Unpaywalled archive link: https://archive.ph/TDGsk Open Access link to the study mentioned: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/puh2.27

Posting because I saw another post on this community about Extinction Rebellion UK blocking a private jet airport today (June 2024) (https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2024/06/02/climate-activists-blockade-farnborough-private-jet-airports-three-main-gates/) and wondered how many people know that leaded fuel is still pretty common in planes, both in the UK and elsewhere; I was pretty shocked when I first learned this

  • @[email protected]
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    377 months ago

    Leaded fuel is still used in piston airplanes everywhere. While there are ongoing efforts to develop an unleaded alternative, there is none currently available to the market.

    • @rtxn
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      237 months ago

      There are already multiple unleaded aviation fuels in testing, and one (G100UL) commercially available. The main barrier is that the engines, especially larger and older ones, are not designed to run on unleaded fuel, and must be certified.

      • @[email protected]
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        77 months ago

        Right, hopefully G100UL can replace 100LL reasonably quickly, but there’s a big difference between “commercially available” and actually available. I imagine it will be quite some time until it’s commonplace for GA aircraft, unfortunately.

        • @[email protected]
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          07 months ago

          If they aren’t absolutely essential for some important societal function the aircraft should just be grounded rather than be allowed to fly on leaded. No one’s toy or joy ride should be giving thousands of people lead poisoning

    • @RGB3x3
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      37 months ago

      Well it’s about time they get the lead out and get the lead out!

    • VeganPizza69 Ⓥ
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      17 months ago

      The alternative is to ground them. Into dust (and recycle).