Duct-taped Winglet

KaiGywer · Sat Jun 12, 2004 6:07 am

I saw something funny today. When I pulled up to one of the 9E CRJs, I noticed that the left winglet had duct-tape wrapped around the top 1/3. Is the winglet really not that important? And wouldn't this make pax scared? I mean, doesn't say good things about an airline who duct-tapes their planes when they break..hehe Smile

dl757md · Sat Jun 12, 2004 6:18 am

Was it gray duct tape or was it silver tape. Aluminum "speed tape" which is shiny silver (but can dull to gray in a short amount of time" is a perfectly legal temporary repair that is either covered in the AMM (aircraft maint. manual) or by an engineering authorization. Both of which require FAA approval when written. I know using tape sounds cheap or shadetree but it really isn't. These are repair methods that have been around for a long time and are proven safe.

BTW "Duct tape" which can be similar in appearance is not used or approved for aircraft repairs.

Dl757md

canoecarrier · Sat Jun 12, 2004 6:45 am

I'm reminded of the DC-3 in "Major League" with duct tape on the props.

Joking aside, Dl757md said it right, in some circumstances, speed tape is a legal fix.

KaiGywer · Sat Jun 12, 2004 7:54 am

I know that regular duct tape is not legal. I have a three year schooling in as an A&P (never got my license since I never did an apprenticeship). It did not look like the Alu tape at all, looked more like the Walmart style, all peeling and stuff Big grin

milemaster · Sat Jun 12, 2004 7:56 am

It's what kept Tower Air flying for the better part of a decade.

It's my understanding that the average tower air 747-100 consisted mostly of speedtape and superglue. They simply molded it in the shape of a plane.

Somehow they managed to get airborne.

N754PR · Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:30 am

Here is a SQ 744 with a .... tape job.

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=268911

(p.s. No pic here so I used this one)

EMBQA · Sat Jun 12, 2004 8:37 am

I'd guess the winglet had some minor composite damage and the core was exposed. 'Speed Tape' is often used in cases like this to protect the inner core from water. I once used several rolls of 'speed tape' to get my damaged Saab 340 out of DCA after a fully loaded US Mail cart smashed into doing 15 MPH...!!

Speed Tape if applied correctly will stand up to most anything, but on the down side it is VERY EXPENSIVE...!! I've heard talk of around $80 a roll.

"Duct tape" which can be similar in appearance is not used or approved for aircraft repairs.
About the closest thing you'll find in aviation to 'Duct Tape' is what we call 'FAR Tape'. It is used in some cargo Pits to seal up panel seams... It looks very similar to household duct tape, but is white in color, and has printed across it.... " Meets FAR 25.853" Which is your burn test.

[Edited 2004-06-12 01:42:39]

[Edited 2004-06-12 01:43:35]

crjdispatchkid · Sat Jun 12, 2004 9:29 am

I think that bird with the winglet speed tape had a lightning strike.

KaiGywer · Sat Jun 12, 2004 2:22 pm

I saw it again later, and looked closer, and yes, it is alu tape, or speed tape.

Starlionblue · Sat Jun 12, 2004 5:09 pm

On as sadder note, (unauthorized) duct tape brought down the Aeroperu 757.

je89_w · Sat Jun 12, 2004 5:19 pm

What exactly happened regarding the Aeroperu B752?

daumueller · Sat Jun 12, 2004 6:14 pm

well, on a MH flight, the door-frame was fixed with simple glue:

so I wouldn't be scared of duct tape either Smile

mas a330 · Sat Jun 12, 2004 6:17 pm

Je89_w:

http://aviation-safety.net/database/1996/961002-0.htm

jamotcx · Sat Jun 12, 2004 6:20 pm

What exactly happened regarding the Aeroperu B752?

Some genius used regular tape to cover the static ports, and this tape was never removed from them before takeoff Sad

I'm sure someone else will give a much more detailed description. But the above is the main gist of it.

Jamo

Starlionblue · Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:04 pm

Awake again...

