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.