Aircraft plumbing lines usually are made of metal tubing and fittings or of flexible hose. Metal tubing is widely used in aircraft for fuel, oil, coolant, oxygen, instrument, and hydraulic lines. Flexible hose is generally used with moving parts or where the hose is subject to considerable vibration.

Generally, aluminum alloy or corrosion resistant steel tubing have replaced copper tubing. The high fatigue factor of copper tubing is the chief reason for its replacement. It becomes hard and brittle from vibration and finally breaks, however it may be restored to its soft annealed state by heating it red hot and quenching it in cold water. Cooling in air will result in a degree of softness but not equal to that obtained with the cold water quench. This annealing process must be accomplished if copper tubing is removed for any reason. Inspection of copper tubing for cracks, hardness, brittleness and general condition should be accomplished at regular intervals to preclude failure. The workability, resistance to corrosion, and lightweight of aluminum alloy are major factors in its adoption for aircraft plumbing.

In some special high pressure (3,000 psi) hydraulic installations, corrosion resistant steel tubing, either annealed or 1/4 hard, is used. Corrosion resistant steel tubing does not have to be annealed for flaring or forming; in fact, the flared section is somewhat strengthened by the cold working and strain hardening during the flaring process. Its higher tensile strength permits the use of tubing with thinner walls; consequently the final installation weight is not much greater than that of the thicker wall aluminum alloy tubing.