Over the past few months, we’ve covered a lot of different aircraft accessories, including landing gear, pneumatic systems, flap actuators, and more. In our first blog, “An Insider’s Guide to Airplane Parts and Maintenance,” we discussed electric fuel pumps. In this blog, we’re going to dive a little deeper into fuel pump maintenance, what to look for when shopping for a fuel pump for your aircraft, signs of a bad fuel pump, and how AAI can help you overhaul or exchange your fuel pump with ease.
AAI carries Weldon Fuel Pumps, Dukes Fuel Pumps, and Airborne Fuel Pumps, but in this article, we’re going to talk a little bit about Weldon Fuel Pumps.
Why is fuel pump maintenance important?
Aircraft fuel systems serve an important purpose on your aircraft. An aircraft fuel system has a single purpose – to deliver a steady flow of fuel from the tanks to the engine. Aircraft fuel system parts must be well-maintained to ensure proper operation.
According to Aviation Safety, “most fuel-system accidents result from poor planning or failure to understand how the aircraft’s engine is supplied.” Keeping your aircraft’s fuel system maintained and being vigilant about its upkeep is the best way to avoid long-term damage and avoid safety hazards while you’re in the air.
Look out for wear and tear, contaminants, inspect the fuel tank for damage or leaks, and check the pumps for functional operation and leaks.
What to look for when purchasing an aircraft fuel pump.
When looking for a fuel pump for your aircraft, it is important to consider a company that is experienced and knowledgeable about aircraft fuel pumps. AAI has the experience to help determine, troubleshoot and make recommendations surrounding your Weldon Fuel Pump needs. Here are a few other considerations when looking for a fuel pump:
- Flat rate overhaul and exchange pricing
- Warranty terms
- Availability
AAI’s repair provider manufactures Weldon Fuel Pump parts in house, which means we can avoid the high cost and long lead times of replacement parts from the factory. This saves end users time and money. These reverse engineered parts are made equal to or better than the original factory-made parts. While some parts of the reverse engineering process are proprietary, here are a few of the detailed steps followed to reverse engineer Weldon Fuel Pumps:
- Material analysis to determine material makeup, heat treating, hardness and plating as applicable
- Dimensional measurements
- Modern manufacturing techniques to use instead of outdated technology
Common leaking problems have been eliminated by redesigning the seal between the pump and electric motor, leading to longer service life and lower maintenance costs. Other changes have been made to provide a better connection between the electric motor shaft and the pump rotor, reducing loads and amp draw during operation.
Should you exchange or overhaul your fuel pump?
The difference between overhaul and exchange is that overhaul allows you to ship your defective Weldon Fuel Pump into AAI for maintenance with our repair service provider. This generally requires between 8-10 days of lead time. Exchange allows you to trade in your defective Weldon Fuel Pump for a certified working one, which is typically shipped to you that same day.
We understand the frustration that comes with needing to repair or replace an important airplane part like a Weldon Fuel Pump, especially on a tight turnaround. That’s why we’ve made it easy to get what you need when you need it. Our repair providers manufacture all the common replacement items in-house, so we are not affected by supply chain issues. Because of this, our availability and turnaround time is superior to other repair stations and distributors.
AAI carries a variety of Weldon Fuel Pump models.
Aircraft Accessories International offers fuel pumps from Weldon Pump, used on a wide variety of general and business aviation aircraft
AAI offers Weldon Fuel Pumps for the following aircraft manufacturers:
- Beechcraft
- Brittan Norman
- Cessna
- Cirrus
- Commander
- Daher-Socata
- Diamond
- Found
- Lake
- Maule
- Mooney
- Piper
- Robinson
AAI provides FAA certified repairs on Weldon Fuel Pumps.
When it comes to aircraft fuel system maintenance, it is important to make sure you’re getting certified and tested parts within a timely manner. Because AAI is dedicated to transparent pricing with no surprises, we offer flat rate exchange to remove the possibility of above average repair charges. AAI will never include non-standard replacement parts, nor will we charge you for something you aren’t aware of. No more surprises!
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