The best way to remove ethanol from gas is for us to affect legislation
that would otherwise mandate ethanol in all gasoline, even that used
for off-road use. Most congress people are completely unaware that auto
fuel is used successfully by a large number of aircraft owners and that
ethanol poses a significant safety risk. There are some very powerful
lobbying forces behind the new mandates. It's important that we be
heard, i.e., we participate. Boaters are also affected by ethanol
mandates so it may be helpful to join forces with that community.

Ethanol is usually blended at the time of being loaded on a tanker
truck, so if the local or state law allows, it is very easy to order a
tanker full of auto fuel without ethanol. It's not added at the
refinery.



Jay Honeck wrote:
The adding of ethanol to gasoline has made the auto-gas STC unusable
for many aircraft owners, nationwide. So far, we're okay (in Iowa,
which is pretty funny) and are able to purchase untainted mogas -- but
the long-range situation seems untenable. We, as a nation, are
inexorably being forced toward the addition of alcohol into ALL
gasoline, so it seems...

On the Cherokee 235 user's group, there is a guy who's been
successfully using ethanol-gas in his aircraft. It's ruined his
fiberglass tip tanks, but he apparently expected this to happen.
Otherwise, the engine is running fine, or so he reports. (Personally,
I think he's crazy, ruining tip tanks that run close to $4K *apiece*,
but that's just me...)

His experience has led to a more interesting (to me) discussion about
the possibility of REMOVING ethanol from gasoline. Several ideas have
been postulated (evaporation; heating; adding water), but none of them
sound particularly safe or easy.

Any chemists out there? Anyone know a way to remove the ethanol from
mogas, so that we may safely use it in our aircraft?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"