New aviation fuel promises efficiency, lower environmental impact
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 09/04/2009
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A company in Research Park is looking for a partnership to utilize new, “green” fuel.
Swift Enterprises has created a fuel that outperforms traditional leaded fuel for airplanes. To expedite Swift’s expansion, it is looking to join efforts with Purdue. Purdue’s aviation department owns its own piston-driven planes that could run on Swift fuel.
“Purdue students in aviation need to pay for their own flight fees. This could be used as a business tool to get students to commercial pilot jobs,” said Jon Ziulkowski, vice president of Swift Enterprises.
Swift fuel delivers a 7 to 15 percent increase in range, the airplane equivalent to a car’s mpg, compared to all other fuels.
It also abides by the 1996 Clean Air Act, which outlawed all leaded fuels.
Swift has a pilot manufacturing plant in West Lafayette that has been producing Swift fuel for testing purposes. Ziulkowski is enthusiastic to get Swift fuel in regular production.
“In our lab we can produce about two liters of fuel a day. At the Pilot Company, they produce about 200 gallons a day,” Ziulkowski said. “Until this fuel is ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials) approved, we can’t sell it.”
Swift fuel currently uses ethanol and manufactures it into fuel. The same process can be done using the chemicals from other things like sugar beets, sorghum or garbage.
The American Society for Testing Materials is the standard for approving any product in the United States. Swift members are confident Swift fuel can pass.
“To be approved, a fuel must pass 44 tests,” said Mary Rusek, president of Swift Enterprises. “Our fuel tested equal to or better than traditional leaded fuel in 41 of the tests in its first stages. Although it weighs a little bit more, the range increase more than makes up for it.”
Swift fuel must have the capability to produce 300,000 gallons a day to be ASTM approved. Because of its manufacturing process, an existing ethanol plant can be converted into a Swift fuel plant.
“We’re excited to get Swift fuel in use throughout the entire GA fleet, but that requires small steps and lots of third-party recommendations, like Dave Hirschman’s,” Ziulkowski said.