Air show pilot uses ethanol powered plane
RAY -- For quite sometime now people have debated the significance of ethanol fuel in the ever-evolving automotive world.
But what about aviation?
Air show pilot Greg Poe has his opinions on the subject and his argument comes with quite a bit of merit.
Poe's Fagen MX-2 unlimited aerobatics plane is powered by 85-95% ethanol fuel.
"Obviously ethanol is made out of corn in this country. It's a renewable fuel and it cuts down on our dependency on foreign oil. (It emits) less harmful emissions so it really is a win-win scenario," says Poe, who's plane is sponsored by Fagen Inc., the leading producer of ethanol fuel in the United States.
"I get about eight percent more horsepower, the cyclinder head temperatures in the engine run 40 or 50 degrees cooler. That might not mean much to anybody else but to those of us with these high performance engines, that's very important. So we really enjoy the fuel," adds Poe.
The Fagen MX-2 is one of over 30 aerial demonstrations on the docket this weekend at the Selfridge Air Show at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township.
Gates open Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m..
Parking and admission is free to the public.
