Aerospace Hose Assemblies: Hose Families, Specifications, Testing and Age Control

Updated October 12, 2026

Hose families and where they are used

Hose is chosen by pressure, temperature and fluid. PTFE lined hose covers the hot, high pressure and chemically difficult jobs; synthetic rubber hose covers lower temperature hydraulic, fuel and oil lines where its flexibility and lower cost suit.

Ground systems use hose too, but NASA-STD-8719.17 discourages flexible hose in place of rigid tubing at NASA sites and sets retest rules for critical hoses. Our tube and fluid systems guide covers that standard, and the fluid fittings page covers the rigid line side.

The specifications that govern hose assemblies

Most aerospace hose documents are procurement specifications: they set construction, qualification and acceptance tests, and part standards built on them define each assembly configuration. Status below is what we could verify on SAE, BSI, EverySpec copies of DLA records or the DLA qualification listing.

Two cautions. Revisions of these documents move often, and a part standard can cite a specific revision of its procurement spec, so state on the PO which revisions you accept. And rubber hose specs and PTFE hose specs are not interchangeable even at the same pressure, because the temperature limits and fluid resistance differ.

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End fittings and how assemblies are built

Buy hose as a finished, tested assembly from a source that builds to the procurement specification, not as bulk hose and loose fittings, unless your own shop is qualified to assemble it. The fitting attachment is the part of the assembly most likely to fail, and the specs control it through qualification of the specific hose and fitting combination.

• End types. Common ends are 37 degree flared nuts to AS4395 geometry, flareless ends, and straight thread ends. The fitting end must match the mating port or fitting on your drawing; mixing systems needs an adapter that the drawing shows.
• Fitting materials. Aluminum, steel, corrosion resistant steel and titanium ends exist. The material must suit the system pressure and temperature and be galvanically compatible with what it mates to.
• Swaged versus reusable fittings. Swaged or crimped fittings are permanently attached; reusable fittings can be reassembled in the field. The assembly standard decides which is allowed.
• Length and orientation. Give overall length, the clocking of angled ends relative to each other, and the allowable tolerance. A twisted installation shortens hose life.
• Elbows and bend radius. Specify routing so the installed bend radius stays above the minimum for that hose; convoluted PTFE hose exists for tight routing.

Fittings, ports and nuts are covered in detail on our fluid fittings page, and the seals at straight thread ports on the gaskets and packings page.

Reading a hose assembly part number

Hose assembly part numbers are defined by the part standard sheet that the procurement specification governs, and the coding of size, end fittings, material and length differs from one standard to the next. We did not find a coding scheme we could verify across these families, so we do not decode one here.

What to do instead: get the part standard sheet the number comes from and read size, end configuration, fitting material and length directly from it. When a drawing calls a vendor part number, ask the vendor which procurement specification and revision it is built and tested to, and make that the requirement on the PO. Never cross a hose assembly by size and length alone, because two assemblies with the same dimensions can be built to different pressure, temperature and fire ratings.

Proof testing and the test record

Every assembly should be proof tested before it ships, and the record should travel with it. The procurement specification sets the proof pressure, hold time and acceptance criteria for its family, so the buyer's job is to require the test and the record rather than to invent the numbers.

• Require proof testing of each assembly to the procurement specification and revision on the PO.
• Ask for a record that names the assembly serial or lot, test medium, pressure achieved, hold time, result, gauge or transducer identification and calibration date, and the inspector.
• If the assembly will carry gas, ask whether a separate leak test with gas is required by your program, since a liquid proof test does not show gas tightness. ASTM methods for helium leak testing are summarized on our fluid systems guide.
• For oxygen or propellant service, sequence the proof test before final cleaning, or require recleaning after test, and cap the ends with clean closures. Our precision oxygen cleaning page covers that step.

Cure date and age control

Rubber hose ages from the day the rubber is cured, so rubber hose assemblies need two dates on the paperwork: the cure or manufacture date of the bulk hose and the assembly date. PTFE lined hose is far less sensitive to age in storage, but the elastomer seals in its fittings, if any, are not.

We could not verify a single published shelf life that applies to all rubber hose, so set your limit from the procurement specification, the hose manufacturer's guidance and your customer's requirement, and write it on the PO. Store hose capped, uncoiled or loosely coiled, out of sunlight and away from ozone sources, and rotate stock oldest first. The storage conditions in SAE AS5316 are written for elastomer seals, not hose, but they are a reasonable model for keeping rubber parts out of heat, light and ozone; see our O-rings page.

Fire sleeves

Hose assemblies in designated fire zones need fire protection, usually a silicone coated sleeve over the hose. SAE AS1072 covers bulk protective sleeving that adds fire resistance to aircraft hose assemblies so they can meet AS1055. Revision F was published in July 2019 and is stabilized.

