Posted on 10/02/2022 9:20:35 AM PDT by DFG
The 787 has composite wings which present a problem when paint peels. With aluminum it’s not a big deal to have an exposed patch but with composite they have to cover it because the suns UV rays can cause degradation of the composite over time, hence the speed tape covering all the small areas of peeling paint. It’s not a problem but it does look bad to customers I’ll admit. They’re likely waiting until the next heavy maintenance check to repaint that wing. Hopefully that’ll happen soon.
Anybody that has ever worked on a “Double Ugly” knows this well. We called it mach 1 tape.
Can it be on Kumula`s mouth?
Ah, big deal - it’s the Bondo on the ailerons that had me worried ...
I used to know a (air frame?) mechanic for Pan Am. He used to tell of using what he called “special tape” tonfix all kinds of boo-boos tonthe skin of planes. Hole in wing?...Special Tape! Hole in rudder?...Special Tape!
Crazy Turk would have us in stitches telling these stories.
Not a pilot and don’t fly much but at landing isn’t that part of the flap system (there’s a ‘Do Not Step’ warning to the right)that would drop back (if it wasn’t taped up!) and then more flaps behind would lower for more lift at low landing speed?
Do the pilots have a post-it note on the flaps “Don’t touch - Not available?”
Just curious. ;-)
LOL. I’m a Yeager fan too.
I misquoted the Crazy Turk in my previous reply.
S/B Hole in wing?...Special tape...plane flies! Hole in rudder?...Special tape...plane flies!
“Airline explains why plane wing covered in duct tape after photo goes viral”
because they ran out of the far superior gaffer’s tape?
It’s all ball bearings these days.”
Exposed composite material makes sense.
The resins used to make the 787 are vulnerable to UV.
It’s pretty pathetic that their only option is ‘speed tape’, but the alternative is a structurally unsound aircraft.
After decades of paint adhesion problems on vehicles from ALL of the major manufacturers of cars/trucks, you’d think that they’d know how to apply paint to an aircraft; some company’s stock is going to ultimately take a hit for the losses associated with repainting all those 787s...and I can’t help but wonder what’s required - time & materials - to strip paint off of non-aluminum fuselage/wings since paint stripper is verboten.
What would you rather see, a gremlin?
Yes. They probably have to check it every cycle.
I was on a flight from Dallas to Austin on Southwest Airlines I’ve been flying all my life Dad worked for American and I’m a person that looks over the plane when I’m getting situated. I’ve got a window seat I look out to the wing and everything looks fine to me. When we get airborne I order a drink and I look out about 10 minutes into it the flight look out to see 14 screws backing out of an access panel I snagged a flight attendant and ask her for a double. I kept my mouth shut till We were on the ground and then I was the last off the plane. The Stewardess came back to me and said are you OK I pointed out the window and told Her that I watched the screws back out for last 30 minutes of our flight.
I also had one with the rivets popping out and one corner of sheet metal flapping in the wind, on the wingtop. It was fine. A bit stressful, better than the movie, tho.
10 mph tape. Very funny. Never thought of that. Flew in VN and Texas and NTC at Ft. Irwin, Calif. Thanks for the late night smile.
I think your times are off. Perhaps you had to circle around several times before final approach at Austin...
In the early 1960s, I had numerous flights from Dallas Love field to Houston Hobby. Old DC-3s built in 1930s made the flight in 55 minutes.
Dallas to Ft. Worth- 5-7 minutes. Dallas to Austin was about 30 minutes, barely time to finish a drink.
Fat fingers 30 should be 20.
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