FAA NEWS

The Path to Unleaded Avgas: A Critical Transition for Aviation – Fall 2024 Update
Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) Fall 2024 Update The aviation community has long recognized the need to eliminate lead emissions from piston-engine aircraft, a goal set to be achieved by the end of 2030 through the leadership of the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative. This ambitious endeavor brings together government and industry partners committed to finding a safe and reliable unleaded aviation fuel that is viable throughout the aviation supply chain. As the general aviation community works toward this goal, the role of aircraft owners cannot be overstated. They are, after all, the ultimate end-users of any new fuel, and their buy-in will be critical to its success. This transition is about more than meeting regulatory requirements—it’s about ensuring that aircraft owners feel confident in the safety and reliability and availability of the new fuel. The solution must be robust enough to meet the diverse needs of the piston-engine fleet, ranging from the World War II era planes to modern helicopters. Currently, there are three promising unleaded fuel candidates. Their developers are pursuing either the Fleet Authorization (FA) under the Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) or the traditional Supplemental Type Certification (STC) process via an approved model list (AML). Both pathways ensure that engines and aircraft can safely operate on the new fuel, however, regardless of the path to approval to use in the aircraft, consumer acceptance will hinge on more than FAA approval. Fuel developers must not only prove their products’ safety and compatibility with the existing fleet but also demonstrate to key industry stakeholders that their product is reliable. Aircraft owners need assurance that switching to a new fuel won't void manufacturer warranties. They also need to be confident that it won't cause damage to paint, electronics, engine components or fuel systems. The aviation supply chain will need assurances as well. This next fuel must be produced, distributed, stored, possibly comingled with other fuels, pumped, and consumed without causing damage or requiring significant equipment modifications. Industry stakeholders understand that any new fuels must meet the needs of aircraft owners and be compatible with production, distribution and dispensing systems. EAGLE has worked diligently over the past 18 months to keep stakeholders informed, providing updates on the progress of key unleaded fuel developers. General Aviation Modifications Inc.'s (GAMI) G100UL and Swift Fuels’ 100R are advancing through the STC process.  GAMI has already secured a broad Approved Model List (AML) STC for its fuel in 2022 for piston engines and airplanes. Recently, the FAA granted Swift Fuels its first STC for the use of its 100R in Cessna 172 R & S model aircraft powered by Lycoming IO-360-L2A engines, with many additional engines and airframes being evaluated for approval in the weeks ahead. LyondellBasell/VP Racing’s UL100E is progressing through the PAFI pathway, having completed about 25 percent of critical materials compatibility and full-scale engine detonation and performance testing. Both Swift Fuels and LyondellBasell/VP Racing have also begun working through ASTM International on the development of an industry consensus production specification for their respective fuels.  The recent updates from EAGLE provide optimism. To learn more visit: flyEAGLE.org (See Stakeholder Meetings) Progress is being made, and general aviation’s path to acceptance of unleaded fuel continues. Congress and the FAA’s commitment to this initiative is underscored by the 2024 FAA Reauthorization, which supports the continued availability of 100-octane low-lead (100LL) avgas until the end of 2030, or when a certified unleaded alternative is available at airports. (Alaska, a state heavily reliant on piston-engine aircraft, has been given a slightly extended timeline protecting continued availability of 100LL through the end of 2032). However, the collaborative industry/government EAGLE goal is clear: the elimination of leaded aviation fuel by the end of 2030. General aviation is moving to ensure a safe, reliable transition to unleaded avgas without jeopardizing the operational safety of the piston-engine fleet. Aircraft owners must stay informed and engaged as this transition unfolds. It is important that they educate themselves on any restrictions that may accompany an STC and comply with any OEM directives that may be issued.  They are the key players in this process, and their comfort with these new fuels will drive this monumental shift. It is not enough for the FAA to approve these new fuels. The industry—from aircraft owners to fuel distributors to FBOs that dispense fuel and aircraft manufacturers that provide continued operational support—must accept them. Safety, reliability, and commercial viability must guide this transition, ensuring that by the end of 2030, piston-engine aircraft can take to the skies with unleaded fuel that is dependable. The future of general aviation depends on it. The Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative is a comprehensive public-private partnership consisting of the aviation and petroleum industries and U.S. government stakeholders, and a wide range of other constituents and interested parties, all working toward the transition to lead-free aviation fuels for piston-engine aircraft by the end of 2030 without compromising the safety or economic health of the general aviation industry. To learn more, visit: https://flyEAGLE.org/
USHST Monthly Safety Report for November 2024
