Composite Maintenance

[PaulN]

We composite aircraft owners love to keep them sparkling and slippery and in doing so a whole array of polishes have been put to use.

 

Today I collected my CT from Aviation Composite Engineering at Tocumwal and Peter made a specific point of chatting about choice of polishes for composites. In particular he strongly cautioned against the use of silicone based products, like Mr Sheen. These apparently make for very difficult repair work, when and if the need arises,causing resins to resist bonding, even after rubbing back the surfaces. I mentioned Composiclean and its water based (?) neutral pH quality, he said he'd take a look at it but thought it sounded OK.

 

So, given this caution, beware what you put on your shiny bits.

 

Paul

 

 

[BigPete]

So Paul -

 

where's the pics of the repaired CT???

 

regards

 

 

[Ross]

The Jabiru construction book specifically mentions to keep silicone away from the fibreglass. :;)1:

 

Regards

 

 

[PaulN]

So Paul -

where's the pics of the repaired CT???

 

regards

Having too much fun flying to stop and take pics. Stand-by, pics coming ... just as soon as I run out of fuel .

 

Paul

 

 

[Ed Herring]

Hey Paul

 

Have you run out of Fuel yet?

 

Regards

 

Ed

 

 

[PaulN]

Nope, found some more in the gerry can ;). Man, I love this flying stuff. Take a look at the Great Trips thread for the latest.

 

Paul

 

 

[PaulN]

Hi Chris,

 

I'm no technobuff but from my experience and from what I've learned, composite material requires the least maintenance. The downside, again from experience, is that composite (esp carbon fibre) can be tedious and expensive to repair and requires an experienced professional.

 

Cheers,

 

Paul

 

 

[PaulN]

Something I've never asked Chris, and something I've never heard discussed. However, I do know it is advisable to maintain the composite surfaces with a quality pH neutral cleaner (never use a silicone based product) and that Composiclean, a product specific to washing/polishing/protecting composite materials, does incorporate UV protection, or so they say.

 

Maybe some else out there with more knowledge can add to this :;)5:.

 

Paul

 

 

[Admin]

The Composiclean Bucket Wash contains UV Protection http://composiclean.com///BuckWshInfoJPG.jpg

 

 

[Guest aeroclub13]

Hi Paul, we own a CTSW and did the maintenance course in Germany. Nothing on it but a few(!) drops of dishwashing liquid. The skin already contains UV resistant components. For the windscreen, we have been told to steer clear of Mr SHee, Windex and alll ammonia based cleaners. They may be good for polycarbon used on motorbikes and boats, but certainly not for Perspex. Ammonia would eventually change the surface. Without being a chemist we found truth in this. We have a C172RG for aerial photography, and naturally the right hand side gets cleaned better and more often for the photographers. Over the last 4 year the right hand side has turned very milky. No scratches, just milky, opaque. In our view one only needs dishwashing liquid for greasy stuff, eg from the propeller, perhaps. Plain water and immediate drying off is cool!

 

Ingrid

 

 

[PaulN]

Good to hear from you Ingrid.

 

It's a pity we didn't know of each other in Sept 05 when we landed our CT at Alice and stayed over for a couple of nights before heading over the top end of the Simpson for Boulia. Had a wow of a time at the Henley on Todd rubbing shoulders with all the Harley owners that day. My wife and I had to smile at the controllers comments as we approached 12. After passing SPG he advised "Cleared for STA on 12. Report when 5 miles out". Just as we were about to call our 5 mile position he jumped in again "Charlie Tango 3841, are you still on approach? Have you passed the 5 mile mark yet? I can't see you ... Oh, there you are I have you now". We figured he was not used to looking for a little CT amongst your normal type of traffic there.

 

Re the Composiclean. I found out about this polishing product from the http://www.ctflyer.com/ site in the USA where quite a bit of useful info about CTs is passed around. I have been using it for just a couple of polishes now, since getting 3841 airworthy again, and find it very good for making the surface very slippery and shiny and with considerable ease of use. I clean her regularly by wiping down with a damp towel (no water or soap) to remove bugs and dust and polish just now and then for that extra special clean. I think it's pretty good.

