Swift Fuels Again Recognized by FAA as Leader in Unleaded Aviation Gasoline

WEST LAFAYETTE, IN--(Marketwired - Apr 5, 2016) - Swift Fuels, a global leader in the development of high-performance unleaded aviation gasoline, announced today that its Unleaded 102 Motor Octane aviation gasoline (Avgas) was one of two fuels approved by the FAA's Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) to advance to the next Phase of testing. This approval recognizes Swift Fuels as a true leader in unleaded avgas.

The FAA, in collaboration with industry leaders, established PAFI as a nationwide effort to evaluate unleaded fuel alternatives to the current leaded option widely used today, 100 Low-Lead avgas. Historically, 100LL avgas had been sold worldwide, but it has been proven to contain harmful toxins including tetraethyl-lead. Fuels containing lead not only cause mechanical wear-and-tear to aircraft engines, they also release harmful lead emissions into the environment.

According to the FAA, the initial PAFI submissions in July 2014 totaled seventeen fuels from six companies. After initial assessment by the FAA, four fuels qualified for Phase 1 testing -- two from Swift Fuels, one from Shell, and one from TOTAL. Phase 1 testing included: basic fit-for-purpose and chemical property lab evaluations, six rig tests, materials compatibility testing, engine anti-detonation and performance testing, and toxicity / environmental impact. The FAA announced last week that two fuels best suited to serve the GA fleet and the fuel supply chain are: Swift Fuels' UL102 Avgas (an "all-hydrocarbon" fuel which complies with ASTM D7719), and a fuel formulation from Shell. These two fuels will undergo Phase 2 engine and aircraft testing scheduled to conclude in 2018. 

"We are extremely thankful and proud to have Swift Fuel's achievements recognized by the FAA," said Chris D'Acosta, CEO of Swift Fuels. "It is a true testament to the tireless work of the entire Swift Fuels team as we join industry-leading oil companies like Shell and TOTAL in the full-scale movement toward unleaded avgas. That the FAA has orchestrated the nationwide PAFI in itself clearly demonstrates their full-on support of this effort, and we are grateful that they have taken on this initiative. We applaud the thorough testing and evaluation criteria of each Phase of PAFI, as it will undoubtedly help us attain our dream of seeing the day when toxic lead will be permanently removed from avgas in favor of environmentally-friendly, high-performance unleaded fuels. It's been the ongoing mission of Swift Fuels to eliminate lead-caused damage to aircraft engines, and to eliminate lead's impact on the environment we live in."

Recognizing that PAFI Phase 2 testing could take a few more years, Swift Fuels took the initiative to certificate and commercially launch a new Unleaded 94 MON Avgas, an intermediate unleaded blend that's now FAA certificated for use on hundreds of aircraft makes and models. Together with all eligible FAA certificated aircraft, Swift believes that up to 65% of the US piston engine fleet that can fly the UL94 fuel. Swift's Unleaded UL94 Avgas is available now on a nationwide basis.

About Swift Fuels
Established in 2005, Swift Fuels is a now a global leader in the advancement of high-performance unleaded aviation fuels. This includes developing UL102 -- an "all-hydrocarbon" unleaded 102 Motor octane aviation gasoline that meets ASTM D7719, and the commercial deployment of UL94 -- a 94 motor octane aviation gasoline that meets ASTM D7547. Our company's focus now includes advancing efforts to finalize the FAA's certification of UL102 by the FAA's Piston Aviation Fuel Initiative (PAFI) for use in all airplanes currently fueled by 100LL. Swift Fuels looks forward to a day when toxic lead will be permanently removed from piston-engine aircraft through the roll-out of Swift's environmentally friendly, high-performance unleaded aviation gasolines. For more information, visit https://swiftfuels.com/