Aerospace drain valves are found on most airplanes. From commercial airliners to private and commuter airliners, most airplanes have multiple aerospace drain valves.
Drain Valves Defined
A drain valve is a fitting that’s designed to drain fluid from a given system. Airplanes, of course, feature multiple types of fluids. A typical airplane may feature jet fuel and oil. Aerospace drain valves allow maintenance workers and pilots to easily drain these fluids.
Oil doesn’t last forever. Like automotive oil, the oil used in airplanes must be regularly changed. Otherwise, it will become contaminated while losing its ability to lubricate and reduce friction. With an aerospace drain valve, maintenance workers and pilots can drain the old oil. Opening the aerospace drain valve will allow gravity to force the old oil out of the airplane so that it can be replaced with new oil.
The Mechanics of Aerospace Drain Valves
To drain fluid from an airplane, you’ll need to open the respective aerospace drain valve. Depending on the particular type of aerospace drain valve, a tool may or may not be required. Some aerospace drain valves require a tool like a screwdriver to open, whereas others don’t
You can open some aerospace drain valves simply by pushing or turning them. Once locked in the open position, fluid will drain out and through the aerospace drain valve. After the fluid has finished draining, you can close the aerospace drain valve.
Tips on Choosing Aerospace Drain Valves
When choosing aerospace drain valves, you should consider the method by which they are opened. As previously mentioned, some of them require a tool, whereas other aerospace drain valves can be manually opened by pushing or turning them.
Don’t forget to check the material when choosing aerospace drain valves. Different types of aerospace drain valves are made of different materials. Brass is a common material used in the construction of aerospace drain valves. It’s strong, durable and resistant to corrosion.
You should choose aerospace drain valves that are approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Curtis and Saf-Air are two of the biggest manufacturers of aerospace drain valves. They produce a variety of high-quality, FAA-approved aerospace drain valves.
The thread size of aerospace drain valves may vary. Most aerospace drain valves have threading. With threading, you can twist them onto fuel and oil drain lines. But some of them have larger threading than others. You’ll need to choose aerospace drain valves with threading in the right size for your drainage application.
