Hello all!

My instructor recently recommended the use of hinge tape on my PT40. He noted that I did a good job in leaving little to no gap between the control surface and stationary surfaces, but recommended the tape anyway saying it would help my bird fly significantly better.

I installed the tape tonight, and have yet to fly with it. However (please continue to read before getting all upset with me) I think it really looks bad. I mean, it looks like there is scotch tape all over my nice plane! Now, this is a trainer, and I truly don't care how it looks... but I'm a builder, and have already begun looking into other kits with particular emphasis on model to real life likeness. I hear there are even competitions held annually for just that! But, I can't imagine putting that tape all over an otherwise true to life model plane.

Is the tape something you use? Is this just one of those necessary evils that, while not pretty, is needed? What do those guys and gals who compete do? Are there any alternatives to the tape?

Again, the tape stays on the trainer... I'm not one of those guys that would rather look at my plane than fly it. But to spend countless hours on a build and then finish it off with some scotch tape...