Swift Fuels has secured ASTM International approval for its 100R unleaded aviation gasoline, a move industry leaders describe as a key milestone in the transition away from leaded avgas.
ASTM is a standards organization that sets safety, quality and performance specifications for fuels and other products. Approval by the organization helps to provide the FAA and other entities a recognized benchmark against which to certify new fuels for use in aircraft.
Indiana-based Swift announced this week that ASTM issued a global production specification for 100R, clearing the way for FAA action to expand its Approved Model List beyond Cessna 172R and 172S models with Lycoming IO-360-L2A engines.
“This is the culmination of several years of dedicated research by the team from Swift Fuels working in collaboration with FAA and numerous OEMs,” the company told AOPA, noting contributions from Lycoming, Continental, Rotax, Textron, Piper, and others.
Swift Fuels CEO Chris D’Acosta added that hundreds of tests were conducted with FAA oversight and third-party experts, producing data the agency can now use to approve additional aircraft and engine combinations.
“Many more aircraft are expected to be FAA-certified soon,” said D’Acosta.
Industry groups welcomed the approval.
“AOPA has long supported the development and deployment of safe, reliable unleaded fuels, and this achievement is a positive step in that direction,” said AOPA President and CEO Darren Pleasance.
Swift Fuels already supplies 100R to a small number of flight schools in the U.S. and Europe, but ASTM helps pave a simpler path forward for wider distribution following expanded FAA certification.
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