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Folks,
Can anyone suggest a static wick solution for the 360. How can wicks be grounded (or should they?) on a non carbon airframe?
Thanks
Tom
Sent from my iPad
On Mar 20, 2012, at 11:23 AM, <bronnenmeier@GROBSYSTEMS.COM> wrote:
> Charley,
>
> I got about 120 hrs on my paint now. It is an automotive base coat +
> clear coat. Out of the 120 hrs there may be 10 - 15 hrs IFR with very
> little exposure to ice and approx. 2 hrs in the rain. I fly between
> 10.000 and 25.000 depending on the wind. Here is what I see so far.
>
> Before I added the static wicks high/altitude high speed IFR did some
> noticeable damage to the leading edges of my wings. It looks like little
> stone nicks. After adding the static wicks it got a lot better but I am
> not sure if it stopped completely (all static wicks are grounded well).
>
> Rain - when I get in the rain I slow down the plane to 170 kts or so. I
> am able to see some small damage at exposed edges of the plane e.g.
> around air intake of the cowl, around the wind shield etc. I think it
> does not hurt to fly an approach in the rain with 130kts or so.
>
> I also got some small cracks in the paint by now.
>
> I am here in Ohio and I also flew the plane in the winter. When I come
> down from high altitude and cold air down into warm air I can see
> sometimes condensation on the paint on spots where bolts are underneath
> or where your fuel bays are. I can just assume that it must be hard on
> the different materials with different heat expansion factors going
> through these rapid temperature changes in climb and descent.
>
> My conclusion (and others might have a different opinion): when you use
> your airplane as a serious travel instrument you will be exposed to
> weather at times and it will do some damage to your paint. If you do
> your planning completely around your plane and your paint I am not sure
> if it will look like new forever or if the vibrations and G-forces get
> to it at some point of time....
>
> Ralf
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Charles Brown [mailto:browncc1@verizon.net]
> Sent: Monday, March 19, 2012 6:18 AM
> To: lml@lancaironline.net
> Subject: Rain, primer, and paint
>
> OK, the guys who already know this can sit back and chuckle, the rest of
> you, here's a bulletin on flying IFR in primer. I gather that WLS
> primer is not as hard as paint and about a half hour in moderate rain at
> 210ktas was enough to visibly erode small areas of all the leading
> edges. I think all that really happened was that defects in the
> underlying layers, which had been filled by WLS, were revealed. At any
> rate, there were numerous small areas (largest: 1/4" X 1/4"; most areas
> smaller) where pinholes, underlying BID mesh, and occasional air bubbles
> in micro were revealed. Recommendation: fly with a harder coating than
> WLS or avoid rain. The WLS held up just fine in ordinary flying for 100
> hours.
>
> I've scheduled paint as soon as I can get into the shop, in the meantime
> I'm repairing the leading edges and spraying the repairs with K36 primer
> which the paint shop recommended (and I can get a quart for $80 rather
> than paying $300 for a gallon of WLS). Then, until painting, I'll cover
> the leading edges with leading edge tape.
>
> Question for you IFR guys with APA (Already-Painted Airplanes): What's
> your experience with rain and paint?
>
> Charley Brown
> Legacy #299 100 hours
>
> --
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