Putting stickers on an aeroplane/helicopter

[Sam Rutherford]

Hi,
I was wondering what rules there might be about placing stickers on aircraft. Where you see the sponsors' logos, or the organisation website etc.?

Is this done in a common sense way, or is there something about strength of adhesive, weight/size of material etc. Also, placing stickers on perspex screens (side windows) - are there rules, or is it similar to on a car 'to not impede driver's view'/on windscreen 'not within sweep of wiper blades'.

Thoughts appreciated.

Thanks, Sam.


PS I am not planning on putting any stickers on any 'windows' (but possibly on the clear panels from mid-point to floor of cabin).

[S-Works]

Have you been sniffing Avgas?

[Sam Rutherford]

Er, nope!

You must have seen the various aircraft 'first woman around the world', first trans-atlantic in single engine helicopter, first helicopter to south pole etc.

They all have 'Total' and 'Breitling' splattered over the fuselage/wings etc.

I wondered if just common sense dealt with it, or if it was actually regulated somehow...

Sam.

[SpeedbirdXK8]

Why not ask the CAA??????

You could try Airtime Aviation at Bournemouth.

[BackPacker]

I would be very careful about putting stickers on perspex. The solvents in the glue might (or might not) impact the perspex, but you don't want to find that out after the fact.

Also, on composite aircraft, if you use dark stickers this may cause local heating, which reduces the strength of the composite. There's a reason that composite aircraft are white...

Oh, and don't put stickers on aerodynamically critical bits of the aircraft, such as the wing leading edge, or anywhere where it can impact a mechanical movement of something, but I guess you guessed that already.

Personally, I would insist that my sponsor (because I guess that's the situation here) would use aviation grade vinyl to print their stuff on. Essentially the same as what is used for the aircraft lettering.