Landmark Expansion of Swift Fuels 100R Unleaded Avgas Covers Over 1,200 Engines in Historic FAA Initiative
The general aviation industry is edging towards a lead-free future. This significant shift comes after Swift Fuels declared a remarkable expansion of its 100R unleaded aviation gasoline approvals. The FAA has granted Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for more than 1,200 piston engine models and 1,600 airframe models on the U.S. registry. This is a substantial increase from the fuel’s initial approval, which was confined to a handful of Cessna 172R/S Skyhawk models in September 2024.
The list of approved engines encompasses products from over 80 manufacturers. These include Lycoming (~395 models), Continental (~195 models), Curtiss Wright, and Pratt & Whitney. Collectively, these aircraft account for approximately 56% of all 100LL avgas currently consumed in the United States. Swift Fuels describes this as Phase 1 of its transition plan. Higher-performance engine and airframe combinations are anticipated to follow in Phase II and Phase III rollouts through 2028.
Importantly, 100R is presently the only commercially available 100-octane unleaded avgas operating under both FAA-approved STCs and the ASTM International D8603 production specification. Distribution is swiftly expanding to airports across 29 U.S. states and internationally in Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Austria, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Pilots who previously held a Swift UL94 STC automatically receive a 100R STC at no additional cost through the company’s “Forever STC” program.
Source: AVweb – FAA Expands Approval List For Swift Fuels’ 100R Unleaded Avgas