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Showing results for tags 'preventative maintenance'.
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I have been actively seeking out corrosion on my bird for the last 5 years or so. I have found a little surface corrosion here and there, but nothing alarming. This year I pulled the wing root farings. While both side were corrosion free save for a bit of surface pitting on a few panels, the potential here could be great. The wings are taped to the fuselage with fabric backed aluminum tape. After many years of service the adhesive separates from the tape. Water can and will enter at the wing root and the fabric tape backing will hold a bit of moisture. I would urge anyone flying an older aircraft to have a look at this part of their aircraft. I cleaned, zinc'd and retreated the airframe with corrosion x. it took a full day, I have now cleaned and treated every nook and cranny of this airframe. I am confident that it will last as long as I want to fly it. After tape removal. None of the existing tape was adhered to the airframe. All farings held in place with #4 and #6 sheetmetal screws plus 2 #10 machine screws amd nuts where the trailing edge of the flap meets the faring/fuselage. I believe they were all #4s from the factory, but over the years we've had to go up a size in some areas. Tape came out in a single strip. Fabric had delaminated from the aluminum. It was powdery and no longer serving any purpose other than to hold water... Cleaned with adhesive remover, then all nooks, crannies and crevices sprayed with Corrosion X. Most of the yellow seen in this pic is Zinc Chromate that was applied from the inside 5 years ago when I had the interior out. I was aggressive with it before we sound proofed and it made it's way out of the wing root. All body panels cleaned and had their backsides treated with zinc phosphate paint. Cleaned thoroughly with denatured alcohol, zinc phosphate touch up and re-taped with fresh aluminum tape. The second photo also showcases that the aircraft came with a true slotted flap.
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