLE=width: 590][TR][TD][h=2]Group Sues EPA Over Leaded Avgas[/h]The environmental group Friends of the Earth (FOE) has sued the EPA asking for the regulation of lead emissions from general aviation aircraft under the Clean Air Act, and Wednesday, AVweb spoke to a lawyer on the case. According to attorney Marianne Engelman Lado, "The sky is not falling and no one is even calling for shutting down an industry." Lado said the action is meant to precipitate a two-step process. The GA Avgas Coalition has responded.Lado told AVweb that FOE recognizes aviation as "the single largest source of lead emissions in the United States." AOPA's position is that aircraft produce "one-tenth of 1 percent" of national lead emissions. FOE is seeking to phase out lead as an additive to aviation fuel and multiple aviation interests are working toward that end. As a first step toward that goal, FOE hopes the EPA will "make an endangerment finding." The second step would see authorities engage in rulemaking to regulate lead additives to avgas. FOE wants the government to deliver a plan "with real deadlines in it," Lado said, and FOE believes "the starting point is the EPA."The GA Avgas Coalition, which includes AOPA, EAA, GAMA, NBAA and NATA, said the lawsuit "was not unexpected and does not threaten the near-term availability of leaded fuel." The coalition says, "the FAA, not the EPA, will have the final regulatory authority over any potential change" to avgas. The FAA has already established the Unleaded Avgas Transition Aviation Rulemaking Committee, which is charged with producing recommendations to further development and deployment of an unleaded avgas. The coalition's position is that "the FAA, EPA and the industry must be allowed to work together to make the safest transition to the most viable unleaded fuel." More to come... .[/TD][/TR][/TABLE][/TD][/TR][/TABLE][/TD][/TR][/TABLE][/TD][/TR][/TABLE][/TD][/TR][/TABLE] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sliwa Posted March 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2012 Here is Rotax's response - Autogas to E10[TABLE=class: content, width: 99%][TR][TD][TABLE=width: 100%][TR][TD=class: fullissuecontainer][TABLE=class: copypaneloutlined, width: 100%][TR][TD=class: fullissuecontainer][TABLE=width: 610][TR][TD=class: fullissuecontainer, width: 610][TABLE=width: 590][TR][TD][h=2]BRP/Rotax Rolls Out New Engine[/h][TABLE=width: 200, align: right][TR][TD][/TD][/TR][TR][TD]click for photos[/TD][/TR][/TABLE]Rotax has added a new engine to its line of popular four-cylinder, four-stroke aircraft engines—the 912iS. The new engine represents somewhat of a technological leap for aircraft powerplants in that it features direct fuel injection and an electronic engine management unit. Company officials rolled out the new engine at BRP/Rotax's company headquarters in Gunskirchen, Austria on Thursday morning. The launch customer for the new engine will be Pipistrel Aircraft, an LSA and soon-to-be manufactuer of certified aircraft located in Slovenia. BRP clearly intends the 912iS to be a "green" engine with improved fuel economy and lower emissions as one of its design goals.Horsepower of the new engine will remain at 100, as with previous models of the 912, but in place of the Bing carburetors, which some owners have complained about having to adjust from time to time, the 912iS will have automotive type fuel injection with an ECU capable of timing and shaping each fuel charge. Each cylinder will have dual injectors for redundancy. BRP claims up to 30 percent lower consumption than like-power aircraft engines.The overall physical size will remain essentially the same as previous models of the 912, although the weight will be about 6 kilograms more for a total weight of about 63 kg or 140 pounds dry, installed weight. The engine will also have an external alternator to both power the ECU and ship's systems. BRP says the engine will be available in two versions, the 912iS non-certified and the 912iSc for certified aircraft. Production is scheduled for March 2012 and the engine will come out of the box with a 2000-hour TBO. AVweb will have a full video report on the engine later this week.The engine will run on autogas up to E10.[/TD][/TR][/TABLE][/TD][/TR][/TABLE][/TD][/TR][/TABLE][/TD][/TR][/TABLE][/TD][/TR][/TABLE] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.