ExxonMobil Aviation can trace its history to Wilbur and Orville Wright. Mobil oil-branded lubricants were used to help their motor-operated airplane make its first successful flight. “Throughout our history, we have been a trusted, proven partner,” said Gary Dudley, Ph.D., global grease product technical advisor at ExxonMobil. “We work tirelessly to ensure that customers have continuous and reliable service, access to industry-leading maintenance experts and products that exceed specifications and are also pleasant for mechanics to use. Our greases are one great example of how we continue to live out this dedication to our customers.”
Roughly between the time of the first trans-Atlantic voyage for the Boeing 707 and the Concorde supersonic jet beginning service — both of which ExxonMobil played a significant role in — Mobilgrease 28 was born. “We can trace our aviation grease history back to 1966 when Mobil sold its very first synthetic lubricant,” said Dudley. Mobilgrease 28, with a 10-year shelf life, exceptional rust protection and the ability to provide optimal load-bearing performance continues to be sold today to customers around the world. Based on clay-thickener technology, Mobilgrease 28 carries MIL-PRF-81322G and NATO G-395 approvals. Its recommended use is airframe lubrication and landing wheel assemblies.
Of course, the ExxonMobil line of multipurpose airframe and wheel-bearing aviation greases, designed to protect aircraft against wear, weather conditions and temperature extremes, doesn’t stop there.
“One of the industry challenges that we have focused on addressing over time is the safety of aviation greases,” Dudley said. Mobilgrease 33 is not classified as a skin or eye irritant like other aviation greases, making it safe choice for maintenance technicians to handle and use. It also addresses the unpleasant odor often associated with used greases so technicians should find it less offensive to work with in their maintenance shops. “This was a result of learning that some greases, as they degrade, can have an offensive odor when being handled,” he added.
Mobilgrease 33 is the newest product in ExxonMobil’s aviation grease product line, approved to the Boeing BMS3-33C specification. Since the commercial launch of Mobilgrease 33, it also achieved Airbus, MIL-PRF-23827C and NATO G-354 approvals, and it meets the SAE AMS3052 requirements. Based on lithium thickener technology, Mobilgrease 33 uses a proprietary synthetic hydrocarbon base stock, which Dudley said is not susceptible to hydrolysis like other BMS3-33C greases. In other words, it isn’t as susceptible to breaking down when exposed to moisture. Mobilgrease 33 was designed for and recommended for general airframe lubrication and with the ability to lubricate parts down to -73 C (-100 F).
Mobilgrease 28 and Mobilgrease 33 were the first greases in the industry to reach a 10-year shelf life, meaning that in 10 years they are just as fit for use as the first day they were made.
Lastly, the third product in ExxonMobil’s aviation grease product line is Mobil Aviation Grease SHC 100, developed exclusively for aviation wheel bearings. “Based on the harsh conditions wheel bearings experience during take off, landings and taxiing,” Dudley said, “a custom-designed product provides the best performance option.”
AMT asked Dudley what to consider when purchasing aviation grease. “With any purchasing decision, it is easy for cost to be the top priority, but there is much more to consider than just the product price tag,” he replied. “Decision makers should look for a supplier that is an innovative and strategic partner, as we strive to be at ExxonMobil. We feel it is very important that the customer trusts us to provide the technology, expertise and leadership needed to help them with their lubrication needs. Our service offerings range from helping assess if the lubricants are protecting components from rust, wear or deposits, to optimizing the lubrication used to potentially extend equipment life. Other areas of support we provide include evaluating maintenance practices to identify efficiencies or improvements, or optimize performance and reduce down time.”
One of ExxonMobil’s biggest differentiators is its global distributor network and integrated supply chain that provides reliable and safe delivery of products on time and on spec around the world, no matter the situation. “Being one of the world’s largest lubricant suppliers, we have the expertise, industry knowledge and supply to handle our customers’ needs globally,” he said.
An added bonus, Dudley pointed out that some of ExxonMobil’s aviation greases are compatible with its competitors’ greases, allowing for easy conversion if airlines encounter supply disruptions. After a tumultuous few years, he said airlines are doing whatever they can to avoid disruptions to their business.
One of the trends ExxonMobil is seeing as the global economy starts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic is demand for technical knowledge and support. “More airlines are reaching out to discuss lubrication for their aircraft as they bring more and more aircraft out of storage to meet the growing demand,” Dudley said. “And we predict this will continue as airlines look to minimize risk. Supply reliability is also something we are seeing renewed focus on especially when it comes to greases.”
For anyone looking to read up on greases, as well as oils, ExxonMobil Aviation has a “Knowledge Library” online at https://www.exxonmobil.com/en/aviation/knowledge-library. In the middle of the page is an FAQ section and that’s where Dudley suggests starting. “It’s a quick way to answer any technical question, understand a grease term or learn about the performance features of our greases. Greases tend to use a lot of terminology not common to lubrication and the FAQ can definitely help bridge the gap.”
To the right of FAQ is “Technical Topics,” which go into greater detail. “Two of the more popular topics we get asked about a lot are grease color and grease compatibility — and we have technical papers on both of these. In the grease color article, we discuss how the dye used doesn’t impact performance and slight variations are expected. And in the grease compatibility piece, we discuss some of the myths and concerns you should consider when changing from one grease to a different grease. All our resources are backed by our aviation experts who are available for those needing additional technical support with their questions.”
One of the biggest misconceptions Dudley has seen over the years is color variations in grease indicate something is wrong with the product. That’s not true. “Grease color does naturally change over time with no impact on performance and greases are dyed based on the industry specifications,” he said. “There is no technical performance benefit to dying a grease, beyond ease of identification based on color.”
Another topic discussed in the technical topics section is aviation lubricant shelf life. “The best advice we can give is to store containers in a dry, cool and clean environment,” Dudley said. “Once a container is opened, try to use it all as soon as possible and make sure it is not exposed to any contamination while in use. Then immediately seal it after you are done using it.”
For grease, ExxonMobil Aviation has a motto of “Ask for the Grease.” Which Dudley said is really saying, “Let’s have a discussion about your concerns, your needs and applications to help address your questions.” “We want to be the go-to supplier for all grease needs and the first contact airlines reach out to when they have a grease question. ‘Ask for the Grease'.”
