China’s civil aviation authority last month issued a certificate of approval to Sinopec AEH I fire-resistant phosphate ester aviation hydraulic fluid, making it the first such domestic product to receive that airworthiness blessing.
In a July 16 news release, the Civil Aviation Administration of China hailed the product’s approval as an achievement for the nation’s aviation industry and as part of the country’s ongoing effort to reduce reliance on foreign technology.
“Aviation hydraulic fluid products are not only technically challenging to develop, but airworthiness certification technology has long been monopolized by foreign testing institutions,” the news release stated.
Sinopec’s application for AEH I has been pending for more than four years. The company applied for Certificate of Technical Standards and Regulations Approval in March of 2021, four months after the aviation administration issued its technical standard, Aviation Flame-Resistant Phosphate Ester Hydraulic Fluids.
The aviation administration commissioned the Aviation Fuel and Chemical Certification Center to conduct a technical review of the product, which included subjecting multiple samples to physical and chemical tests, bench tests and application performance tests. The center also reviewed manufacturing facilities, inspection and quality control systems, formulation and technical documentation.
Hydraulic fluids are used in aviation to provide fluid power for components such as rudders and elevators, landing gear and brakes. Fire-resistant fluids are used to prevent risk of fire in the event of leaks.
China was once highly dependent on imports for a wide variety of technologies but in recent years has pushed for innovation to develop domestic replacements. One example in the lubricants industry has been encouragement of polyalphaolefin supply, which formerly existed only in North America and Europe. Several small PAO plants have opened in recent years and now operate.