Piper Issues Letter Citing Non-Approval of STC’d Fuel

Piper Aircraft issued a “Customer Communication” this afternoon (February 25) informing Piper operators it does not approve using any fuels that have received FAA Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) in its aircraft.

The letter (copied in full below) said, in part, “At this time, without additional information regarding fuels that have undergone the STC approval process, such as GAMI G100UL, Piper cannot approve the use of these fuels in any Piper airplane. Piper has not evaluated any STC fuels, including GAMI G100UL, for use in any Piper airplane model. Piper does not have sufficient information to evaluate the chemical properties of the fuel and how it may interact with materials throughout the fuel system, including but not limited to: the airframe surfaces and structures, fuel tanks (materials, sealants, bladders, gaskets, etc.), fuel quantity gauging components, fuel lines, and other fuel system components (pumps, valves, sensors, etc.).”

Piper cited its more than 75,000 aircraft in service that could “theoretically” be eligible to use fuels with STCs. However, the manufacturer wrote, “Over the many decades that Piper has been manufacturing aircraft there have been a myriad of different fuel system configurations, components, and materials used in production. Piper will not approve the use of any STC fuel unless it can ensure the safety of flight and life of the pilots, passengers, and the general public.”