Blade tape question
Thread Starter
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 73
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From: East of the sun, west of the moon, straight on till morning
Blade tape question
We recently switched back to stainless leading edge tape on one of our ships and have found that the tape is starting to lift after less than 10 hours. Talked to the distributor and he tells me that they've been having problems with adhesion on this tape so he recommends the mylar tape. Would have been nice to tell us before we bought it. 
Problem is the owner wants the stainless tape. Anybody know if you can use the 3M 86A adhesion promoter on stainless tape as you can with the mylar? Any suggestions on how to increase the adhesion or a lead for a supplier of quality stainless tape?
Problem is the owner wants the stainless tape. Anybody know if you can use the 3M 86A adhesion promoter on stainless tape as you can with the mylar? Any suggestions on how to increase the adhesion or a lead for a supplier of quality stainless tape?
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: vancouver
I tried mylar tape and adhesion promoter on AW139 blades and within 14 hours and only 20 minutes of light rain it was badly blistered and had to be removed. One must remember near the blade tips the tape is subjected to 700+ MPH speeds.
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 416
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From: Australia
Ring 3M or go onto their website, or ask Rep for a brochure!!!!
There is a new tape out that is really good for helicopters. Is grey in colour, meant originally for use on F-16s, and has a 4-digit number. Comes in good sizes too
There is a new tape out that is really good for helicopters. Is grey in colour, meant originally for use on F-16s, and has a 4-digit number. Comes in good sizes too
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 392
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From: UK
Blade Tape - What's the Purpose?
What are the benefits of Blade Tape?
It seems to be more trouble than it's worth - reducing performance and economy, forever lifting or dislodging, and requiring regular checking and attention. At worst, it could be quite dangerous.
And hot weather seems to soften the adhesive backing causing it to move and blister.
Presumably it has a purpose, but does it justify these issues ?
It seems to be more trouble than it's worth - reducing performance and economy, forever lifting or dislodging, and requiring regular checking and attention. At worst, it could be quite dangerous.
And hot weather seems to soften the adhesive backing causing it to move and blister.
Presumably it has a purpose, but does it justify these issues ?
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,951
Likes: 90
From: After all, what’s more important than proving to someone on the internet that they’re wrong? - Manson
Blade tape is used to reduce erosion by various elements that the blade is subjected to.
Where it becomes an issue is when it is not approved to be fitted.
Where it becomes an issue is when it is not approved to be fitted.
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,383
Likes: 1
From: ...in view of the 'Southern Cross' ...
Mmmm ...
Blade Tape .... dangerous stuff .... stopped using it 20+ years ago ...
... and using it on a IFR 139 is sheer stupidity if you end up causing a forced or emergency landing due to a tape lifting and destroying your lift ....
Blade Tape .... dangerous stuff .... stopped using it 20+ years ago ...
... and using it on a IFR 139 is sheer stupidity if you end up causing a forced or emergency landing due to a tape lifting and destroying your lift ....
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 22
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From: Mostly at work these days
On the "wet coast" you either use blade tape, or you change rotor blades at half life due to erosion. The new "grey tape" is better than stainless for sand erosion, but worse in the rain. It does tend to bubble and open up voids when it gets damaged, while the stainless i have used never caused that problem. Ya, its a pain in the ass sometimes, but how much are new blades?
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 229
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From: Merriott, Somerset, UK
I use nothing else but polyurathane blade tape on my R/C planes to stop the wing tips getting scraped on landing, great stuff.
I have a mate thats disabled, we put blade tape on the door sills of his car to protect them from his wheel chair as he enters and exits, lasts for years!!
I have a mate thats disabled, we put blade tape on the door sills of his car to protect them from his wheel chair as he enters and exits, lasts for years!!
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 89
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From: On the way to the fridge
Blade tape 139
Our aircraft were delivered with tape on both main and tailrotor blades, within 50 hours the tip sections of the main rotor and tail rotor let go. With the main rotor not much of a vib problem but the tail rotor it look like the tail plane would fall off. After 300 hours only 1 or 2 aircraft have some sections of tape left.
Something to note the last 2 aircraft to arrive had a different type of glue from 3M used to bonded the tape, it didn't help. But was harder to remove when one of the other blades let go.
Agusta had told me that new tape and tape bonding procdures would be out soon that was over a year ago. New tape to buy and you must buy for all blades as a kit was something over 5G per aircraft.
Something to note the last 2 aircraft to arrive had a different type of glue from 3M used to bonded the tape, it didn't help. But was harder to remove when one of the other blades let go.
Agusta had told me that new tape and tape bonding procdures would be out soon that was over a year ago. New tape to buy and you must buy for all blades as a kit was something over 5G per aircraft.
