Mobil Oil Australia has offered all its avgas customers full compensation for direct business and personal losses caused by ethylene diamine fuel contamination in January. By 3 February about 1,000 of the 5,000 grounded piston-engined aircraft had been restored to service.
Compensation was offered to commercial aircraft owners or operators, private aircraft owners, employees, contractors, service providers, photographers and organisations such as freight operators using hired aircraft. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, however, urges members not to disengage from an intended class action.
Owners wishing to get their aircraft back into service are tearing down aircraft fuel systems, testing for contamination, and replacing corroded components in tanks, sensors, lines, selectors, filters, pumps, injectors and carburettors. Industry sources still fear expensive component replacements and workshop delays.
Source: Flight International
