[Healeys] brake fluid

[bighealey3k at aim.com]

Commercial aircraft use Skydrol that is a phosphate ester base fluid developed
by Monsanto back in about the late 50' or early 60's and is sold by Solutia
now.  It is fire resistant and light weight but needs specially manufactured
rubber parts (O rings) and no plastic other than Teflon coming in contact with
it.  It melts most paints and plastics that come in contact with it.  It is an
irritant to the skin and very painful if gotten into the eyes (ask me).  It is
very nasty stuff and I have worked with it for over 40 years and have
developed a health respect for it. It is very expensive and not meant for
automotive use.  The mineral based hydraulic fluid Mil H-5606 has been almost
completely replaced by Skydrol in commercial aircraft and is used primarily in
the landing gear struts as a shock absorber fluid much like an automobile tube
shock (McPherson strut).  The landing gear is a leg and shock all in one.
Military aircraft, I don't believe, have gone to Skydrol except for maybe
commercial aircraft adapted to military use.  Maybe some military types can
shed some light on that.  The military aircraft I worked on did not ( C-124's,
C-130's & HH3 helo's).  Hope this helps.

Larry
A&P Aircraft Mech.
Retired Airforce Reserve Mech.






-----Original Message-----
From: Curt/Nancy Arndt <cnaarndt at gmail.com>
To: healeymanjim at hansencc.net
Cc: healeys at autox.team.net <healeys at autox.team.net>
Sent: Fri, Jun 11, 2010 8:27 am
Subject: Re: [Healeys] brake fluid


Jim,
Aircraft use a very specialized hydraulic fluid, at least high performance
ircraft and it's nasty stuff... needless to say blistering paint is the
east of your worries.  Don't go there.
Curt
67 Pilot LAX
ormer USMC Pilot
On Thu, Jun 10, 2010 at 8:53 PM, <healeymanjim at hansencc.net> wrote:
> what kind of brake fluid do aircraft use?  i know i have had some F-4
 brakes that glowed cherry red after some heavy braking so i assume it has a
 higher boiling point.  is it compatible with automobiles?  cost?     hjim
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