 

Re cleaning the windows, when I first bought the CT a friend (who should know) recommended I avoid even wiping them with a damp chamois, but only to use a dripping wet chamois and then with smooth, gentle downward only strokes to remove dirt. Then polish with a soft cloth using an aerosol product called Plexus. See http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/ for more info. We found it no problem buying locally in the ACT from a plastic products retailer.

 

Hope to catch up sometime.

 

Cheers,

 

Paul

 

PS Can you tell me more about the FD maintenance course, like other useful owner tips and must do's?

 

.

 

 

[Guest aeroclub13]

The course takes place in Germany at regular intervals, it is in German though. Did repairs on fibreglass, assembled CTs, put the Dynon in, did carburettor balancing etc. My husband does not speak German but being a mechanic, he could follow easily. Talk to your agent (importer). And yes, we clean the windscreens in the same way. Got to rinse the cloth after each wipe.. Come on up again, we are the Aeroclub.

 

 

[Ultralights]

funnily enough, after working with composites in the airline game, and now on millitary aircraft, UV protection has not been an issue, all surfaces are treated with a polyurathane paint, just as the rest of the aircraft, the only difference is a conductive black primer is used, and to clean the surface, both painted and unpainted bare surfaces, we have used acetone, or Isopropyl alcahol..

 

 

[Dieselten]

The Plexus polish is good stuff. Main thing is to read the labelling on any polish you intend to use very carefully. Any mention of Silicone...be wary.

 

There is also an automotive fibreglass polish called Septone, made in a couple of different grades. Might be worth a look, but I am not sure if it contains silicone or not.

 

 

[Guest clamar floats]

Good advice I reckon

 

Regards

 

Clamar Floats

 

Today I collected my CT from Aviation Composite Engineering at Tocumwal and Peter made a specific point of chatting about choice of polishes for composites. In particular he strongly cautioned against the use of silicone based products, like Mr Sheen. These apparently make for very difficult repair work, when and if the need arises,causing resins to resist bonding, even after rubbing back the surfaces. I mentioned Composiclean and its water based (?) neutral pH quality, he said he'd take a look at it but thought it sounded OK.

 

So, given this caution, beware what you put on your shiny bits.

 

Paul

 

 

[jakej]

Any silicone added to polishes etc will give avionics 'static' issues too & particularly on composite aircraft.

 

Jake J

 

 

[Guest clamar floats]

Hi Jake,

 

Thanks for your advice, as you know both plane & floats are fully composite and I was never aware of it so many thanks.

 

Regards

 

Clamar

 

Any silicone added to polishes etc will give avionics 'static' issues too & particularly on composite aircraft. Jake J

[Guest clamar floats]

Looks like a B727 dash?

 

Don't suppose you know any good a/c painters in Victoria?

 

Regards

 

Clamar

 

The Plexus polish is good stuff. Main thing is to read the labelling on any polish you intend to use very carefully. Any mention of Silicone...be wary.There is also an automotive fibreglass polish called Septone, made in a couple of different grades. Might be worth a look, but I am not sure if it contains silicone or not.

[Guernsey]

I have been using Plexus for several years and can highly recommend it.

 

Alan.

 

 

[Guest clamar floats]

G'day Alan,

 

Have you address/contacts?

 

regards

 

Clamar

 

I have been using Plexus for several years and can highly recommend it.Alan.

[Guest turnbase]

Just as an addition to Plexus you can use another similar polish called Vuplex, Aussie made and every bit as good. Even has a nice citrus scent rather than the horrid Plexus. Oh and as an additional advantage it's nearly half the price!!!!! I pay around $19 for 375g can. Maybe Ian can add it to his long list of products in the shop.

 

 

[Admin]

I have already been approached to stock it and will follow up however we currently have Composiclean which will do the entire aircraft and is completely pH neutral...it is the only polish recomended for Flight Design CT aircraft which are composit