Welding

[Nev25]

Can anyone weld an aircraft frame or do you need to be a certified welder

 

Are welds inspected in anyway for rego

 

Whats the procedure

 

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[Bubbleboy]

Hi Nev...are you talking about making a repair or welding a whole fuselage? Im no expert on this so correct me anyone but if you build it yourself you dont need to be certified but depending on your skill level, it will dictate the test period etc. Obviously im talking experimental here. If its a repair to an existing certified aircraft I would imagine you would need to be CASA certified. Its a detailed process from what I have heard. Something like having to send in test welds for checking.

 

Im sure we would have an airframe welder on here somewhere who can clarify.

 

Scotty

 

 

[old man emu]

Yeah.

 

Experiments - go for it yourself, or bet a tradesman welder mate to do it.

 

Certified aircraft - CASA certified welder. (It costs about $3000 each year for a person to retains a CASA welding approval.)

 

OME

 

 

[Bubbleboy]

Yeah.Experiments - go for it yourself, or bet a tradesman welder mate to do it.

 

Certified aircraft - CASA certified welder. (It costs about $3000 each year for a person to retains a CASA welding approval.)

 

OME

.....or join us on our TIG welding course!

Scotty

 

 

[gareth lacey]

Hi Nev

 

let me say ,i am a very good welder ,but as my eyes are now getting weaker from over 45 years welding i would get a younger person yo do it, if you can get it welded (if you are not up spec) get a good welding shop to do it ,there is is not a lot of welding on most planes but it does need to be welded correctly eg the right consumables, temps ,material or as Scotty says ,go do the welding course it will be of great benifit

 

Cheers (From a retired boilermaker/welder) Gareth

 

 

[old man emu]

It's not so much knowing how to melt metal together to make a bond. The most important thing about welding an airframe is knowing how to fit a number of pieces of tubing together to make a cluster, and then getting every piece of tubing welded correctly to the ones adjacent to it.

 

OME

 

 

[turboplanner]

Spaceframe welding is complex because of the 3D curvatures and spaeframe welding on an aircraft is no place for a learner - it needs someone who can weld to a specification, and achieve consistent joint strength.

 

That's not really a problem because the cost factor of having a skilled welder do the relatively few joints is a minor factor in the total build cost.

 

Small brackets and other non-structural items are a different matter, it can be a lot of fun coming up with your own designs.