What is it about?
Presentation of the development of a testing protocol for new aviation gasoline and how using the protocol has facilitated a design spiral to improve it. Examples of how the protocol has been used to test new aviation gasoline formulas and how the data generated informed on the viability of the new formulas.
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Why is it important?
This level of testing on aviation gasoline has not been done in over 30 years and there are very few experts remaining in the industry to guide testing of aviation gasoline. It was important to capture the past knowledge so new fuels could be tested and the resulting data be useful for determining if a new fuel could be used in existing piston aircraft with reasonable risk.
Perspectives
One of the greatest challenges to developing new technology for the aviation industry is the level of acceptable risk is much lower than may have existed originally. But there are many fewer companies involved, there are much fewer resources available for tested, and there are very few experts remaining to interpret the data and assess actual risk. We are reticent to move forward because we don't have a good understanding of the actual risk, we do not have the time or resources to test to a zero level of risk, and if the industry does not evolve it will die. This makes capturing the lessons learned, the original design rationale, and the means of interpreting the data in a meaningful way important.
Melanie Thom
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: How Do We Know an Alternative Aviation Gasoline Meets the Needed Form, Fit, and Functions, June 2019, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/6.2019-3346.
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