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
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.
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.
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