Ban on Low-Lead Fuel a ‘Real Threat’ to Aviation Safety, Pilots Association Chief Testifies

A Pennsylvania Congressman, who is also a pilot, says avoiding “the pucker factor” needs to take top priority in American aviation.
“I don’t know if anybody’s familiar with catastrophic engine failure in flight, but I can guarantee you, it’s an unpleasant experience,” U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) said on March 9, discussing a possible result of using a fuel that is environmentally friendly but the wrong type for an aircraft’s engine.
Perry spoke during a hearing about challenges in “general aviation,” which encompasses all civilian flying except scheduled passenger airlines.
When mid-flight crises strike pilots experience what they call “the pucker factor,” Perry said, the tension so severe that “you can’t pull a fishing line out of your rear end with a tractor.”…