Aircraft Ducting FAA Repairs

A large diameter tubing can be used for aerospaceout is 9.42 inches, and the finished tube length is 18
ducting hot or cold air to various places in the aircraft.inches. To each of the 9.42 inch ends add one inch to
There are two types of tubing used for this purpose:make the joggle and locking seam.
One is flexible and the other is rigid. On modernOnce the joggle and seam are bent, release the slip
aircraft, flexible aluminium tubing is not used as oftenroller and lock the flat sheet into place in the middle.
any more because it is being replaced with speciallyAfter the slip roller is locked into place, adjust the
treated fabric covered ducting. However, the use ofrollers to begin the initial curvature of the tube. Crank
rigid tubing still serves a valuable purpose because itthe rollers back and forth and roll the tube from one
can take more abuse than soft flexible ducting.end to the other until the tube begins to take shape.
Aerospace Ducting Of Aluminium Tube.Each time you roll, gradually increase the tightness of
Either type, heat treated or non-heat-treatedthe rollers until the tube is completely rolled into
aluminium alloy in the annealed condition, is best suitedshape. Release the slip roller and remove the tube
for the making of rigid tubing. The tool used to makefrom the roller. Check the diameter and seams for
tubing or duct pipe is a set of slip rollers. The smallestalignment. Once the seam is joined, slip it over a pipe
diameter that can be made using a slip roller isclamped in a bench vice and begin flattening the
determined by the size of the rolling machine. When aseam. This action will lock the seam into place.
tube diameter larger than the roller is called for, theIf more joint security is needed you may want to
rollers can be adjusted to make a larger diameterinstall soft aluminium rivets (AN470A3-6) along the
such as those needed for leading edge construction.seam. The holes for the rivets are drilled by slipping
The construction of aluminium alloy tubes requiresthe tube over a pre-formed 2 x 4 clamped in a
knowing the diameter, length and type of lockingbench vice. The rivets can be bucked using the same
joint to be used. Suppose that 3-inch diameterpipe you used to lock the seam. If this piece of
finished aluminium tubes will be made. Thetubing is going to be fitted into another piece of
circumference of the tubes is the length of metaltubing, the rivets used to secure the seam must be
needed to roll the diameter of the tube. With acountersunk (AN426A3-4).
diameter of 3 inches times 3.1416, the length of roll