Aircraft: SAE or Metric

[HFlashman]

I've seen a couple of You Tube videos and was surprised to discover the mechanics were using SAE wrenches. This included newer light aircraft. By now, I would have thought everything would be metric.

Is this correct? What about larger Boeing or other aircraft? Military aircraft? Metric or SAE.

 

[cvairwerks]

As we just went over this in the SAE dead thread, anything built to DoD standards will be SAE. European manufactures, with the exception of Siai-Marchetti will be metric. SM runs both, varying on if it’s a DoD compliant aircraft or European. US manufacturers are still SAE and will be for the foreseeable future.

 

[81turbota]

The UH60s I worked on in the Army were all SAE.

 

[Dave455]

The majority are SAE, or to be more correct, Unified!

All Boeing’s, large or small, old or new! All U.S. makers, civil or military. All British civil aircraft, after the late 50’s when Unified threads were introduced, and all Airbus types too!

Most aircraft engineers I know don’t have a metric tool to their name!

Keeps it simple!

 

[Turbo442]

I imagine trying to source reasonably priced metric AN hardware would be a nightmare.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cvairwerks]

I imagine trying to source reasonably priced metric AN hardware would be a nightmare

Especially since there are no AN, MS or NASM metric hardware specifications....

 

[Professional Tool User]

A lot of American made aircraft and parts still use SAE equivalents. It's usually only European content that is metric.

 

[Fly YX]

All the ones I have worked on have been SAE. ERJ CRJ Airbus Boeing and McDonnell Douglas

 

[Farmall450]

All the ones I have worked on have been SAE. ERJ CRJ Airbus Boeing and McDonnell Douglas

Aircraft are designed in inches.

 

[BBDartCA]

I recall a Thiokol rep telling us the Eurofighter spec required metric airframe fasteners. Metric increased cost by 10X over SAE as metric was almost nonexistent.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Aeroquip supplied metric external oil lines for my 911 Porsche.

 

[Fly YX]

Aircraft are designed in inches. [/QUOT
No **** wish I would have learned that a&p School

 

[HFlashman]

Fascinating!

 

[Farmall450]

Aircraft are designed in inches. [/QUOT
No **** wish I would have learned that a&p School

They teach it in AE school

 

[Fly YX]

They teach it in AE school

Yep that's why I fix what my brother screws up. Lol