Fixing wing with duct tape

[Kelburn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3srEUzISC0

you have to concentrate to see the ducktape but towards the end you can see the pilots "patting" the duck tape on the wing

[deaneb]

I don't think they are using duct tape - most likely Alloy tape or a similar product. This stuff (also known as "high speed tape" or "100 mph tape" is used for a lot of temporary applications on aircraft. In this case looks like they are securing some minor damage on the flap which is most likely composite.
We used to use the stuff to cover the 1/2 inspection holes on top of the Strikemaster wings and they rarely if ever peeled off even at 400 knots !!!

Deane

[Timmo]

yep fairly common practice....our Airforce was practically held together with the stuff

It can lead to problems if misused (like most things)- I think that homebuilt amphibian aircraft that crashed on Lake Taupo a little while was due to the pilot/builder thinking he could patch up some fairly serious damage with duct tape....it cost him his life if i recall correctly

[HardCorePawn]

QUOTE(Timmo @ Aug 31 2007, 07:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

yep fairly common practice....our Airforce was practically held together with the stuff

It can lead to problems if misused (like most things)- I think that homebuilt amphibian aircraft that crashed on Lake Taupo a little while was due to the pilot/builder thinking he could patch up some fairly serious damage with duct tape....it cost him his life if i recall correctly

certainly did... he tried to use a plastic sign (like a real estate one) and some sellotape to cover the nose locker after he blew the lid off on an aborted takeoff...

nevermind that if it had separated in flight it would have gone over the canopy and straight into the rear mounted prop!!

report is here

[jastheace]

i remember watching an air crash program on discovery many moons ago, and i think i remember an airliner was brought down with this stuff, i can't remember the exact details, only that the ground crew covered static ports or some other critical part with the foil tape, washed the a/c forgot to take the tape off, the pilot missed it on his walk around, due to it being silver, and if i a remember rightly, the plane later crashed. it was found that the tape had caused the instruments to fail, which caused the crash, the rules were changed to say that the tape had to be a different color (like fluro yellow or that) if it was being used to cover things before being washed. we never covered ports etc when we washed the a/c in hamilton

[Zöltuger]

QUOTE(jastheace @ Aug 31 2007, 11:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i remember watching an air crash program on discovery many moons ago, and i think i remember an airliner was brought down with this stuff, i can't remember the exact details, only that the ground crew covered static ports or some other critical part with the foil tape, washed the a/c forgot to take the tape off, the pilot missed it on his walk around, due to it being silver, and if i a remember rightly, the plane later crashed. it was found that the tape had caused the instruments to fail, which caused the crash, the rules were changed to say that the tape had to be a different color (like fluro yellow or that) if it was being used to cover things before being washed. we never covered ports etc when we washed the a/c in hamilton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AeroPeru_Flight_603
shocking to think that a piece of tape brought down a jetliner...

[Kelburn]

sorry I read the comments on youtube after I posted this.
It is actually an aeronautical tape made to fix small cosmetic damage.

[JasFromOz]

I've used this on T-56 engines as a temporary, quick fix. When you do manage to peel it off, the paint usually comes with it. Expensive as hell, too.

[squirrel350]

That particular crash was caused by the Pitot Static's being covered by tape while they were cleaning the aircraft.

SQ350