Covering an aircraft with Stewart Systems is a safe, fun and relatively simple process! Our services and products are creative, cost-effective, and unique for each customer. EarthX Batteries; AEROVOLTZ; Odyssey Batteries; . With the cost of a complete recover job for a tube-and-fabric airplane in the $30,000 to $40,000 range, you must be certain of the condition of not only the fabric, but what lies underneath. Synthetic fabrics sometimes call for cellulose acetate butyrate dope according to the STC, but oftentimes a material that is less flammable and more suitable to the synthetic fabric process is used. Regards Jul 01, 2019, 08:17 AM #5; Twangmaster. Anyone have any idea how much it cost them to cover their 4-place from fabric to topcoat? When recovering an aircraft, the structure has to be carefully inspected and all defects repaired; then it can be primed and protected prior applying the fabric. Covering an aircraft with Stewart Systems is a safe, fun and relatively simple process! This is a relatively simple method, but the proper tools and guidance are required in order to make aircraft fabric covering . "What will it cost to cover my airplane?" Cub-size airplanes usually run about $3500 to $4000. Today, polyester fabric coverings are the standard and use of cotton and linen on United States certificated aircraft has ceased. Matching metal paint (non flex) and clear coats are readily available also. I probably came off as bashing Oratex which I didn't mean to do. Other areas could also have blisters or rough spots, such as the horizontal stabilizer, elevator or rudder; water is often trapped in these areas and eventually causes rust or corrosion. So far it's been worth the cost in the long run. Aircraft Spruce and Specialty has . Keep in mind that vintage tailwheel aircraft probably have had a few ground loops, with airframe and/or engine damage and major repairs. Qty: Add to Cart. . Costs for a Cub or Citabria size aircraft, including fabric, run $3000 to $3400 USD depending on color choice. Aviation-specific synthetic fabric can be much stronger than cotton fabric. While the the cost of our individual products may be higher in some cases, the overall cost of the system is significantly less because the quantity of materials is far less. 1 ounce per square yard or 3/4 ounce, etc. $10.25. That being said, with the estimates being what they are it is likely I'll be going with Stewarts. I will do my own calculations before buying any fabric, especially if I go with Oratex. While the inspection plates are off, take a look at the rib stitching to see if the lacing cord is intact. A significant factor regarding polyester cloth is that the tautness of the fabric is controlled by heating the fabric with a temperature-regulated device similar to a clothes iron. Show. Oratex is the lightest covering system on the market. 2013 BetterAircraftFabric.com Vintage aircraft typically had wood wings and steel tubing used in the fuselage. The strength classification of fabrics used in aircraft covering is based on. Carbon Cubs. This piece was covered using medium weight fabric and light weigh. Poly-Fiber Practice/Repair Kit $ 87.60. The cost to recover Cessna 120 and early 140 aircraft which have fabric read more When you get a quote for materials for a covering job in Superflite, Polyfiber, Ceconite, Air-Tech-Coatings, Randolph Butyrate dope, etc. For example, a dent in the metal leading edge of a wing would cause a sag or wrinkle in the fabric that would be visible from the outside. He is also a multi-engine rated ATP (757/727), A&P/IA, airplane owner, turbojet flight engineer and Part 121 air carrier captain. The most important difference between newer synthetic materials and the original cotton and linen cloth is the fact that cotton is more difficult to work with. Stewart Systems is setting the standard for aircraft fabric covering and painting technology for the 21st century. It is also used for reinforcing closed plywood structures, the de Havilland Mosquito being an example of this technique, and on the pioneering all-wood monocoque fuselages of certain World War I German aircraft like the LFG Roland C.II, in its wrapped Wickelrumpf plywood . it is cheaper than any other covering/finishing material used for fabric covered aircraft. 