Piper Aircraft has completed test flights of an Archer run on autogas rather than avgas. The Lycoming O-360 fitted to the Archer is approved for burning 93 octane autogas.
The aircraft was flown on premium unleaded provided by Airworthy Autogas of Phoenix, Arizona.
"As we search for more environmentally-friendly fuels than 100LL to power piston aircraft, Piper wanted to take the next step with Lycoming and Airworthy AutoGas to operationally prove the 93UL concept under rigid test conditions from Vero Beach," said Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott.
"Our next operational effort will include cross-country applications, working with Airworthy AutoGas to ensure availability en route."
Airworthy Autogas' Director of Business Development Mark Ellery says to company is about making flying more economical on autogas.
"Airworthy AutoGas plans to produce and distribute its high-purity, low-vapor-pressure, ethanol-free, 93 octane, premium unleaded automotive gasoline, beginning in the fall of 2013," he said.
"Bringing Airworthy AutoGas to the marketplace provides an alternative for the majority of general aviation aircraft without compromising airworthiness. Our goal is to get pilots flying more for less."
The fuel is a patent-pending formulation which meets the requirements of ASTM D4814 and Lycoming's Service Instruction 1070S. Unlike tradition automotive fuel, it is designed for use in aircraft engines.
The announcement of the test comes shortly after the US Federal Aviation Administration called for samples of fuel to potentially replace 100LL, a reaction to the push to remove leaded fuel from aviation.