What is the most negative about the composite-arf`s?
10-12-2004, 04:42 PM
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What is the most negative about the composite-arf`s?
I am looking for a Composite-ARF, but wonder if anyone out here has major negative thing to say about the planes?
10-12-2004, 08:59 PM
#2
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RE: What is the most negative about the composite-arf`s?
They certainly are beautiful. Slick and clean with skin hinges.
But if you crash one, you'll really wish you had a wood frame under there -- or even some foam to help start a rebuild.
The ones I've seen are space age skins with a very very thin layer of foam between the outer and inner layers of glass/carbon. Once that foam gets creased, you need to patch it in a very creative way without adding too much weight. I thought of adding splints of 1/4" balsa to bridge the creased area, and then glass over this as lightly as possible, but I fear the outside skin still needs some treatment that will be difficult to feather into a smooth finish once again.
I'd love to hear if anyone has any tricks for composite arf resurrection. A friend has a crashed extra that folded the fuse in half behind the wing. Real sad story.
But if you crash one, you'll really wish you had a wood frame under there -- or even some foam to help start a rebuild.
The ones I've seen are space age skins with a very very thin layer of foam between the outer and inner layers of glass/carbon. Once that foam gets creased, you need to patch it in a very creative way without adding too much weight. I thought of adding splints of 1/4" balsa to bridge the creased area, and then glass over this as lightly as possible, but I fear the outside skin still needs some treatment that will be difficult to feather into a smooth finish once again.
I'd love to hear if anyone has any tricks for composite arf resurrection. A friend has a crashed extra that folded the fuse in half behind the wing. Real sad story.