Jamotcx id correct. With the static ports sealed, altitude and airspeed readings were erratic. Flying at night, the pilots had no idea whether they were close to stall or overspeed, and at what altitude. They finally hit the water. The ports were sealed while washing the plane. The maintenance supervisor was absent that night and the pilot doing the walkaround missed it since the duct tape blended with the grey fuselage at night.

Since then, Boeing provides special static port covers in bright colors.

Sammyhostie · Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:19 pm

Starlion, where the hell have you been?!

IL76 · Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:32 pm

How about this pilon? Duct taped? Or just shiny metal? Smile

View Large View Medium
Click here for bigger photo!

Photo © Eduard Brantjes

cancidas · Sat Jun 12, 2004 11:41 pm

you guys should see the tape jobs on the US Express a/c i service. loads of tape half the time. i'll see about getting some pictures.

737Captain · Sun Jun 13, 2004 12:04 am

Ha, I'm assuming those US Express a/c are YV planes. I know in PHX the YV employees joke that the Dash 8's wings are taped onto the fuselage because of the massive amount of tape applied where the fuselage and wing conjoin. Most of the CRJ-200's have tape on their winglets as well, and if it is true that it is supposed to be a temporary fix, somebody should let YV know that, because their are planes out there that have had tape on them for months!

Starlionblue · Sun Jun 13, 2004 12:10 am

Sammyhostie, I have been moving across the pond and I have a new job that keeps me busy Big grin

Oops, that s a personal message...

As I learned in the army, you can do quite a bit with duct tape. And there is a difference between holding the plane together structurally with duct tape and just covering cracks to protect the innards from moisture.

dl757md · Sun Jun 13, 2004 3:27 am

IL76

That is speed tape. You don't usually see that much of it though. It is on the access door for the electric motor hydraulic pump and related components.
I don't have the MEL in front of me so don't quote me but there may have been a defective latch on that door and they taped it per the MEL. This would have been in the case that only one of the 4 latches was bad. I'm sure it wouldn't go if they all were.

Dl757md

IL76 · Sun Jun 13, 2004 3:44 am

Dl747md,
Thanks for the explanation! Smile

Cheers,
Eduard

dl757md · Sun Jun 13, 2004 4:10 am

737captain

and if it is true that it is supposed to be a temporary fix, somebody should let YV know that, because their are planes out there that have had tape on them for months!

The time limit for temporary repairs is established by engineering when the repair is authorized or by the SRM (structural repair manual) or AMM. In the case of speed tape repairs they are usually on composite parts that are not easily removed and repaired quickly. The time limit then is usually set to expire at the next letter check or overhaul. This can be a few years. They also set an inspection interval by which the temp repair is removed, the original damage is inspected to ensure that it has not gotten worse, and a new temp repair is accomplished.

Dl757md

dairbus · Sun Jun 13, 2004 5:26 am

DL757md is correct. Speed tape is used to close up access panels if the latches or hinges are damaged. I have seen it on the access panels for the external power, ground conditioned air, and the rear stair controls on MD80's. It is also used to cover the forward jacking points on ATR-72's which are recessed into the fuselage.

P.S. I have a roll at home that I found on the ramp after it fell off an aircraft maintenance vehicle. Haven't used it yet but I keep around just in case. Big grin

CRJmx · Sun Jun 13, 2004 1:17 pm

Using speedtape is pretty common. Many times its used to cover areas of composite delamination. Repairs using speedtape are temporary and have a specific amount of flight hours before a permanent repair must be made. These limits are set by the manufacturer by the AMM, SRM or special engineering order done by the manufacturer, or in some cases the airline's engineers. MEL's may indicate that something needs to be "secured" and many times that is done using speedtape. I have never heard of using "pit tape" on the exterior of an aircraft. In the picture of the door frame above, I'm sure that the silicone was not used to "repair" it, it was most likely used to fill the gap and seal the area.

My $0.02

av8rphx · Sun Jun 13, 2004 1:26 pm

haha, I was waiting for someone to comment on our lovely Mesa planes with their fashionable "speed tape". Heck, I think I saw N920FJ (our newest 900) with some tape on it already. Yes it is a temporary thing,but here at Mesa temporary "gets the job done" so things get stretched out as long as possible so JO can save every penny he can.