8 Item(s) Sort By. About. Oratex may work if you're fine with limited colors and mediocre quality finish although I personally wouldn't trust it on a Bearhawk with an O-540 in particular. Countthe number of threads per inch in warp or filling. The Polyfiber website says that a cub sized aircraft usually cost between $4000 a $4500 in materials to cover regardless of the type of covering system one uses. V . Sunday July 31. We fly Oratex in rugged Alaskan conditions, and we can say with complete confidence that our fabric won't chip or crack. If you are new to aircraft covering, it's tempting to look at just the cost of raw fabric and think that you can cover your airplane for a few hundred dollars. This is an old thread resurrected, so just to compare to 3 years ago: All times are GMT-5. Proper health precautions must be followed when applying doping agents, especially when applying urethane in a spray form as it is extremely toxic. They are also for sale in print and on DVD in our online store. Many moons ago (1976) one member of an Rc flying club of which I was a member continuously came up with innovative ideas. There could have been major damage to the airframe structure that was repaired improperly, or not at all. certied aircraft. Damage history is almost a givenbut what this means for the purchaser is that the repairs must have been done correctly and that the aircraft flies like it should. Wrinkles or sags in the fabric most likely point to structural damage. Stewart Systems provides step-by-step instruction to help guide airplane gurus through the technique of aircraft fabric covering. But now having heard about and seen Oratex, they are coming back to build their next airplane. Shape & Size: Hides average 60 SQFT. The first order of business is to check the aircraft records, including any FAA Form 337 documents, to get an idea of the history of the repairs done to the airframe and engine. Fabrics of different weights may be used on the . L-shaped tear in the fabric covering of an aircraft. I'm trying to compare the quote I got from Oratex to the cost of other covering systems. The actual cost will depend upon various customer choices. For an experimental aircraft you can go to the local fabric store and get the lightest Dacron fabric they have. On the upper end of fancy show planes, the sky's the limit. Calibrate your iron to 250F (the manuals tell how) and shrink the belly fabric to this temperature. In a comparative evaluation by an independent test lab, IZIT Leather (pronounced "is it") was rated as the best overall performing synthetic . How are the fabric type and strength requirements determined for fabric-covered aircraft. After the fabric is installed and secured to the frame, its permanently attached to the wing ribs with a special lacing cord using a designated knot. #2. A quality job should last 20 years or more, depending on environmental conditions and exposure to sunlight. Oratex represents a major breakthrough in aircraft fabric covering systems. Take a look at the lower rudder area and tail post for signs of damage such as loose fabric, wrinkles or sags, and possibly bent tubing from a hard landing on the tail. Handbook - Aircraft Fabric Covering Systems . You pay for supplies. Everything you need to cover and paint your Maule with the Poly-Fiber System. Michael Berry is a former aircraft repair shop owner. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. It is a multilayer system with a finely woven polyester fabric, UV protection, and several layers of the finished color. All Rights Reserved. DURA-TRIM. Cotton and the compatible nitrocellulose dope used to stiffen the fabric in the recovering process are flammable. If there is no logbook entry indicating a repair was made where a large patch is located, be suspicious. There must be something out there. Sunlight is the number-one enemy of fabric, and any daylight showing through the upper wing surface means a reduction in the useful life of the fabric. The cost of installation is lower than any other fabric on the market today. These repairs can become overwhelming unless the job is properly planned and executed by an experienced person. Replacement of aircraft fabric is a big job because it never is just a plain recover jobthere may be repairs required along with the preparation involved, such as completely disassembling the fuselage frame and sand blasting the fuselage, inspecting for damage and rust, and applying dope proof primer. The actual cost will depend upon various customer choices. In our database, we have a detailed quote for most aircraft and kits on the market and we can email that to you by request, or you can view some of ouraircraft quoteson our site. Application of dope or sealant materials will not appreciably shrink polyester, as is the case with cotton fabric. Send questions or comments to . Medium fabric probably costs 25% more than light fabric, while heavy fabric is 10% more costly than medium. The fabric was glued, sewn or laced to the wood or metal airframe, soaked with water to initially shrink the skin . Make notes of anything you have a question about. Nitrate-based dope is extremely flammable even after it dries, and is seldom used today. