We don’t seem to disagree on anything of substance.
A survey at the “local” of how many certifieds are serviced under pilot privileges would be interesting. Obviously not most rentals, and probably not even most syndicated aircraft. However that would be digressing because if a saving can be realised via using UL fuel that saving would be applicable regardless of ownership.
It still leaves us with the Q of the airport adopting UL fuel, and there are good reasons they have not done that and are never going to – because if fragments their fuel purchasing power. The biggest fuel users can’t use UL until we get 100UL.
A new thread on the inspection door installation is here
Scandinavian aircraft can benefit thanks to the widely available Hjelmco fuel. I guess there are quite some training aircraft that are always operated with unleaded fuel.
In Germany, 98 RON mogas is widely available and used exclusively by a lot of Lycomings.
Aviation octane ratings and RON/MON numbers are not really the same, but 100LL has a RON – IIRC – around 115-120…
There are many Lycomings authorized for 95/98 RON, either by the factory or via an STC. I used to own a C172M with an O-320 and Mogas was the much better fuel for this engine.
An airfield close to me installed a mogas pump about 12 months ago. At the same time they banned aircraft from filling up with Jerry cans. Quite a good idea I thought but it didn’t go down well with owners as they had to pay 30 pence a liter more.
However at all the airfields I frequent the flying school’s are by far the biggest user of avgas and although I know at one of them the majority of the fleet have an STC to allow mogas use. Im not sure if the mogas is ethanol free. Also and if anyone knows more please tell me but the caa had some extra paperwork that was needed for the mogas to be used in school aircraft. And I wonder if that is still the case now we are in EASA
Even if I could run an engine to 100hrs I wouldn’t want to. The amount of little things that benefit from a nip up at 50hrs is surprising. When you have the cowlings off the rocker cover screws & induction clips always take a nip. So many other area’s benefit from the use of a humble oil can and a look see with a torch. The Rotax 100hp in the Alpi 300 could run for me for 100hrs between oil changes, but you have to take the top cowl off each flight to burp the oil tank to get the correct level reading. Its a good chance to look around.
Peter wrote:
This looks really interesting as it may establish a formal 100hr service interval and thus save owners the £600 (TB20 price) of the 50hr service done by a company, but it doesn’t avoid the 50hr service because AFAICS the oil filter still has to be changed
It’s not going to really avoid this, when I do my 50hr/6 month service (not a company!) I do an awful lot more than just change the oil.
One side remark concerning the checks between 100hrs:
On the little Warrior II I fly, the cowling open very easily on both sides with 2 quarter-turn locks to give access to the engine compartment. Looking around for defects and loose items is part of the daily. Much of the maintenance is performed without removing anything. The oil drain is a quick valve (similar to the tank drains) with a hose connection.
On the 6-cylinder private aircrafts in the same hangar, including a Turbo Arrow which in most respects is a Warrior save for the Conti engine, retractable gear and a T-tail, there is just a little hatch for the oil filling pipe. There is no way to inspect the hot side of the engine bay without pulling out a screwdriver.
My point being that the impromptu inspections are a lot easier in one case than the other. I am fairly sure the club’s tech guy does them without asking nor telling anyone as part of his routine.
