It is obvious the people who wrote the recent commentary demanding the replacement of 100LL avgas have not read the patent on the FAA-approved drop-in replacements. Swift Fuels has a technical and toxin problem due to the high amount of aromatic hydrocarbons needed to boost the octane rating on their alternative to 100LL. Swift’s fuel functions but contains a lot of known cancer-causing agents and burns too slowly in the cylinders, therefore damaging valves and polluting the atmosphere with unburnt hydrocarbons.
Secondly, GAMI’s 100UL has an aromatic amine at a circa 10% level needed to boost their alternative to 100LL, as the patent states. All aromatic amines are cancer-causing agents, plus this particular amine (methyl aniline) has the nasty habit of adsorbing through the skin and blocking the iron in red blood cells from accepting oxygen — you turn blue and die if exposed enough.
Maybe the authors of this under- researched commentary on the evils of 100LL should do a tad more research on toxins before forming their opinions.
— Gordon E. Bowen
Homer
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