maanantai 20. marraskuuta 2017 18.05.44 UTC+2 flgliderpilot kirjoitti:
On Monday, November 20, 2017 at 1:59:49 AM UTC-5, krasw wrote:
We have had glassfiber gliders for 60 years but you can still actually ask if that material (developed by witches and black magic) is repairable or costly to maintain.

Of course fiberglass is easy to repair and easy to maintain, but I'm asking about the costs of having a certified aircraft mechanic do that work, and if it's more expensive than riveting aluminum and stretching fabric.

Fiberglass involves layup and lots of sanding, dealing with sanding dust, following with gel coat, polishing, etc.

I imagine that to be more expensive but maybe it's cheaper. It's not the material, it's the hours involved.

I don't quite understand what there is maintain in fiberglass structure. It is as close to maintenance free as anything. If you break the glider, then it is insurance company's headache. For small scrathces you need paint, not airframe mechanic. Sure refinish costs a lot, but I guess most of the early glass gliders have been painted by now with car paints that do not crack like gelcoat and are again maintenance free. And you have to refinish aluminium or tube/rag planes also (right?) at some point of their life.