Direct Injection Igniter Fuel Nozzle Could Eliminate AV Fuel

A bevy of "names that you know" were on hand for the announcement Wednesday of Thomas Ehresman as the winner for the 2007 Lindbergh-Lycoming Grant for his research  into a new direct injection igniter fuel nozzle that would eliminate the need for leaded aviation fuel.

Foundation Chairman John and his wife Martha King; Ian Walsh, senior vice president of Lycoming Engines; and Eric Lindbergh spoke about the Charles A. and Anne Morrow Lindbergh Foundation, the grant program, and the need to continue to tackle environmental and educational issues.

"We need to move the industry forward while also balancing conservation and the environment, said John King.

This is the second Lindbergh-Lycoming grant awarded is the newly-established partnership between Lycoming Engines and the Lindbergh Foundation to specifically fund a project focusing on aviation/aerospace.

As many pilots know, aviation gasoline is the only fuel in the world that still contains lead; soon, 100-octant low lead aircraft fuel (100LL) will be discontinued because of the highly toxic tetra-ethyl-lead (TEL) that is added at the refinery.

Current high performance aircraft piston engines require 100LL to operate without failure at higher power settings. And with the move to unleaded fuels fast approaching and other options for these engines not available without their incurring damage or greatly decreasing operations limitations, inventor Ehresman is working on a solution.

Hailing from Loveland, CO, Ehresman will be using the Lindbergh-Lycoming grant money to continue developing a direct injection fuel nozzle system that would allow numerous types of fuels to be used on current high-performance aircraft piston engines, including jet fuel, diesel, kerosene, and other liquid fuels.

Elimination of TEL will not only improve the air quality as lead is removed from fuel emissions, but would allow refineries to consolidate refining operations and reduce fuel infrastructures, further reducing harmful emissions, risk of spills/pipeline lead and lower consumer fuel prices.

Ehresman, who holds a degree in engineering and a love of aviation, received one of 14 Lindbergh grants awarded so far this year, the most grants issued by the Foundation since 1985. Ehresman was selected from 150 applicants from around the world. The grants are for $10,580, a symbolic amount representing the cost of building Charles Lindbergh's plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, in 1927. To date, more than $2.7 million has been awarded to 284 researchers.

At the same presentation, the Foundation announced with that the continuing partnership with Lycoming Engines, the Lindbergh-Lycoming Grant will be offered again in 2008.

"The Lindbergh Foundation is extremely grateful for Lycoming's partnership with this program. Their involvement ha enabled the Foundation to generate a renewed interest in aviation applications for our grants programs and has revitalized the Foundation's position in the aviation community," said Foundation Director John King, co-chairman of King Schools.

While the size of the grant is small, said King, the effect is leveraged. "We hear over and over again from our grant recipients that the Lindbergh Grant is extremely beneficial to the success of their projects."

"We are very pleased that Lycoming Engines understands that supporting the Lindbergh Foundation and its grants program benefits the aviation industry as well."

Said Lycoming's Ian Walsh, "The Lindbergh-Lycoming grant promotes advancements in aviation and also the conservation of the environment. We want to bring innovative ideas and technology to the general aviation community to help grow our industry. This grant creates opportunities for environmentally friendly options to be explored."

Applications for the 2008 Lindbergh-Lycoming grant is open to anyone conducting an aviation/aerospace research project that will improve the quality of all life by balancing technological advancements with the preservation of the environment. The deadline for applications is November 1, 2007. Applications are available on the Foundation's Web site.

FMI: www.lindberghfoundation.org, www.lycomng.textron.com