George Braly on Lean-of-Peak, G100UL, Certification Battles, and Why Aviation Myths Die Hard

If you have ever been told, “That’s just how piston engines work,” this episode of Aviation Masters might make you raise an eyebrow and then start asking more questions.

In this episode, host Mike Busch sits down with George Braly, one of the most influential (and unapologetically analytical) minds in modern general aviation.

Braly is an inventor, trial lawyer, entrepreneur, and the co-founder and chief engineer of General Aviation Modifications, Inc. (GAMI)—the company behind GAMjectors, Tornado Alley Turbo systems, and the FAA-approved high-octane unleaded avgas G100UL.

This is not a surface-level conversation. It is a deep, technical, and refreshingly honest look at how innovation actually happens in aviation and why it is often resisted at every step of the way.

⏱️ Chapters
01:17 — Meet George Braly
02:53 — Early Aviation Roots in Oklahoma
04:51 — Learning IFR the Hard Way
07:09 — From Aerospace Engineering to Law School
08:59 — Buying a Bonanza and Returning to Engineering
10:43 — Founding GAMI and Balanced Fuel Injectors
12:29 — Calling the FAA Certification Bluff
15:24 — Lean-of-Peak: Where Angels Fear to Tread
17:10 — Fuel/Air Balance and Engine Monitor Insights
19:01 — Validation from a Continental Engineering Legend
22:05 — Building the Aircraft Engine Test Cell
25:04 — Teaching Thousands of Pilots How Engines Work
28:47 — Manufacturer Pushback on Lean Operations
30:23 — Airline History Confirms Lean Mixture Operations
35:11 — Tornado Alley Turbo and System Improvements
38:08 — Flying a Turbo Cirrus SR22 at Altitude
42:57 — Cirrus Adopts the Tornado Alley System
46:02 — FAA Rule Changes and Engineering Workarounds
49:19 — The Long Fight for Unleaded Avgas (G100UL)
53:16 — Political Resistance Inside Certification
58:15 — Restarting the Fuel Certification Effort
01:02:31 — Detonation Testing at the Edge of Failure

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