Tiny Hole in wing
#1
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From: South Hamilton, MA
I have a tiny hole in the wing, it is about 2mm long. basically like a small rip in the shape of a U. This wouldn't cause anything bad to happen during flight would it? Should I repair it right away with something. It's on the monokote. What would the easiest way to repair it be. It is on the bottom of a low wing plane.
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From: BouldercombeQueensland, AUSTRALIA
Another handy one is stickers, the sort you get with just about every major product, and even off the shelf sticker sets, the range is endless.
I guess it depends on whether you are after an invisible repair or it doesn't matter.
I guess it depends on whether you are after an invisible repair or it doesn't matter.
#5
It's important to fix the hole using any of the methods mentioned. A small hole could lead to a larger tear in flight. I've had most of the monokote on top of one wing ripped off in flight. I did land the plane safely but it was pretty hairy.
Dave
Dave
#6
A small hole is not a problem. A small hole that tears (or suddenly goes "BANG!" and opens into a split the size of the panel) is a bad thing.
Clear packing tape is better than nothing if you don't have a color-match bit of Monokote or trim. I keep a small roll of "hatch tape" in my flight box for emergency field repairs.
Good place for a decal, too. Club emblem, Stars and Bars, etc.
Clear packing tape is better than nothing if you don't have a color-match bit of Monokote or trim. I keep a small roll of "hatch tape" in my flight box for emergency field repairs.
Good place for a decal, too. Club emblem, Stars and Bars, etc.
#7
My airfield closes after the first of October, so I go to a local park to fly during the off season.
It was a cold day, and I removed my Ultra Stick .40 from the back of my car and went to place it on the hood.
<BANG> I popped a hole in the botttom of the wing covering with my car's antenna. [:@]
Being cold and brittle, the hole ended up being about 3 inches by 4 inches.
I used packing tape that I just happened to have in the trunk to cover the hole so I could fly that morning.
It stayed on there for 2 seasons until I experienced Dumb Thumbs coming in for a landing on the first flight of the season.
I ended up fertalizing the corn field with balsa, but it was no fault of the tape. [:-]
Bob
It was a cold day, and I removed my Ultra Stick .40 from the back of my car and went to place it on the hood.
<BANG> I popped a hole in the botttom of the wing covering with my car's antenna. [:@]
Being cold and brittle, the hole ended up being about 3 inches by 4 inches.
I used packing tape that I just happened to have in the trunk to cover the hole so I could fly that morning.
It stayed on there for 2 seasons until I experienced Dumb Thumbs coming in for a landing on the first flight of the season.
I ended up fertalizing the corn field with balsa, but it was no fault of the tape. [:-]
Bob
#8
Senior Member
Since you asked about the aerodynamic consequences of the hole.......................
There should be none. But if it enlarges, there is a possibility that there could be. And the AERODYNAMICS of losing the covering on one side of a wing can be huge.
A number of aircraft in WWI experienced real problems when their aerodynamics changed as a result of the wing covering blowing off.
Aerodynamics is sometimes a funny subject, sometimes not.
There should be none. But if it enlarges, there is a possibility that there could be. And the AERODYNAMICS of losing the covering on one side of a wing can be huge.
A number of aircraft in WWI experienced real problems when their aerodynamics changed as a result of the wing covering blowing off.
Aerodynamics is sometimes a funny subject, sometimes not.