US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) Monthly Safety Report November 2024   Fatal Accident Rate:  0.63 (+.08) above goal of 0.55 fatal accidents per 100K hrs by 2025 USHST Vision:  A civil US registered helicopter community without fatal accidents   “Safety by the Numbers” (Monthly Metrics): Days since last Fatal helicopter accident:  2 Days : 22 Hours : 37 Minutes : 56 Seconds Fatal Accident Rate (5yr avg)(CY2020-24) 0.63 Fatal Accidents per 100K Flight Hours Fatal Accident Rate (CY2024) 11 Fatal Accidents per 100K Flight Hours    Helicopter - Safety Enhancement (H-SE) Details H-SE 2023-05, Training on effects of adverse wind situations.  The goal of this H-SE is to better illustrate the hazards posed by adverse winds on rotorcraft performance, especially when operating at low airspeeds. As an example, similar, but unrelated efforts, have been undertaken in the fixed wing world around loss of control events and the use of Angle-of-Attack (AOA) indicators. Vertical flight operations at low airspeed are predictable when the air-circulation through the rotor system is able to maintain a steady-state. It can be visualized as a bubble of air circulating around the rotor system. If this bubble is disrupted, or “popped”, a corresponding loss of lift can result. This creates a performance scenario that is not indicated by any instruments and is not able to be planned through a chart, but rather is managed by the pilot through a combination of forethought, experience, knowledge of wind directions and intensity around the aircraft, distance from obstacles and power reserves available. Given that it is not currently possible to provide rotorcraft pilots with an indicator that shows an impending loss of lift, this H-SE seeks to promote effective training solutions for pilot decision making and more effective risk assessment during operations. For any questions regarding the information within this notice please contact Clarke Pleasants, Assistant Professor of Aerospace, MTSU, at 615-898-2054 or email at clarke.pleasants@mtsu.edu
Diamond In-Flight Passenger Door Separations
The FAA has received at least 20 reports of passenger door separations from the aircraft while in flight and over 30 reports of aborted flights due to door malfunctions on Diamond Aircraft Industries DA 40 and DA 42 fleets. In August of 2024, Diamond Aircraft issued Service Information Letters SI40NG-094 / SI40-171 / SIF4-008 / SID4-200 and SI 42-252 / SI 42NG-145 to increase the awareness of pilots, operators, and maintenance organizations on the importance of correct latching procedures. The FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service recently issued an Airworthiness Concern Sheet (ACS) to highlight this concern to operators and request information regarding circumstances surrounding DA 40 and DA 42 passenger door malfunctions which may lead to, or may have resulted in, total separation of the door. Select this link to see the ACS: https://www.faasafety.gov/files/notices/2024/Oct/FAA_ACS_-_Diamond_Door_Separation.pdf If you have any questions or comments, please contact the Aircraft Certification Service through Dan McCully at William.Mccully@faa.gov
FAAST Blast —FAA Publishes Rule Removing CFI Expiration Dates, Issuing Medical Certificates After DUIs, The Importance of a Prop
FAAST Blast — Week of November 11 - 17, 2024 Biweekly FAA Safety Briefing News Update   FAA Publishes Rule Removing CFI Expiration Dates The FAA published a final rule eliminating expiration dates on flight instructor certificates, replacing them with recent experience requirements every 24 calendar months. Removing the expiration date on certificates will increase efficiency, cut costs, and align instructor certificates with other airman certificates such as private and commercial, which do not expire. Under the new rule, instructors must still renew their certificates every 24 calendar months by completing a flight instructor refresher clinic (FIRC), obtaining an additional instructor certificate, or engaging in further instructional activities. Additional activities must include “at least 15 flight activities recognized under the FAA-sponsored pilot proficiency program,” during which the flight instructor evaluates at least five different pilots and makes the required endorsements in each pilot's logbook for every activity. The rule also specifies that flight instructors who endorse at least five applicants for a practical test within 24 calendar months and maintain an 80% pass rate can also utilize this provision to renew their certificates. The FAA estimates that the rule will result in $5.6 million in cost savings for both the FAA and the industry over five years.  You can review the final rule at https://federalregister.gov/d/2024-22018.   Pilot Minute: When Can an AME Issue a Medical Certificate After a DUI? It is possible for an AME to issue your medical certificate with a history of DUI under certain circumstances. For example, if you previously reported a DUI on MedXPress and there have been no new events and you don’t require any kind of monitoring as documented in a letter from the FAA, the AME can issue your certificate. Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrop explains more about the path to certification after a DUI and the information required for a pilot to submit in this recent episode of the Pilot Minute video series. To watch this and other videos, visit https://bit.ly/FAAPilotMinute.    Is My Aircraft Right For Flight? In 2022, there were 358 fatalities in 222 general aviation accidents. Powerplant system and component failure was the third most common event for fatal accidents, with inadequate preflight preparation being cited as a contributing factor in many of these accidents. Preflight preparation of your aircraft is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure that your aircraft is fit for flight. Read “Is My Aircraft Right For Flight” at https://medium.com/faa/is-my-aircraft-right-for-flight-017e3e6a000a — in the Nov/Dec 2024 issue of FAA Safety Briefing magazine — to learn about how the steps you take before your aircraft leaves the ground can pay huge dividends towards your piece of mind while in the air. See the entire readers’ choice issue at www.faa.gov/safety_briefing.   Produced by the FAA Safety Briefing editors: www.faa.gov/safety_briefing Address questions or comments to: SafetyBriefing@faa.gov Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @FAASafetyBrief or https://x.com/FAASafetyBrief
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