Wet Warriors

[david viewing]

Well yes, I know that Warriors are wet! But my question is about them leaking rainwater into the cabin.

We've just had new carpets and shock horror they are soaking wet in the the rear footwells, both sides. It doesn't seem to be getting in the floor airvents or the door seal because the new carpets run up the sidewalls and are dry in those areas.

So is there a specific Warrior leak problem we could look for? Or a diagnostic technique? My engineer doesn't seem too enthusiastic about tearing the interior out and says "Warriors always leak anyway" which is fair enough, but I doubt they left the factory in that condition.

We put in a de-humidifier and got a couple of pints in 36hrs, but can't arrange that on a permanent basis. A clue might be that on a couple of occasions we have had significant water pouring out of the stbd wing root fairing drain holes after moving the aircraft.

Any ideas welcome! Thanks.

[18greens]

Have you checked the door seal. They seem to like leaking at the top of the door.

[Sunfish]

Then pull up the carpet and start looking for corrosion

[Superpilot]

Once had the privelage of being in the jumpseat of a 747-200 with a certain airline from the indian subcontinent. Holding at LAM at FL120 in rain...we could not find enough tissues, paper towels and hankeys to hold in front of the windshield. :uhoh:

Seriously though, these things are not the easiest to spot. Definitely not condensation driping down the windows and on the floor?

[Kolibear]

Is the aircraft hangared or out in the open? If its out in the open, does it have a cover over it? What condition is the cover in?

Our group aircraft was parked in the open air, with a canvas cover over the canopy. After only one winter, the interior was damp as the canvas absorbed rain. We bought a new heavy duty canopy and cowling cover and have had no trouble ever since. We know that our canopy isn't water-tight, in drizzle we get water running up the windscreen and drips coming through the canopy bow, but even after heavy rain, when we remove the cover, the interior is still dry.

[146fixer]

The water gets in through the windows I have found.Make sure all your windows are sealed,and the door seal is in good nick.The water runs down the fuse inbetween the window and fuse,down behind the trim panels.On to your rear spar attachments.Leaving you in time with rotten rear spars.Not an easy job to fix,but piper do a repair for it.Had an aircraft in the hager a few months back.Brand new wet interior and rotten rear spars.

[david viewing]

Thanks for the ideas chaps.

Maintenance have it at present but are not terribly enthusiastic - "they all leak" apparently. I am reluctant to accept this, but it feels like flogging a dead horse. We'll see!

I'll keep you posted on any breakthroughs that might help others. Fingers crossed about the corrosion.

[Biggles_in_Oz]

... "they all leak".
is a common complaint with an ageing fleet.
Check the condition of the seal at the top of the door where the top latch is, it's probably solid or perished.

[Kolibear]

On one of my forays into avaition safety, I found this:-

(the link works in Internet Explorer but not in Netscape)

Blocked Drains (http://www.chirp.co.uk/new/Aviation/IndexAir.html)

Download GA21 and read the article 'Blocked drains'


David V - does your Warrior have a cover over it or is the water entering during flight?

[david viewing]

Kolibear

Thanks. It was reading that article that triggered me off to get something done about this in the first place!

Our engineer has made an interesting discovery. This Warrior was originally fitted with air con. (I wished it still was during the 'summer'). When it was removed the vents and some of the ducting were left in place. It may be that water is entering the rear fuselage and running forward just like that Cessna. This may be the water we have seen running from the drains after taxying, trapped behind stringers in the tailcone.

I'll report back.

David

[EGBKFLYER]

Don't know a lot about leaks in aircraft but when tracing leaks in cars, a good tip was to sprinkle talc around the areas you think the water is entering. The talc will show up the route of the water if you're lucky and thereby trace the ingress point - which can be well away from where it eventually gathers. Best of luck!

[homeguard]

Some years ago we had the same problem with an Archer, couldn't find the source for months. The lock on the crew door had always been slightly loose. The lock was eventually replaced. When the panel was removed from the door to change the lock clear signs were evident that water was entering around the lock running down the interior of the door and collecting on the floor behind the front seats. The door window is also often ignored when looking for leaks, once again the tell tale signs will be hidden within the door panel.

Worth checking!

[Engine overtemp]

"Superpilot" says Once had the privelage of being in the jumpseat of a 747-200 with a certain airline from the indian subcontinent. Holding at LAM at FL120 in rain...we could not find enough tissues, paper towels and hankeys to hold in front of the windshield.
The aircraft is pressurised therefore it is absolutely impossible for this water to be coming from outside. (Any "holes" that rain is trying to get into are filled with cabin air trying to escape.) It is simply that the airframe (inside the aircraft) in the cruise being cooled to approx -55C has had moisture from the air in the cabin freeze onto it and in descent this melts causing "rain" inside the 'plane. It is a common problem with a vast number of aircraft both old and new.
:ok: