My search for transportation equipment that CAN be repaired with trivalent (instead of hex) chrome has taken a fruitful turn. Instead of thrust reversers, hydraulics, and landing gear, we can plate bike bells. Shiny bells enhance safety and bikes have a big future in California. Thank You CARB!

Helicopters require control of lift, descent, and direction. That happens as this part changes the pitch angle of rotor blades. This is a hex chrome plated main rotor servo piston. Despite CARB regulation, trivalent plating is not a substitute technology. It can’t plate thick enough to be machined.

Here is a part in need of repair. Damage, typically chips, scratches, dings can be hard to see in photos but here it is very noticeable. this is a B737 engine cowl locking actuator piston. We will grind to remove damage, NDT inspect, re-plate with hard chrome, and grind +/- 0.001.

Maintenance and repair of future CalFire aviation fleet is degraded by CARBs hex chrome ban. Fewer mission capable aircraft mean future fires will be more severe. This should be a major concern with regard to the carbon inventory. Was it modeled?

CARB reminds us that words are one thing, actions another. CARB has banned the ability to repair critical parts of CalFire aircraft. There is no alternative to hard hex chrome plating. Why would California invest in growing the fire fleet while constraining maintenance of that fleet?

Correct me if I am wrong but by the same GDP measures, “costs” of efforts to mitigate climate change can appear to be beneficial because they raise GDP even though they divert from other productive activities. It is good to broaden the metrics.

Meanwhile California’s CARB, the undisputed world climate science leader marches on. Instead of FAA approved hex chrome plating on aircraft (see our previous posts), CARB has mandated a switch to trivalent chrome plating as used on bicycle bells and toilet handles. CARB is not slowed by ignorance.

This is a hex chrome plated valve housing. Once fully assembled, it is part of the A320 high pressure bleed air system. Modern aircraft (except B787) use bleed air for cabin pressure and temperature control. Imagine that, your comfort, and ability to absorb oxygen are enabled by hex chrome plating.

Hard chrome plated ducting sleeves used on 757s & 767s require +/- 0.001" precision. That is 1/4 the thickness of paper. Chrome is the only repair technology available. Repair is much more efficient than replacement and it enables huge carbon (Climate!) benefits in addition to the financial savings.

Another flight critical thrust reverser part chrome plated in California. This from the A319, A320, A321 family. Every major narrow-body aircraft type in the world requires chrome plating. With no technological alternative, CARB has banned repair of this part. California is 2nd in US tourism $$.

Another flight critical thrust reverser part chrome plated in California. This from the A319, A320, A321 family. Every major narrow-body aircraft type in the world requires chrome plating. With no technological alternative, CARB has banned repair of this part. California is 2nd in US for tourism $.

Previous posts showed the importance of chrome plating to thrust reversers and turboprop systems. Chrome plating also enables safety in the landing system. Here is an axle sleeve used on Airbus A330 and A340s. Chromium is the hardest metal on the periodic table. Engineers use it for a reason.

Chrome plating is used to repair this propeller dome. As part of the propellor pitch actuation system this is a flight critical part - especially in demanding use cases such as aviation fire-fighting. It is installed on the CL-415 Super Scooper used by CalFire and the ATR 72 and DeHavilland Dash 8.

Superior

Chrome plating and grinding are necessary to manufacture and repair this piston. What does it do? It is the core of the Boeing 737 thrust reverser system used to safely land. It includes a lock area to keep the system from deploying in flight. 315A1842. It enables safe flights to visit relatives.