BROOKLYN CENTER, MINN. – The Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) will focus its one-day conference, Monday, March 19, 2012, at the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, on two extremely important topics to general aviation today: “Alternate Fuels” and the “Future Growth of General Aviation.”
There has been considerable work on developing an alternate fuel for 100LL, and MATA is bringing one and possible two of the nation’s leading experts in the field to the conference to give attendees an update: Ron Adams and/or Jon Ziulkowski of Swift Enterprises of West Lafayette, Indiana.
Swift Enterprises has created a biomass-derived, synthetic fuel called “100SF” that has been successfully tested in several aviation engines. The fuel is derived from a variety of feedstocks, from sugar beets to sorghum, so there is a range of suitable areas for production.
100SF contains no lead or ethanol. So far, it has shown to be a near straight switch for 100LL for most aviation engines.
Tests by the Federal Aviation Administration, thus far, have shown that an engine performs well and is in better shape than most engines running on 100LL. In addition, Swift claims that 100SF provides an 8 to 15 percent increase in range based on the same volume of fuel over 100LL and produces fewer pollutants.
Swift is looking to have the new alternate fuel certified within the next two years and competitively priced, and less expensive in the future.
A panel discussion on the importance of “Promoting General Aviation” will involve the Director of Aeronautics for the State of Minnesota, Chris Roy, and a representative from the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association.
Cirrus Aircraft President/CEO Dale Klapmeier of Duluth, Minnesota, will be speaking on “Marketing General Aviation,” and in particular, how Cirrus Aircraft has been successful in competing in the marketplace, domestically and globally.
The keynote speaker on March 19 will be the president of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), Jim Coyne, who will address the “Role of the Aircraft Technician” at a joint luncheon of MATA members and attendees at the Minnesota Aviation Maintenance Technician Conference, also being held at the Earle Brown Heritage Center.
In addition, Coyne will provide MATA Conference attendees a “Washington Update” at a special dinner in his honor on Sunday, March 18, 2012 at the Embassy Suites, located immediately adjacent to the Earle Brown Heritage Center in Brooklyn Center, Minn., beginning with a reception at 5:30 pm.
Conference Registration
To register for the 2012 Minnesota Aviation Trades Association Conference, email Sara Wiplinger at swiplinger@wipaire.com, or call 651-209-7168. Complete registration information is also available at the MATA website: www.mnaviationtrades.org.
