Aircraft Eyes vs Marine Eyes
 

Has anyone successfully used aircraft eyes as opposed to marine eyes in a standing rigging application? I have occasion to need a particular sized wire swaged with a fitting that provides a specific clevis pin hole, and the aircraft eye fits the bill perfectly. I have read that aircraft eyes are not as strong as marine eyes, but never any quantitative information as to how much stronger one is over the other. My only other option is to stick with a marine eye with an oversized clevis pin hole, but that is a no no per Brion's book due to point loading that will occur. Any thoughts?

Eeek!
 

Hello,
Aircraft, as in aircraft cable, as in 7x19 instead of 1x19; those eyes are rated to be wonderfully strong for wire that is over 25% weaker than what you want to use. That's why aircraft eyes are so much slimmer, with smaller clevis pin holes.
It is possible, though, that the right size of 1x19 will also fit your existing clevis pin holes, so have you run the numbers on loading?
Fair leads,
Brion Toss

Scratch the aircraft eyes!
 

Hi Brion

I have run the numbers, which is what has prompted me to upgrade the wire size. I am making a weak attempt to avoid having to change all the mast tangs to accomadate the larger clevis pins that match the larger marine eyes that in turn match the larger wire. Thanks for the relative numbers on aircraft wire/eyes, that is information that I haven't run across in the past.

Ryan