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. We also offer embossing, de-bossing and embroidery services. I am . The use of cotton or linen cloth is still approved; however, it is rarely used today because synthetic materials and improved processes are available. Early aircraft used organic materials such as cotton and cellulose nitrate dope; modern fabric-covered designs usually use synthetic materials such as Dacron and butyrate dope for adhesive. Method B involves spraying a chemical that costs $40 per liter. Product Tags. There is a special process that requires a lot of sanding, and elbow grease. Specialize in covering: Piper Cubs. The cost to recover Cessna 120 and early 140 aircraft which have fabric-covered wings and a metal fuselage would be significantly less$15,000 to $20,000if no major repairs are required. I'm sure there will be a few things I'm going to have to paint, like the tunnel, but the current plan is to vinyl wrap most things. That extra weight not only cuts into your useful load, it also takes fuel to lift it and haul it around. Durable and affordable, everyone needs some 100% polyester fabric in their life. The first step to any fabric covering job is to prepare the airframe. The fabric is easy to handle, easy to cut with normal scissors, pinking shears, and straight or pinked rotary cutters. Fabric is unstamped. Many builders who have previously covered airplanes with legacy systems are now using Oratex simply because it is so much faster, and so much more fun to apply. Please select all the ways you would like to hear from AVIATION GROUP LTD: You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. What types of synthetic fibers are used for covering aircraft? Like the wings, wingtips, boot cowl, cowl/nosebowl, fairings, inspection covers, control sticks/flap handle, and the like? 3 Gallons of Insignia White - Recommended Under-coating for Red or Yellow Poly-Tone. Figure 1 illustrates some of these items. The minimum tensile strength of new grade-A cotton fabric is _____ per square inch. Lynn's a private pilot with an FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics license with Inspection Authorization and also owns a small airport in West Virginia. Choose from 324 different sets of aircraft fabric covering flashcards on Quizlet. Select options Details. . Woodwork requires proper preparation with cleaning, sanding and application of special dope proof sealer. So when considering the real cost of covering your airplane, be sure to take all these things into consideration. Call us Toll Free: 1-800-362-3490. And, you'll also need to set up a spray booth. military aircraft. I need the pinked edge tape, thanks! A very dull indication of light is okay, but if you can see a shadow of a persons hand blocking the sunlight, then there probably isnt enough light-resistant silver or pigmented dope remaining on the fabric. Not approved for certified aircraft. Learn aircraft fabric covering with free interactive flashcards. 73" Width Specifications Frequently Purchased With Customers Also Viewed Related Items RAND NITRATE THINNER # 286 1G $57.75 RAND O-FILL G-6303 QUART $31.50 CECON TAPE BIAS CUT PKD 3" 25Y $61.85 RAND BUTYRATE THINNER 9703 QT $20.85 Use a flashlight to take a good look at the wooden spar around the bolt holes, checking for obvious defects such as cracks or splits in the wood. Fabric aircraft should be considered a whole different animal compared to an all metal aircraft. Since then, she's worked on airplanes ranging from J-3 Piper Cubs and Tiger Moths to the P-51 and Corsair. There's a reason why many hard-working bush airplanes and ag aircraft have fabric coverings, which are tough, durable and easy to repair. Delete cookies, By using our website, you agree to our use of cookies. Vintage tailwheel aircraft can be a joy to own and fly. It also gave the fabric a smooth, durable finish when dried. The Oratex fabric looks promising but I'm curious what else is out there that people have been using. Proper care and maintenance is essential to owning any type of aircraft. Add to Compare. Recommended Aircraft: All classics, antiques, and contemporary designs that anticipate normal on-airport operations. While on the subject of wing ribs, note that over the years, several aircraft accidents (and at least one fatality) have occurred as a result of missing rib nails that secure the rib to a wooden spar. Re-covering existing fabric aircraft is an accepted maintenance procedure. Being able to slap on a permanent patch without having to paint will outweigh seams that aren't perfectly straight. I really don't like painting so not having to pain was the main reason I wanted to go with Oratex. Fabric Covering-Common Problems. