Swift Fuels FOREVER Avgas STC program

[tmo]

So, US-based Swift have been working on unleaded aviation gasoline for a long time.  They do have a 94 octane fuel on the market and claim to be close to having their 100LL replacement approved.  They now have a "sale" where for $100 one can get, if and when the FAA approves, a STC to use their unleaded 100LL replacement fuel.

Over here, in Europe, we also have lower octane unleaded aviation gasoline, made by a European company, but they haven't been very successful due to price.  We do have a lot of smaller planes using automotive gasoline in their Rotax engines, which is easily explained by the fact that car gas is half the price of avgas.  But I haven't heard any news about a possible 100LL replacement.

They call it the FOREVER STC and it was mentioned on AVweb.  The FAA do mention the subject here and there but don't provide any timeline or regular updates.

Thoughts, especially considering turbocharged engines and high altitude flying?

[carusoam]

Not seen anything lately...  IO550 IS 100 capable... no LL...

-a-

[aviatoreb]

I'm really not understanding what it is they are offering here.

Also - how much is swift fuel per gallon?

E

[tmo]

The 100LL replacement doesn't exist, so nobody knows what the price will be, I understand.  The 94UL is $4.80/gal at KRMY, 100LL is $4.55/gal.

I guess the question is when 100LL will get banned / phased out due to the lead content...

What they are selling is likely the same thing that Petersen are selling, just for their fuels, not for automotive gasoline.

What is even more confusing is that in their FAQ they say that "Our 100-octane unleaded avgas will be fully commingable with 100LL. This means that it can be stored in the same airport tank as 100LL and commingled into the aircraft fuel tanks with 100LL at any ratio." but at the same time "All FAA-certificated piston aircraft will be required to install an FAA-Approved STC on their aircraft to utilize Swift Fuels 100 Octane Unleaded Avgas." - I wonder what happens if my airport puts the Swift fuel in the 100LL tank and sells it to me as 100LL without me having a STC

[Jerry 5TJ]

The Swift company claims their goal is a fully-compatible 100LL replacement.  I hope they can achieve that. 

I would want the reassurance of a fuel STC for my airplane and engine before pumping the tanks full and departing into the blue. 

[EricJ]

The STC probably has no operational purpose but makes the new fuel legal for aircraft where the TCDS requires 100LL, 100/130, etc.

 

[Raptor05121]

I agree, its probably just a sticker. If you remove the lead from 100LL, its octane rating drops to 94. Hence Swift's approach to the segment.

[Niko182]

I saw a while back claiming that using 94ul increased the cruise speed on a cirrus sr22 by like 5 or 6 knots. I think it was on beechtalk.