Ok guys. I've had my trainer for 3 months or more, and i finally got the motor tuned (been busy) and got it out, went to hook up my glow starter and it slipped, and went through the top and bottom coating of my wings [:@] its a pretty old second hand, never been used thunder tiger trainer, so i guess the coating got brittle. So, do i patch it or recover the whole lot? I've been told to patch it ( by some none flying mates) because they think if i crash it i wont be as dissapointed. What do you think!

Patch It.Shipping Tape Works Fine.First Clean Area With Alcohol.

you could also use some low-temp film like monocoat or aero-space (balsa usa). most of the low-temp coverings will adhere to any other type of film and you can get it to match whatever color you need.

If you just want to fly it use shipping tape or duct tape. If you want it to look good also just make a patch out of the same color monokote and iron it on there.

I have patched large holes with self adhesive monocoat and you can even heat out the wrinkles just like the iron on stuff.

I agree with John_s3.
I had the TT trainer when I started out.
Don't mess with trying to iron covering on it, it won't stick worth a darn.
If you can, epoxy some triangle stock to the back side of the firewall.

thanks guys, i'll try a bit of duct tape. Perhaps my mates arn't so wrong afterall They fly agplanes, and i load them, i actually helped a pilot fix his wing after he hit a bird.....that was sitting in a 60' Pine tree[:@] we patched it with a cardboard box, and grey tape also known as 100 mile an hour tape. Worked a charm. I'll get patching, cheers guys

I have a trainer that has been through the ringer many times. I was a self taught pilot so you can imagine. I have never been really concerned with the appearance of it. It has patches ranging from shipping tape to whatever color monokote I had on hand. Much of the trim colors are peeling off. I think its about time to totally recover it. As long as the wood isnt showing and it flys im happy.

I still want to hear how the starter slipped from the glow plug all the way to the wing and through both surfaces. That's one heck of a slip. [:@] Maybe he dropped it?

Thats what i was thinking... =)

You rotters obviously having just filled the plane with fuel, hands were wet, glow got fumbled and fell through the wing. I'e done it loads of times, but fortunately my plane is plastic so most things bounce off (not pets, wives and children however...)

you got it checkmate. The glow plug igniter, not the actual starter (think i would be looking for some more balsa) although the through and through hole looks somewhat bigger. I was aiming to place the igniter on the glow plug, when i ran short of wire from its battery and it slipped when the tension came up and [:@] Im on the job today with some 100 mile an hour tape, then i'll sit back and wait for the wind to drop (wont be holding my breath)

I've never had a problem with this. All you have to do is make sure that the surface it will be sticking to has no fuel remnants and is clean and dust free.

I've patched many holes with small Ultra/Monocoat patches of the same color. If done properly you cannot tell that the plane was patched at all.

Who cares, it's a trainer!!!

Gibbs

You mean YOUR trainer is not PRISTINE?

I just use some 3m clear packing tape..

Heck my when I got my Avistarr (free from a coworker) it has 3 holes in the wing and 2 in the tail..

I didn't want to put alot into it if it turned out to be a big POS so I taped er up..

I have about 15 flights on it and the tape is holding strong.. You can even shrink it with a heat gun.

I tend to just make tape repairs through the season and recover in the winter if necesary.

Re: "Don't mess with trying to iron covering on it, it won't stick worth a darn. " < The new covering won't stick over the old instantly, it will need to heat up for a few seconds but then the 2 coverings will stick together. I use both Mono Coat and Ultra coat on the same plane sometimes if I need different colors. It works. [8D]