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. How competitive? Now i need to figure out how much more to buy. 9. a. Not going to paint the wings but will wrap the leading edges and wingtips just to aid in SAR if I go down. Price as configured: $2,984.26. Most mechs here, charge $50-$60 Hr. In fact, the long staple cotton from which grade-A cotton aircraft fabric is made is no longer produced in this country. In 1916, a mixture of cellulose dissolved in nitric acid, called nitrate dope, came into use as an aircraft fabric coating. Our fabric is proudly ying on C-130s, C-141s, U.A.V.'s and many . We're here to help. Do you think our fuselages might get covered for less than half that amount? Call 1 (253) 848-9349 Choose your aircraft model from our growing list: Did you find your plane? Home. coat lining or "veil" or something. All of our products are available in our online store, or from our distributor network. Determining Fabric Condition-Repair or Recover? Fabric Terms and Legal Aspects of Fabric Covering. With the fabric cemented in place, you're ready to do the initial shrink. And don't forget that you will need a large compressor, spray gun (and accessories), respirator and/or positive pressure ventilation helmet, Tyvek suit, masking tape and paper, etc. cotton and linen. Nitrate dope protected the fabric, adhered to it well, and tautened it over the airframe. Stewarts has a spreadsheet for the bearhawk that I put together for them when I did mine, can check with them. We have a series of products to help you with that process in the first group, followed by the products you will need for fabric covering and finishing. It is not at all unusual for an amateur painted airplane to weigh 30 or 40 pounds more than expected. The Original Fabric Covering System for Over 60 Years. It was 30 meters of 71" wide fabric. A friend has used it on a replica F4B, a 60mph cruise bird, and while it looks ok it's difficult to get nice straight lines and to work with compound curves since there's no bias. Chapter 01: Aircraft Structures (70 pages), Chapter 02: Aerodynamics, Aircraft Assembly, and Rigging (70 pages), Chapter 03: Aircraft Fabric Covering ( 24 pages), Chapter 04: Aircraft Metal Structural Repair ( 114pages), All without the exposure to hazardous chemicals! In addition, cotton is subject to attacks by fungus, mildew, chemicals (such as acid rain) and is susceptible to damage from rodents and sunlight. More and more second and third-time builders are now choosing Oratex because they recognize that Oratex is very cost competitive when everything is considered. Aircraft have been covered in cloth since the Wright Brothers took flight, and the material had to be as light as possible yet strong enough to withstand the demands of flight. Based on actual customer feedback, figure about 130 hours to completely cover a Super Cub in Oratex. Published cost and time estimates can be overly optimistic, especially if you dont have experience or close supervision. I'm not sold that it will hold up under higher speed and beating. To cover and paint that same airplane with the legacy systems will likely take 300-500 hours, or even longer. There are seven major problems encountered in covering aircraft. We can also repair your damaged fabric. the inventor designed the silica glass fabric to be a permanent covering for his eet of . The quote I got from Oratex was 30 meters. Learn more about Mailchimp's privacy practices here. I would not take my airplane to anyone else." ~ Larry Robinson What We Do Fabric's in General. Also, we have an active forum that can get many of your questions answered by experienced Stewart Systems users. Another problem with wings and ribs is that of dissimilar metal corrosion when steel clips are used to secure fabric to the individual aluminum wing ribssuch as those used in the fabric-covered