There is also a promising push within the industry that new build aircraft are fitted with engines that run on alternative fuels. Rotax engines that run on MOGAS (or standard car-grade gasoline/petrol) are becoming more popular. Diamond Aircraft from Austria fit the majority of their aircraft with a modified Mercedes Benz Diesel engine, which has its own issues, but removes the Lead content.

The issue in General Aviation is that these piston aircraft, with the right levels of maintenance, can run for decades, the majority of aircraft that students train in these days are 40-60 years old, still completely safe, and still completely legal, but running on technology that would otherwise be completely obsolete. However these engines keep going because they have the safety record to back them up, and rule number 1 of flying is to reduce risk and maximise safety at every opportunity.