We Have A New FAA Administrator. He Has Some Baggage

ADS-B User Fee Proposals Draw More Opposition

If you’ve been around general aviation for a few years, you may recall how controversial ADS-B – Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast – was when it was first proposed as the new standard in FAA surveillance technologies, back before 2010. Among the concerns operators expressed at the time was the cost of acquiring and installing ADS-B equipment and its then-unproven utility. Also of concern was its lack of security and privacy – ADS-B transmits unencrypted plain-text data. We’ve come a long way since then, baby, but security and privacy remain as concerns.

That’s especially true since some companies have developed systems enabling airports and other parties to use ADS-B data as part of a user-fee billing mechanism. Vector Airport Systems (no relation...) of Herndon, Virginia, is one such company. There are others, but Vector seems to be the most successful. At this time. But according to AOPA, ADS-B data is also being used for “frivolous lawsuits, questionable enforcement actions, and the collection of airport landing fees.”

In February, AOPA President and CEO Darren Pleasance wrote the FAA about “use of ADS-B data for non-safety issues,” noting the association “fully supported equipage as we were assured ADS-B would only be used to improve air traffic safety and airspace efficiencies.” But now, Pleasance wrote, AOPA is seeing “FAA enforcement actions based on ADS-B data to prevent legal water landings or frivolous lawsuits where complainants are suing for nuisance, trespass, and ... emotional distress” for aircraft flying in full compliance with FAA requirements. “Moreover, a cottage industry of companies contracting with public-use airports are now using ADS-B data to collect airport fees from general aviation pilots,” he wrote.

Congress and some state legislators are getting into the act. In June, U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) and U.S. Representative Robert Onder (R-MO), plus Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT), introduced bills (S. 2175 and H.R. 4146), dubbed the Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act, to stop what they call abuse of the safety technology.

Specifically, the proposed legislation would:

• Prohibit public and private use of ADS-B data to identify aircraft for the purpose of imposing fees or charges.
• Clarify ADS-B data may only be used by for safety, efficiency or other purposes approved only after public comment.
• Ensure that enforcement investigations cannot be initiated on the basis of ADS-B data.
• Require public-use airports to disclose financial information and any projected impact of new fees imposed on general aviation, and that revenue from such fees must be used exclusively for airside safety improvements.

Related legislation was passed by Montana’s House of Representatives in March.

FAA rules that 100LL Avgas must stay for now.

A few weeks back the FAA issued a Q&A explaining that its Airport Grant Assurance rules required that most airports may not limit the availability of 100 octane low-lead avgas (100LL).

"An airport sponsor may not take action (or fail to take action) that would directly or indirectly prohibit or restrict access by airport users to 100LL. This includes but is not limited to adopting or changing municipal codes, airport rules and regulations, minimum standards, leasing policies, permits, licenses, and airport planning actions."

https://www.faa.gov/airports/airport_compliance/compliance_guidance/Grant-Assurance-40-Leaded-Aviation-Gas-QA.pdf

The Q&A also clarifies, similar to the ruling from a California court, in a related avgas matter, that no acceptible replacement for 100LL yet exists in the market.

"As of April 2025, there is no fuel that meets the criteria of 47107(22)(B)(i) and (ii). For example, a fuel would have to be authorized for all aircraft and no fuel has been authorized for the rotorcraft fleet."

https://avweb.com/aviation-news/faa-qa-lays-down-the-law-on-banning-100ll/

Not the legendary Spielberg movie.

In a recent episode of the podcast, Amy and Jeb were reminiscing about purple colored Avgas. I had never heard of fuel this color so I went digging. Here're some of the things I learned

Now very rare, and basically available by custom order only, purple avgas was very high octane, a-la, 145 octane. It is, and was, useful for use in very high performance, high compression engines. Usually in the high-end racing world.

According to this 2015 story, a Polish company called Warter Aviation was still making the fuel for "classic engines", and made it available anywhere in the world.

"In World War 2, American researchers developed a high octane fuel, 115/145 – numbers which indicated antiknock values coupled with the rich and lean fuel-air mixture. Additional power, which was achieved without risking any damage to the engine, allowed for an extended full throttle operation time on the new and highly advanced piston engines such as the Rolls Royce Merlin."

https://pilotweb.aero/news/avgas-115-145-reintroduced-by-warter-aviation-to-give-original-power-back-to-classic-engines-6252974/

Now, in the mid 2020s, the matter is complicated by the fact that Swift Fuel's 94 octane UL94 is being tinted a purple color.

"Swift Fuels, which produces UL94 avgas, announced in early March 2024 that all shipments of its 94 octane, unleaded aviation gasoline will be dyed purple.

"Since its first delivery of UL94 in April 2015, the avgas has had a clear transparent color, also known as “water white.”

"The color change, the result of more than four years of planning by ASTM International, is designed to increase avgas refueling safety in the marketplace by helping differentiate various fuel grades, as well as water, from one another, according to Swift Fuels officials.""

https://generalaviationnews.com/2024/03/16/swift-fuels-ul94-now-purple/

A Wrong-Way Corrigan For The 21st Century

On July 18, 1938, Douglas “Wrong-Way” Corrigan landed his Curtiss Robin in Ireland after departing Brooklyn, NY, for California. The flight made headlines, and earned him his nickname. Corrigan died in 1995.

Now comes Ethan Guo, a 19-year-old instrument-rated private pilot flying a Cessna 182Q solo on an around-the-world flight to raise money for childhood cancer research. He’s been at it since September, and took off from Punta Arenas, Chile, on June 28 after filing a local flight plan. Instead, he landed at a Chilean base in Antarctica, which is a straight-line distance of some 763 statute miles, and was immediately detained. He’s accused of violating “multiple national and international regulations regarding routes to Antarctica and access” to the continent.

The latest information is that a Chilean court is conducting a 90-day investigation, during which Guo must remain in Chile’s Antarctic territory. His attorney told a press conference, “While already in the air, he began to experience a series of complications” and “that he was conducting an exploratory flight to see if he could follow this route or not,” according to CNN.

It’s winter in Antarctica.

AirVenture Oshkosh is coming

Next week Jeb and Jack travel to Oshkosh Wisconsin for the annual EAA fly-in.

In addition to doing UCAP daily episodes, we'll be produce a handful of short issues of this newsletter.

And expect a Patreon exclusive video of Jeb, Jack and friends sometime during the week.

Also, if you'll be in Wisconsin that week we'll be holding the legendary Uncontrolled Airspace "Tiedown Party" on Tuesday evening from about 6 to 8 pm. The location is still TBD. Keep an eye on the UCAP home page and our Bluesky presence for an announcement about the venue.