Cessna 120 and 140 aircraft. While synthetic fabric is deteriorated by sunlight too, it has better resistance to the effects of ultraviolet light. The cost of making glass is very expensive but using common . Berry has over 15,000 pilot hours. For example, if an aircraft was certificated with Grade-A cotton fabric that has a new breaking strength of 80 . FABRIC & OTHER COVERING MATERIALS. Oratex is a product of Lanitz-Prena, located in Leipzig Germany, and BetterAircraftFabric is the sole distributor for North America. It's like everything else, you'll have to pick based on your mission and desired outcome. Oratex fabric is delivered to your door with all of the finishing work complete. FABRIC & OTHER COVERING MATERIALS; FABRIC & OTHER COVERING MATERIALS. Specializing in Piper Cub and Carbon Cub. (1) Machine-sewn seams in aircraft covering fabrics may be of the folded-fell or French-fell types. If the mech is set up properly, time for recover will be "around" 200 Hrs. Get up on a stepladder and check the center section and inboard wing fabric directly in the propeller slipstream. A Team Mini-MAX can be completely covered for between $3309 (using every trick to save as much as possible) to $5168, a Fly Baby from $5000 to $6390 and a Super Cub from $8000 to $9700. Fiberglass and heat-shrinkable polyester fibers. Fiberglass cloth has been used as well, and other synthetic materials have been experimented with and/or are in development. Hipec has thousands of high gloss colors with semi and low gloss options available. 72" Width Specifications Thread Count - 144 X 57/in Weight - 3.4 oz/sq yd Breaking Strength - Avg 113.5 lbs/in Bursting Strength - 279 psi FABRIC COVERING TOOL KIT $239.95 PIPER PULLEY U481-609 $15.75 SUPER CUB DECAL WHITE $13.95 POLY-FIBER FABRIC MEDIUM 72" WIDE $16.50 PRATT & WHITNEY 4-1/2" DECAL $6.95 PIPER PULLEY U43001-000 $20.55 PA-18 SUPER CUB FUSELAGE P-103 $454.95 Q: Are the tapes in this kit pinked edge or straight? So instead of $4.50/yd, what is available is $14/yd. But, it is incredibly tough. If you don't want to paint (as much) then it's about the only other solution. $10.25 . Covering Kits Made Easy We are adding products Daily. In order to provide you with the best online experience this website uses cookies. . 2022. I sent Stewarts an email asking for a estimate. If you are unfamiliar with using Stewart Systems products, we have created a entire library ( videos and documents) full of helpful information including our Fabric Covering Procedure Manual, a full series of videos, articles, and info sheets. Thickness: 1.10 - 1.30mm Availability: If selected colour and quantity is in stock, lead-time will be in region of 7/14 working days, subject to stock remaining unsold. Mixtures may include dope with silver metallic compounds for resistance to light, dope with fungicide for resistance to fungus, and pigmented dope for the final color applications. Rodents and birds can destroy an aircraft, especially if the structure is compromised by droppings or if drain holes are plugged with debris. Start with the condition of the fabric, and what the finish looks like. Contact. Some aircraft, like the Cessna 120 and early 140, use screws or fabric clips in place of the rib stitching. Brooks Cone Southeast Michigan Patrol #303, Kit build N942VT Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 257 #4 Continental IO-360, 88" C203 McCauley prop. The standard material used in the early days was cotton or linen. Recovering a Type Certificated aircraft is a job I recommend you leave to the experts. While the inspection plates are off, take a look up through the wing. To answer the age old question: The current cost of materials used to cover an Aeronca 7AC is $7400.00. At Superflite our original all-urethane aircraft covering process is functional and long-lasting to achieve that award-winning finish you want. Today, polyester fabric coverings are the standard and use of cotton and linen on United States certificated aircraft has ceased. Product Description. I would be interested to hear some numbers as well (materials only, not equipment). Services. Shop around. In addition, we have pearls, metallics, flourescents, and candies. Time-lapse video of how I covered a SuperSTOL fuselage with the Poly-fiber covering system. The major drawback to nitrate dope was its extreme flammability. It is suitable for all aircraft where a very tough, durable, low elongation, high-tension fabric is required. Blisters or rough areas under the fabric along lower