Joint Industry/FAA Statement Following EAGLE Meetings

FREDERICK, Md., June 27, 2022 – The following was issued by the leaders of the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative following the June 2022 stakeholder update: 

To advance the common vision of completely eliminating the use of lead in general aviation fuel, a comprehensive update was provided on June 23 to all stakeholders and interested parties by leaders and working groups of the industry/government EAGLE initiative.

EAGLE was developed with one clear goal: eliminate lead from all aviation fuel by 2030 without negatively impacting the safe and efficient operations of the current GA fleet. Stakeholders included a wide range of more than 100 aviation associations, aircraft and fuel manufacturers, federal and local government bodies, airport officials, pilot groups, environmental organizations, and other related constituents. The meeting furthered the EAGLE objective of bringing all parties together to discuss and rally around the shared goal of an unleaded aviation future.

EAGLE leaders and working groups outlined the progress being made in a number of priority areas, including fuel testing, evaluation, and authorization; research, development, and implementation; and regulatory and policy activities. The group addressed a number of potential unleaded fuel candidates.

“This continues to be the biggest opportunity we have in general aviation, but it’s also vital that 100LL be available for those aircraft that require the fuel to operate safely during a smart transition. While we are working together to remove all lead from aviation fuel, this needs to be done smartly and safely,” said Mark Baker, president and CEO of AOPA, and EAGLE co-chair.

“It is going to take a sustained level of commitment to tackle the highly complex set of issues at play here. The spirit of partnership that is key to EAGLE’s success was evident during our discussions today, and I am excited to be a part of it,” said Lirio Liu, executive director of FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service, and EAGLE co-chair. 

While the working groups continue their dedicated work on a daily basis, the next EAGLE stakeholder update is being planned for fall 2022. Plans are also underway for an EAGLE leaders update during EAA’s AirVenture in late July.