What Are Aircraft Sealants
Sealants provide secure holds for countless aircraft components, offering increased safety for pilots and passengers. Without aircraft sealants, the service life of airplanes would be reduced, generating unnecessary, additional costs for the repair and replacement of parts. With this in mind, this blog will cover different types of aircraft sealants, their uses, and their importance.
Aircraft sealants are a unique class of adhesives that are designed to reinforce and seal aircraft parts, improving structural integrity as a result. These adhesives are required to meet the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) quality standards and safety regulations that cater to the aerospace industry.
One of the most distinctive features such sealants are expected to have includes the ability to withstand high and low temperatures. More than that, they must be able to handle the volatility and reactive nature of combustibles, tremendous aircraft speeds, and vibrations. While adhesives are applied to a variety of aircraft parts, a majority serve similar purposes.
Most aircraft sealants are expected to prevent the spread of fire from one compartment to another, ensuring that fires are isolated incidents that do not compromise the aircraft as a whole. Furthermore, they are expected to prevent fluid intrusion, dust intrusion, air leaks, oxidation, and corrosion.
Another category of aircraft sealants also exists, those of which are called Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) sealants. PMA sealants are cost-effective alternatives to similar FAA products. However, to meet FAA standards, PMA sealants must meet or exceed the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) quality. Keep in mind that PMA sealants can perform the same function as their OEM alternatives and conform to the part’s standards.
When carrying out repairs or maintenance on aircraft, sealants are utilized on interior and exterior parts. That being said, sealants vary based on their usage, some of which include aircraft fuel tank sealants, aircraft windshield sealants, aviation thread sealants, firewall and fuselage sealants, access door sealants, and electrical sealants. Beyond such types, aircraft sealants are available in many forms, those of which we will outline in the next section.
The first type is a brushable sealant which is composed of adhesive compounds that are applied using a brush. Next, extrusion gun sealants are defined as adhesives that are applied through a pressure nozzle. Thread sealants are another type which are used to fill the clearances between threaded parts, increasing the burst strength of a valve or threaded pipe. Lastly, latex sealants are considered water soluble sealants that are typically utilized on interior elements.
It is important to note that sealants must be applied properly to ensure that they work optimally. This process necessitates precision and close attention to detail. As such, you must remove existing sealants when resealing, allow for proper cure times, and follow product and curing temperature guidelines. In fact, one must consider such metrics when purchasing any sealant. Other aircraft sealant characteristics one must assess include cure times, volatility, hardness, peel strength, tensile strength, temperature limitations, and shelf life.
If you find yourself in need of aircraft sealants or other related adhesives, rely on ASAP Aviation Hub. ASAP Aviation Hub is a premier distributor of aircraft sealants, all of which have been sourced from top manufacturers like Textron Inc., Viking Air Ltd., Honeywell Ltd., and Flamemaster Corp. With over 2 billion ready-to-purchase items in our inventory, sourcing parts has never been easier. We invite you to kickoff the procurement process by requesting a quote on any item you see available via our Instant RFQ service. Within 15 minutes of completing and submitting a form, a dedicated account manager will contact you with a customized solution. Get started today and see how ASAP Aviation Hub can serve as your strategic sourcing partner!
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