Keeping a tube/fabric airplane outside

[Mike Gaskins]

Hi guys. I've got a bit of a question for the "veterans" of the group.
I've been looking at some aircraft as possible purchases, and, being a
fan of older styled planes, a lot of them are tube/fabric designs (I'm
really interested in an EAA Biplane or other similar design, though
I've also been looking at some Aeronca's and such). Now, I'm on the
hangar waiting list on my local airport, but at best estimate it'll be
5 or 6 years before I actually secure a hangar.

Naturally though, my local airport has plenty of tie-down space
available. So, my question is, how bad would it be to park a
tube/fabric plane outside for this period of time? I'm on the South
Carolina coast, so snow is a very rare thing (I'll probably get the
hangar before we see snow again around here ;)), but it does rain
fairly often and it can get quite hot/sunny.

So, is it feasible, or should I hold off on the purchase?

Thanks.
P.S. I check most of the aviation Usenet groups regularly, but if you
wish to respond via email don't use the one in the header (it's not
valid anymore). My address is: mbgaski at infoave dot net.

[George Patterson]

Mike Gaskins wrote:

> So, my question is, how bad would it be to park a
> tube/fabric plane outside for this period of time?

If the aircraft is still covered with non-synthetic (which usually would be
cotton), the fabric probably wouldn't last until you got a hangar. If it's
covered with something like Ceconite/Polyfiber, the fabric will last as long as
the paint holds up (UV is what kills that stuff).

The other thing to worry about is corrosion and rot. The frames of fabric
aircraft are generally either steel tube or wood. If the plane leaks anywhere,
water will collect in low points. Whatever frame members are located down there
will deteriorate. Condensation will also cause this and will be worse outside.
Keep an eye out for leaks and patch them if they occur. Also make sure the
drains in the bottom of the plane stay open. Steel tube usually gives fewer
problems in this regard than wood, but it all depends on the quality of the
paint/finish used the last time the structure was worked on.

I kept a Maule outside for 9 years. That's Ceconite over steel tube with a few
wood formers. At the end of that time, I had had to perform two fabric repairs.
There was no discernable corrosion in the frame. If the factory had used the
proper paint, I would not have had problems with the fabric.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.

[Robert M. Gary]

There are several companies that make full aircraft covers. They slip
over the wings and tail and cover 100% of the fabric. I considered
buying one when I had the Aeronca. Sure a lot cheaper than $500/month
for a hanger.

-Robert

[George Patterson]

Robert M. Gary wrote:

> There are several companies that make full aircraft covers.

If you go this route, make sure you buy ones made out of "Sunbrella" or
comparable fabric. There are some nylon covers on the market, and those won't
last much longer than a year. You can usually count on at least 5 years from the
Sunbrella covers.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.

[[email protected]]

Fabric life often depends on how well the builder applied the
UV blocker, which is most often a layer of dope with aluminum powder in
it. I've been inside airplanes that had lots of light coming through,
indicating very poor coverage and shortening the fabric's life.
Moisture, even just condensation, corrodes things. Mice and
birds get in and do their thing and cause even worse corrosion. Wind
bangs it around, especially control surfaces. And worst of all, people
mess with your airplane and damage it. They don't even have to have bad
intentions. A cheap, lockable hangar is well worth its cost.

Dan

[George Patterson]

wrote:

> A cheap, lockable hangar is well worth its cost.

There's no such thing anywhere near central NJ. Community hangars run about
$325/month and T-hangars are over $400. Even at that, waiting lists are common,
so prices continue to go up.

George Patterson
Drink is the curse of the land. It makes you quarrel with your neighbor.
It makes you shoot at your landlord. And it makes you miss him.

[[email protected]]

>There's no such thing anywhere near central NJ. >Community hangars run about
>$325/month and T-hangars are over $400. Even at >that, waiting lists are common,
>so prices continue to go up

I keep forgetting. I live in Western Canada, in a small prairie town
not far from the Rockies, with a small municipal airport. I paid $1000
for my hangar; it's old and leaks a bit, but keeps the airplane
relatively safe. Taxes are about $70 per year. I work at the airport
and can go flying before work, at lunch or after work. I can ride my
bicycle 2 1/2 miles to work.
I feel sorry for the guys who are faced with huge tiedown fees,
never mind even bigger hangar fees. I suppose that's the "benefit" of
living in a heavily populated area where incomes for many are high
enough to drive prices out of reach for the rest. Noise, pollution,
crime, the mad commute...sure hope I don't ever have to go back to
that...

Dan

[Paul kgyy]

Also consider that there's been a significant recent increase in fuel
theft from tie-downs. A member of the Cherokee Chat group found that a
locking gas cap from a 1970 Ford works on his Cherokee (for ground
storage only) but fuel is still accessible through the drains.

Maybe better airport security isn't such a bad idea, after all... :-(