474218 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 6340 posts, RR: 9
Reply 1, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 12389 times:
Quoting PVGAMS (Thread starter): Photos of above incident have created some concern in China. Is duct taping planes a normal practice worldwide?
Perfectly acceptable repair on a non-structural aerodynamic fairing.
The CDL would more than likely allow dispatch with the fairing removed. However, if it was removed there would be a fuel burn penalty applied.
jetblast From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 1232 posts, RR: 9
Reply 2, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 12359 times:
Agreed, I see no problem with it. It's not duct tape, it's speed tape designed for the purpose. I can see how the normal flyer may be a bit disconcerted by it though.
ATLFlyer323 From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 634 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 12346 times:
Quoting PVGAMS (Thread starter): Is duct taping planes a normal practice worldwide?
ValuJet used to do it all the time! Bad example?
Even though the repair is perfectly safe (as noted by the post above me), I would not feel safe as a passenger. Just my
NASBWI From Bahamas, joined Feb 2005, 1380 posts, RR: 0
Reply 4, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 12327 times:
Quoting PVGAMS (Thread starter): Is duct taping planes a normal practice worldwide?
I wouldn't call it "normal" (as in, you won't find it applied every day to a majority of aircraft), but it's not uncommon. Also, to be more specific, it's speed tape that was used - which is basically a reinforced variant of duct tape; basically, it's not your average household variety and won't be found in a grocery store.
From Wikipedia (I know, not the best of sources): "Speed tape is an aluminized tape used to do minor repairs on airplanes. It looks similar to duct tape (silver grey) but its adhesive is capable of sticking on an airplane fuselage or wing at high speeds, hence the name."
I would suppose that it is only used as a quick fix for a minor problem until it can be properly repaired at a maintenance facility. As the picture suggests, the flap-track housing is what's taped, and would be considered a minor repair. To the average joe, it may look like a cause for concern, but neither the problem nor the remedy poses any real threat to the aircraft or its occupants. Cheers!
AirTran737 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 3755 posts, RR: 11
Reply 5, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 12306 times:
Quoting ATLFlyer323 (Reply 3): ValuJet used to do it all the time! Bad example?
Every airline uses speed tape, and to cite Valujet specifically is a bit immature. Furthermore, according to your profile you are 16-20 years old, which puts your birthday between 1990 and 1994, so you were between 3 and 7 years old when Valujet shutdown, I am sure at that age you were a well versed aviation expert, even more so than you are now
Quoting ATLFlyer323 (Reply 3): Even though the repair is perfectly safe (as noted by the post above me), I would not feel safe as a passenger. Just my
And then you further prove that the average person has no idea about aircraft safety, or maintenance. Are you that guy who sits in the gate and spouts off about airlines and their records? If so, then I truly hope you're not on my flight.
[Edited 2010-06-08 19:07:26]
Nice Trip Report!!! Great Pics, thanks for posting!!!! B747Forever
474218 From United States of America, joined Oct 2005, 6340 posts, RR: 9
Reply 6, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 12225 times:
Quoting PVGAMS (Thread starter): Is duct (edit: speed) taping planes a normal practice worldwide?
legend11 From United States of America, joined Jun 2004, 107 posts, RR: 2
Reply 7, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 2 days 1 hour ago) and read 12157 times:
We used to call it the 600 mph speed take back in the freight dawg days. Have seen it used in a multitude of situations, and always as a temp legal fix until the damage could be repaired at a maintenance base.
DrExotica From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 176 posts, RR: 0
Reply 8, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 2 days ago) and read 12010 times:
Funny - I knew a gal (Mary S, by way of the old internet listservers) that was involved with the maintenance of the SR-71s at NASA during the early 1990s (Crew Chief as I recall). She always joked that it was called "Mach 3 Tape". Pretty sticky stuff, even at speed...
jetdoctor From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2001, 258 posts, RR: 0
Reply 9, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 11625 times:
All,
I highly doubt that speed tape is holding the fairing in place. Speed tape is often applied over an interface sealant between panels to allow the aircraft to be dispached immediately. The sealant can then cure without being splattered about due to airflow. The tape is generally inspected on a daily basis for integrity and then removed once the sealant has cured.
We do this all the time.
Regards,
Jetdoctor
Break ground, and head into the wind. Don't break wind and head into the ground.
HAWK21M From India, joined Jan 2001, 31844 posts, RR: 55
Reply 10, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 11501 times:
Its called High Speed tape....An Aluminium tape....In this case is just covering the gap between the Fairing joint to provide a more aerodynamic surface as a temporary fix.
tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 12710 posts, RR: 80
Reply 11, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 11404 times:
Quoting PVGAMS (Thread starter): s duct (edit: speed) taping planes a normal practice worldwide?
Yes. It's called out in virtually every SRM (Structural Repair Manual) as a temporary repair for a wide variety of minor damaged to provide aerodynamic and weather protection until a more permanent repair can be accomplished. It's only used when the issue is just airflow or weather exposure but the structural capability of the part is OK.
Quoting NASBWI (Reply 4): Also, to be more specific, it's speed tape that was used - which is basically a reinforced variant of duct tape;
Other than colour, it really has no relationship to duct tape. Speed "tape" is really very thick aluminum foil (or very thin aluminum sheet) with a powerful adhesive. It's essentially a bonded sheet metal repair.
Quoting jetdoctor (Reply 9): I highly doubt that speed tape is holding the fairing in place.
As far as I'm aware, there's no legal way to use speed tape to carry load, so it's not holding anything in place, and certainly not the entire fairing.
C5202QMX From United States of America, joined May 2010, 6 posts, RR: 0
Reply 14, posted (5 years 7 months 1 week 21 hours ago) and read 10842 times:
Quoting jetdoctor (Reply 9): Speed tape is often applied over an interface sealant between panels to allow the aircraft to be dispached immediately. The sealant can then cure without being splattered about due to airflow. The tape is generally inspected on a daily basis for integrity and then removed once the sealant has cured.
We do this all the time.
What he said.
Its too keep sealant from running all over the place ater its applied. Its a VERY common practice. I probably do this at least once a week.
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