Aircraft Specialty
Well Known Member
I appreciate the vote of confidence.
The link is to pre-made hoses constructed of Earl?s Speed-Seal braided hose with aluminum fittings, both crimped and pressure tested - to the same pressures I believe you stated. Perfectly adequate for the installation.
And if you?re saying that only steel or stainless steel fittings can be used, then Beechcraft needs to have their type certificates pulled as nearly every fitting on my Baron is a ?D? fitting (aluminum). The only steel ones in the IPC called for are on the lower brake hose that connect to the caliper.
This thread is a perfect example of how easy it is to get confused about all the different options out there. Hoses may look very similar on the outside, but there can be huge differences on the inside. There is no reason for anyone to be defensive about their choices. There is nothing wrong with building your own hoses......lots of people do. It is, however, very important to distinguish fact from fiction so informed decisions can be made.
1. Speed Flex hose and Speed Seal Reusable fittings are high quality and come in Aluminum, Steel and Stainless. Certified hose manufacturers typically use SS or CRES for -8 and smaller size hose.
On our pre made assemblies we choose to utilize stainless on our -8 and smaller assemblies for quality and longevity even though it is more expensive than aluminum. For -10 and larger size fittings we utilize Aluminum hose ends. This creates a pricing structure that is very similar to the cost of a high quality do it yourself hose.
2. There is nothing wrong with Beech utilizing aluminum fittings. Every manufacturer has the leeway to specify what their engineers feel is adequate for the job. The Baron is a great plane. We utilize aluminum fittings also in our larger size hoses because it is the most appropriate material for the application.
3. Pressure testing to 150PSI is a good leak check. It is not a good "proof" test. There is a difference. With that said, mechanics have assembled 303 hoses for years with the only leak check being a functional check once it is installed on the aircraft.
4. Like many manufacturers, Earls has a variety of different products at differing qualities for different applications. The link provided for pre-made hoses is not the same quality of components as some other products that Earls offers. It is a low cost option. As such, the components are manufactured differently.