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#1
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Speaking of tape...
My fancy pants (a brand of wheel pant) have been done and re-done many times
over the years, going from dzu quick-connectors to phillips screws, having fiberglass repairs, etc. The halves firmly screw together just fine, and they're strong as a bridge abutment, but the tight fit between the halves has been lost. They now have a visible 1/3" to 1/2" gap at the seam that probably represents a fairly significant aerodynamic drag under air loads. In fact, I've wondered if that gap doesn't open up a bit under the load of a 140 knot wind, and has maybe lead to some of the damage we've seen around the connectors. It seems like a piece of tape (like is used in some aileron gap seals) over the seam would take care of the problem. True, it would make removing the wheel pants more of a pain, but we only remove them at annual, anyway. What's the rule on something like this? Would this be considered an owner-applied cosmetic modification, or something that needs some sort of approval? And does anyone have an on-line source for tape of his kind? Thanks! -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#2
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Speaking of tape...
On Mar 6, 9:36*pm, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
My fancy pants (a brand of wheel pant) have been done and re-done many times over the years, going from dzu quick-connectors to phillips screws, having fiberglass repairs, etc. The halves firmly screw together just fine, and they're strong as a bridge abutment, but the tight fit between the halves has been lost. *They now have a visible 1/3" to 1/2" gap at the seam that probably represents a fairly significant aerodynamic drag under air loads. *In fact, I've wondered if that gap doesn't open up a bit under the load of a 140 knot wind, and has maybe lead to some of the damage we've seen around the connectors. It seems like a piece of tape (like is used in some aileron gap seals) over the seam would take care of the problem. * True, it would make removing the wheel pants more of a pain, but we only remove them at annual, anyway. What's the rule on something like this? * Would this be considered an owner-applied cosmetic modification, or something that needs some sort of approval? And does anyone have an on-line source for tape of his kind? Thanks! -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" 1/2" gap... yeah it is most probably a source of drag. A stragically placed piece of similar colored tape over the "offending" area falls under the "owner applied cosmetic mod" in my eyes... YMMV. I guess my question is,, What does Fancy Pants have to say about this poor mating flaw? Ben |
#3
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Speaking of tape...
Jay Honeck wrote:
My fancy pants (a brand of wheel pant) have been done and re-done many times over the years, going from dzu quick-connectors to phillips screws, having fiberglass repairs, etc. The halves firmly screw together just fine, and they're strong as a bridge abutment, but the tight fit between the halves has been lost. They now have a visible 1/3" to 1/2" gap at the seam that probably represents a fairly significant aerodynamic drag under air loads. In fact, I've wondered if that gap doesn't open up a bit under the load of a 140 knot wind, and has maybe lead to some of the damage we've seen around the connectors. It seems like a piece of tape (like is used in some aileron gap seals) over the seam would take care of the problem. True, it would make removing the wheel pants more of a pain, but we only remove them at annual, anyway. What's the rule on something like this? Would this be considered an owner-applied cosmetic modification, or something that needs some sort of approval? And does anyone have an on-line source for tape of his kind? The glider guys like this stuff... http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/bowlus.htm |
#4
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Speaking of tape...
3M makes some thick but flexible clear tape that I used for gap seals on
my Decathlon elevator, and it made a huge difference. There's also the much cheaper and colored versions of magic tape. A 0.5 inch gap seems pretty big- Why don't they fit any more? Those damned things have been repaired so many times, it's not even funny. First the dzu connectors that originally joined the two halves wowed out the holes over the decade(s) they were on the plane. When those holes got too big, my A&P filled 'em in and re-drilled them for Phillips screws and nutplates -- but, of course, the new holes might be a smidge off from the original holes one way or the other.... Then, over the years since THAT repair was done, some nutplates have fallen off (and been replaced), the new holes have wowed out (and been re-fiberglassed), etc. Each subsequent repair introduces another variable, and the end result is that the two halves firmly mate together, but with the overlap between the two not quite so perfect. The gap varies somewhat (the two pieces that mate are quite large) from 1/3 to 1/2", but with a solid "lip" of fiberglass backing the gap. The unit is every bit as strong and sound as new, but that little gap just begs for a piece of tape to smooth the airflow... -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#5
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Speaking of tape...
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:Y1oAj.13142$TT4.11271@attbi_s22... The gap varies somewhat (the two pieces that mate are quite large) from 1/3 to 1/2", but with a solid "lip" of fiberglass backing the gap. The unit is every bit as strong and sound as new, but that little gap just begs for a piece of tape to smooth the airflow... -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" Isn't that what high-speed (duct) tape is for? :-o |
#6
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Speaking of tape...
Isn't that what high-speed (duct) tape is for?
A friend of mine experimented with duct tape on his flap gaps a few years ago. Unfortunately he chose the flight into OSH for his test flight. Imagine his horror when he couldn't deploy the flaps when trying to land on the green dot, short behind another aircraft... Duct tape isn't a great choice for that sort of thing... ;-) -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993 www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" |
#7
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Speaking of tape...
On Mar 8, 8:40*am, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
Isn't that what high-speed (duct) tape is for? A friend of mine experimented with duct tape on his flap gaps a few years ago. *Unfortunately he chose the flight into OSH for his test flight. Imagine his horror when he couldn't deploy the flaps when trying to land on the green dot, short behind another aircraft... Duct tape isn't a great choice for that sort of thing... ;-) -- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com "Your Aviation Destination" Tape on a joint that will expand during its movement is not a smart thing to do. In fact that pilot should hang his head in shame for not using common sense. Without seeing the application my guess is he taped up the top of the wing/flap joint, the better way would have been to tape the lower joint, that one usually gets smaller during its travel. YMMV.. Either way, OSH is not the place to pull off a test phase of stupidity.... Tailwinds. Ben. |
#8
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Speaking of tape...
On Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:40:02 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote: Isn't that what high-speed (duct) tape is for? A friend of mine experimented with duct tape on his flap gaps a few years ago. Unfortunately he chose the flight into OSH for his test flight. Imagine his horror when he couldn't deploy the flaps when trying to land on the green dot, short behind another aircraft... Duct tape isn't a great choice for that sort of thing... ;-) grey duct tape is good for 150knots provided that none of the edges protrude through the boundary layer. ...but I dont know about it's load bearing qualities over an air gap with dynamic pressure to one side though. for bridging a half inch gap the sort of polyurethane tape used for sealing plastic cloches in england is pretty good. I use some for sealing the gap between the tailplane and the fuselage on the Tailwind. sure it's a different colour to the white paint (a light green translucent colour) but it has stayed in place for 4 years. the glider guys use some sort of surgical tape that has embeded fiber reinforcing across the width of the tape. why are you so worried about "approval" for sealing a drag source? I'd be more worried to degrease the area of the glue bond than to seek approval to tape up a spat. after all this isnt structural and it is supposed to be gap free. Stealth Pilot |
#9
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Speaking of tape...
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:6zxAj.13756$TT4.3960@attbi_s22... Isn't that what high-speed (duct) tape is for? A friend of mine experimented with duct tape on his flap gaps a few years ago. Unfortunately he chose the flight into OSH for his test flight. Imagine his horror when he couldn't deploy the flaps when trying to land on the green dot, short behind another aircraft... Duct tape isn't a great choice for that sort of thing... No kidding. An example of a better way: http://www.wingsandwheels.com/asw20_seal_tapes.htm -- Geoff The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate. |
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