longerons are an indication of rust in the steel tubing. Scratch Built 4-place Bearhawk. The Polyfiber website says that a cub sized aircraft usually cost between $4000 a $4500 in materials to cover regardless of the type of covering system one uses. Polyester cloth specific to aviation applications is almost exclusively used in the recovering (or initial covering) of an aircraft today. That bargain plane could require recovering that would make the final cost exceed the value of the aircraft. make sure it includes the cost of the topcoat. Fabric strength is a major factor in the airworthiness of an aircraft. Below are commonly stocked part numbers and specifications of aircraft fabrics, that we currently have available in our warehouse. As with most airplane purchases, it is always good to look for an aircraft that is in excellent condition and pay the asking price rather than look for the bargain. Unfortunately that's just not the case. Panel installed in the Champ. I also think that Mark Goldberg's LSA is a good example of how an airplane can still look quite nice even if the fabric isn't shiny. . Prior to contracting with a mechanic to do a pre-purchase inspection, there are areas which you can check yourself just to see if the fabric-covered aircraft is in a condition that you would consider purchasing it. I ordered all the sub-assemblies from Mark so those are all painted. Fuselage fabric started.. J-3 interior, first coats of yellow. Looks like the Otatex will run me $4500-6000. item number: 13-000-090-001. incl. Below are links to our main products with detailed information to help you get familiar with them. Weathering Eflects on Selected Aircrdt Fabric . {getWidget} $results={5} $label={recent} $type={list1}. Recently the 1.8oz uncertified fabric ACS is no longer available. I'll have to check when I'm home but $2500+ for materials. The FAA testing specification has always been in reference to the original material the aircraft was designed and certified with. Properly protected and coated, polyester lasts indefinitely and is stronger than cotton or linen. These figures are probably optimistic, especially if you don't have experience or close supervision. meyerflyer91@gmail.com (530)209-7496. 56 lbs per square inch The fabric on an aircraft with a wing loading of 9.5 pounds per square foot and a never-exceed speed of 180mph can deteriorate to _____ pounds per square inch before it is considered to be unairworthy. How much a recover job costs depends on the process used, how many repairs are required prior to covering, and if you are able to assist in the process. Tom-D, Sep 30, 2012. . Method A involves use of a 20-year life lining at an initial cost of $14,000 and an annual maintenance cost of$3 per kilometer (km). Two methods to control newly discovered poisonous weeds in bar-ditches on the sides of county roads in New Farmendale are under consideration. When evaluating a fabric-covered aircraft, you really need to take enough time to go over the paperwork and the aircraft completely. shipping to Germany / Deutschland. A fabric-covered aircraft should have sufficient drain holes or grommets installednot only to allow moisture to escape, but also allow air to circulate and expel any moisture created by condensation. I just got a quote from Paul Mills in Anchorage. This includes slip covers for the wings and fuselage, medium fabric for all the smaller stuff, all the reinforcing tapes, the 2,3 and 4 inch finishing tape, inter rib tape, anti chafe tape, metal drain grommets, plastic inspection rings (40), C-2210 fabric cleaner, Poly Tac, Poly Brush, Poly . With Oratex, there is no spraying, so none of this is necessary. Maintenance Services. I picked up 6m from a fellow pilot that purchased it a few months ago and never used it. While I do want my plane to look good I'm building a bush bird that will constantly be covered in mud, ran though the sagebrush, have rocks flug at it constantly and be stored outside. Working with cotton or linen requires special techniques and processes for a good-looking and airworthy cover job. A Team Mini-MAX can be completely covered for between $3309 (using every trick to save as much as possible) to $5168, a Fly Baby from $5000 to $6390 and a Super Cub from $8000 to $9700. How to Evaluate a Fabric-Covered Aircraft - Cessna Flyer. Uncertified Light - Specially designed for covering plywood surfaces on any aircraft and for any ultralight aircraft that is not certi-fied.
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