SECTOR FOCUS
Protecting the future of your aircraft engine
Olivier Procès, Regional Technical Manager for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Shell Aviation explains how the use of high quality lubricants can play a critical role in ensuring an aircraft has a long, healthy life. A pilot himself, Olivier has always been passionate about aviation and worked for many years in in the airline industry before he began his career at Shell 13 years ago.
There are many costs associated with owning and operating an aircraft, and if not properly managed these can become prohibitive. Whether you are a professional pilot, frequent flyer or simply fly occasionally for pleasure, having a reliable oil to protect against engine wear and prolong engine life should always be one of your top priorities. The protection high quality engine oils provide can help both minimise the cost of operating and maintenance and reduce overall fuel consumption.
Choosing the right lubricant For pilots and aircraft owners choosing specific lubricants and oils for their aircraft, the key is to find those products which offer a good balance between price and performance. But how do you tell which one will give you the best performance?
Each aircraft piston engine makes particular demands on its oil. Power plants can be air- or liquid-cooled; two- or four-stroke; geared or direct drive; gasoline or diesel fuelled; or carburetted, fuel injected or
28 LUBE MAGAZINE NO.143 FEBRUARY 2018
turbocharged, so it’s necessary for lubricant suppliers to provide a comprehensive range of oils that are specially formulated to protect a variety of engine types. In addition to engine type, choosing the best performing lubricant will also depend on other factors such as the quality of the lubricant and your flying experience, taking into account how frequently you fly and the operating conditions.
Why are lubricant additives important? Central to protecting an aircraft’s engine are oils that have anti-corrosion and anti-oxidation properties. Harmful engine corrosion can be caused by using oils that fail to neutralise acids as this allows acid particles to reach metal surfaces. Furthermore, if broken down by heat and acids, these oils could also fail to protect against wear and power-robbing deposits, resulting in an increase in costs and a decrease in TBO.
An engine’s moving parts can also be better protected with anti-scuffing additives. Lubricants that offer sufficient wear protection play a critical role in
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