The important point in AS1072 itself: using a qualified sleeve does not remove the need to show that the sleeved assembly meets the applicable AS1055 requirements. The fire rating belongs to the tested hose, fitting and sleeve combination, not to the sleeve. Order fire sleeved assemblies as a complete part number from a source that can show the fire test basis, and specify how the sleeve ends are secured and sealed so fluid cannot wick under them.

Tagging and identification

Each assembly should carry its identity so its records can be found from the part. Ask for:

• Assembly part number and revision, and manufacturer identification
• Serial number or lot, and the assembly date
• Bulk hose cure or manufacture date for rubber hose
• Proof test date or reference to the test record
• Marking method approved on the drawing: band, tag or direct marking on the fitting, never a method that damages the hose cover
• Cleanliness level and date on the outer bag for cleaned assemblies

Ordering checklist for hose assemblies

• Assembly part number or drawing, with the procurement specification and revision it must meet
• Fluid, operating and proof pressure source, temperature range and fire zone status
• Hose family and size, end fitting types and materials, overall length, end clocking and tolerances
• QPL or QPD source where one exists, such as QPL-27267 for MIL-DTL-27267 bulk hose
• Manufacturer and lot traceability for bulk hose and fittings, with material certs for fittings
• DFARS specialty metals clause flowed down where it applies to steel, stainless or titanium fittings and braid; see our specialty metals page
• Proof test and any gas leak test, with records
• Maximum age at receipt for rubber hose, and the cure date on the tag and cert
• Cleaning specification and level, end caps and bagging if the assembly is cleaned
• Certificate of conformance to the PO and specification; see our C of C guide

Counterfeit and quality risks, and how to receive hose

The main risks are assemblies built from unqualified hose or fittings, assemblies with altered tags or dates, and surplus assemblies of unknown age or history. A hose assembly's quality is mostly hidden inside the fitting, so paperwork and source matter more than a visual check.

• Buy from the manufacturer or a source qualified to build to the specification, or through authorized distribution.
• Check that the tag, cert and test record agree on part number, serial or lot, dates and specification revision.
• Inspect fittings for tool marks, cracked or loose sockets, damaged threads and flare faces; inspect the hose for kinks, cover damage and twist.
• Reject rubber hose assemblies past your age limit, and anything without a test record.
• Treat surplus or removed assemblies as unknown history unless documentation proves otherwise.

Our counterfeit parts avoidance process and receiving inspection guide cover the wider controls.

How we source hose assemblies

We do not hold inventory or publish prices. We source hose assemblies for your order from manufacturers and qualified assembly sources, or through authorized and franchised distributors, and flow down the specification, test, age, cleaning and tagging requirements. Records are checked before shipment and every order ships with a certificate of conformance.

Hose often goes with other fluid hardware, so we can quote it on one purchase order with tube assemblies, fittings, seals or a GSE panel, and kit it by system. For out of production assemblies, we search under the controls on our obsolete parts page. See the rest of the family on the seals and fluid parts page.

Request hose assemblies

Use the fluid systems quote form and include the part number or drawing, procurement specification, fluid, pressure, temperature, fire zone status, length and end configuration, and any cleaning requirement. Those details decide which sources can build and test the assembly. A person replies within one business day, and rush requests are prioritized. For export controlled systems, follow our controlled programs process.

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Part, quantity and date are enough to start. Drawings and the mutual NDA follow by reply, and controlled programs never send technical data through this site.

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Related

• Aerospace Fluid Fittings: AN Flared, Flareless and Port Connections
• Aerospace Gaskets and Packings: Port Seals, Crush Gaskets and Static Seals
• Aerospace O-Rings: Sizes, Compound Specifications and Cure Dating
• Aerospace Tube Assemblies, Fluid Lines and Pressure System Hardware

Sources

• BSI: SAE AS1339K:2025 PTFE hose assembly, 3000 psi, 400 F, lightweight
• SAE AS604F: PTFE hose assembly, 3000 psi, 400 F, heavyweight
• DIN Media: SAE AS1946G PTFE hose assembly, up to 1500 psi and 450 F
• BSI: SAE AS4098 PTFE heavy duty hose assembly, 400 F, 5000 psi
• SAE AS620SUP1 (supplement to AS620)
• EverySpec: MIL-DTL-8794F
• EverySpec: MIL-DTL-8788G
• EverySpec: MIL-DTL-27267D
• DLA Land and Maritime: QPL-27267 supplemental information sheet
• Standards.ie: SAE AS1072F Sleeve, Hose Assembly, Fire Protection
• SAE AS1072D record
• NASA-STD-8719.17 Revision D, Ground-Based Pressure Vessels and Pressurized Systems