Definition
A welding process in which two pieces of metal are joined by melting their edges with the heat of a flame produced by burning a fuel gas, usually acetylene, mixed with oxygen. A filler rod of compatible metal is typically melted into the joint to complete the weld.
Plain English
Joining two pieces of metal by heating them with a hot gas flame until they melt together, often adding a thin metal rod that melts into the seam.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance and repair discussions, especially when working with metal parts such as steel tubing, brackets, or exhaust components.
Derivation
Gas' refers to the fuel gas (commonly acetylene) burned with oxygen to produce the flame. This distinguishes it from electric arc welding, which uses an electric current rather than a burning gas to produce the heat.
Why Pilots Care
Ensures strong, reliable repairs on aircraft metal components that directly affect structural integrity and flight safety.
Intuition Check
Gas welding does not mean welding gasoline tanks or using gasoline as the heat source. Here, “gas” means a burnable fuel gas mixed with oxygen to make a hot flame.
Example Sentence 1
The cracked engine mount was repaired by gas welding a new section of steel tubing into place.
Example Sentence 2
After the gas welding was complete, the joint was inspected to confirm it would hold under flight loads.