Originally posted by the Colorado Department of Transportation on 8/4/2026
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its Transition Plan for Unleaded Aviation Gasoline, outlining a strategic roadmap to safely integrate unleaded fuel across the general aviation fleet.
The plan uses a phased approach to address fuel testing and authorization, gather market experience, execute the national transition, and manage the unique transition in Alaska.
“The transition to unleaded fuel is a positive step forward for the general aviation community and people who live and work near general aviation airports,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “Our move to safely integrate unleaded fuels is a collaborative effort that involves everyone from aircraft manufacturers and fuel suppliers to airports and the pilots in the cockpit.”
The plan fulfills a provision of the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act requiring the agency to partner with the aviation industry to safely transition the piston-engine fleet to unleaded aviation gas by 2030. This partnership was through the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) initiative. The FAA is testing three different fuels at the William J Hughes Technical Center as part of the first phase of the transition to address key questions concerning performance and compatibility. The FAA will update the plan after the first phase is complete.
In January 2026, the FAA published a draft of the transition plan and invited public comments. The agency used these comments to improve and clarify the final plan. The FAA will summarize the comments in a supplemental document that will be published in late 2026.
Additional Background
The FAA, in collaboration with EAGLE stakeholders, is leading several initiatives to advance the production and use of unleaded aviation gasoline:
- Executing the FAA Piston Aviation Fuels Initiative (PAFI) to support Fleet Authorization for LyondellBasell/VP Racing’s UL100 and the recent addition of Swift Fuels’ 100R to PAFI
- Expediting the rollout of high-octane unleaded fuel by using the Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) pathway to approve GAMI’s G100UL and Swift Fuels’ 100R.
- Supporting a safe, efficient transition by encouraging airports to offer unleaded fuel alternatives while ensuring 100LL remains available to aircraft throughout the process.
- To prevent premature supply disruptions during the rollout, enforcing Federal Grant Assurance obligations to ensure that airports continue to offer leaded 100LL until safe, fleet-wide unleaded alternatives are widely and locally accessible
For more information about the transition to unleaded aviation fuels, please visit the Division of Aeronautics Unleaded Avgas Transition/HB1235 Implementation webpage.