We COULD have lead free skies in regards to aviation sooner than 2030 if the powers that be wanted it that way. Unleaded GAMI fuel is only a heartbeat away. In fact, it IS here. Swift UL94 is already at LGB. In this article, GAMI Founder and head engineer George Braly dispels the rumors, innuendo, and addresses the questions about G100UL.
GAMI founder George Braly offers responses to a series of criticisms and questions about G100UL, his company’s unleaded replacement for 100LL.
The City of Long Beach and LGB have put in place a couple of incentive programs to get pilots to use the Swift unleaded 94 octane fuel that is currently available at LGB. (see here, and here) However, based on reports by the airport, no sales of this fuel have been reported.
Earlier this year there was an Aviation Noise & Emissions Symposium 2024 at UC Davis that presented on many topics and issues related to aviation, specifically featuring noise and emissions. The presentations are all available on YouTube. Here is just one which discusses reasons why the FAA’s 65 DBA DNL (65 decible day night levels) needs revision. There are many presentations here worth watching. Here is just one:
In order to entice you to listen, here are a couple of screenshots of slides from the presentation.
We have also added some new quick links in the sidebar under “Other Sites We Love“. Check them out!
There is a lot of love and gratitude for the organization We Are Blue Skies in this post. First, you need to check out their website.
NEPA-National Environmental Policy Act (looks like all proposed actions lead to the same place!)
The more you delve into this, the more you learn and appreciate Blue Skies. This is the first thing we read start to finish on their site. It got our attention right away. We can identify with so many points here. A few excerpts (too many to choose from and list here!):
“Airports often play an important role in the economy by acting as gateways for travel, trade, and tourism. But that is just one side of the story. Airports always bring a mix of positive and negative impacts, which can vary depending on factors such as the size of the airport, its location, and the level of connectivity it provides. Usually, the first step implemented by those advocating to build new airports (or expand existing ones) is to produce documents that underline to economic benefits that will derive from such actions.These documents (environmental assessments) include tables listing mitigating steps, no action alternatives, monetary gains, jobs that will be created and multiplier effects. What you never see are the negative externalities that come along with all of that. More often than not there is a small paragraph dedicated to those.”
“Uncapped Flight Training Operations – Increased flight training operations at smaller airports can lead to significant noise and lead pollution, which negatively impacts the surrounding communities and environment. These issues often arise as smaller airports become hubs for flight schools and training activities, drawing more aircraft and intensifying operations.
– Noise Pollution
Flight training operations typically involve repeated takeoffs, landings, and aerial maneuvers. These activities can result in a high frequency of flights, often concentrated within a limited geographic area. Unlike commercial flights, which tend to have a set number of arrivals and departures, flight training can occur continuously throughout the day. Issue: The constant noise from aircraft engines, especially during low-altitude operations, can cause significant disturbances to local residents. This noise pollution can lead to a range of health issues, including stress, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and hearing loss. Over time, the persistent noise can degrade the quality of life for those living near the airport, leading to social tensions and declining property values.“
“The economic costs of ineffective environmental assessments conducted by the FAA can be substantial and multifaceted, affecting various stakeholders, including local communities, government agencies, and the aviation industry. Ineffective assessments can lead to unintended consequences, such as environmental degradation, legal challenges, and delays in infrastructure projects, all of which carry significant financial implications.”
Don’t miss their Map page– explore it! We are not alone! This page shows internationally connected organizations with similar issues.
Check out their Issues page. There is also a section in the article linked above to historical lawsuits filed over aviation issues by cities and communities.
Since 2004, the airport has accepted $347 million in federal grants.
Mayor Rex Richardson has stated that the City’s “hands are tied” but said they will attempt to get senators and members of Congress to “back them up.”
Last year SANeR members attended the City Hall meeting “explainer” of airport operations and were told that basically there is nothing they can do to mitigate the noise, adjust the noise ordinance, or even to reduce the number of flight schools operating out of LGB due to grant monies accepted from the FAA.
Next Tuesday, Council has placed another FAA Grant opportunity on the agenda. Item 25.
While this “grant opportunity” is for the purchase of six electric vehicles and charging stations, it still will increase the FAA grant obligation burden on LGB by nearly one million dollars! Grant obligations have a twenty year lifespan. If we ever want to regain some modicum of control over the operations at LGB, we need to have a serious discussion about FAA grant money that is accepted on behalf of the Long Beach Airport.
This item has been placed on the “Consent Calendar” which means it is one of a list of items that will be passed without ANY DISCUSSION AT ALL at next week’s Council meeting. In order for a discussion to take place, a councilmember would have to move that it be removed from the consent calendar and placed on the regular agenda.
You can also submit an ecomment here before 4 PM next Tuesday 8/13/2024.
It is SANeR’s position that we would like the City to pause all applications and acceptance of FAA grant monies until further notice. We think that a discussion is part of transparency. Shouldn’t there at LEAST be a discussion?
Long Beach SANeR Group 