Speed tape, much?
Speed tape is an invaluable "quick fix" and I used it, as do most engineers, many times over the years.
The only reason for those wrinkles, and they are excessive, is poor application technique. Once the patch is cut to size, and in place, you simply ensure even pressure is applied and lo and behold, a smooth surface results. It's not a complex technique. And if you do get a wrinkle, you simply remove the patch....and start again.
The only reason for those wrinkles, and they are excessive, is poor application technique. Once the patch is cut to size, and in place, you simply ensure even pressure is applied and lo and behold, a smooth surface results. It's not a complex technique. And if you do get a wrinkle, you simply remove the patch....and start again.
If the wing flexes up, there is less distance to travel but the speed tape is glued, so the speed tape surplus (in distance) has to go up.. and make a wrinkle.
It could be uneven parallel wrinkles, but even then it would probably be a lesser disturbance than perpendicular wrinkles !
Not a lot. The stuff is blasted by 200 to 300 knot rain or hail if flying up and down from the cruise. Let us just say that the engineers that stuck that tape down say a lot for the culture of the place they are from. A young cat techie saw such on a trip there in GW1. It is published in a Dave Gledhill book as well. Bernie's reply "You probably are!" Fits that picture so well.
Is it possible that wringles, in the other direction (parallel to the airflow), could appear in flight if the wing flexes too much ?
If the wing flexes up, there is less distance to travel but the speed tape is glued, so the speed tape surplus (in distance) has to go up.. and make a wrinkle.
It could be uneven parallel wrinkles, but even then it would probably be a lesser disturbance than perpendicular wrinkles !
If the wing flexes up, there is less distance to travel but the speed tape is glued, so the speed tape surplus (in distance) has to go up.. and make a wrinkle.
It could be uneven parallel wrinkles, but even then it would probably be a lesser disturbance than perpendicular wrinkles !
Roger Victor has it sorted,
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It doesn’t look good! Probably best to take it out of service now. Get it repainted soonest! I wouldn’t feel comfortable flying on it like that. 🤔😬👀
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Fully concur. As SLF I would find that sight very disconcerting.
Much better job on the car than the other examples.
Actually I was referring to the 787 wing. Last time I handled speed tape it was bright silver (which is why we called it "Instant Airframe"). The stuff on the 787 looks to be grey and plastic. Is there another type of speed tape with which I am unfamiliar?
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The stuff on the 787 looks to be grey and plastic.
For the work required to apply all that tape, I would wonder if it would not have been as easy to apply the correct paint, even temporarily with a roller!
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I'm rather surprised that no one has put up the well-known Bear Chews up Plane, Duct Tape Repair pic yet . . . . if it gets you home!
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Am surprised its getting everyone's knickers in a twist so much tbh. Has it been applied well? No. But it's just a protective uv screen it's doing nothing else. Granted it looks horrendous and maybe they could come up with a white alternative but The reinspection intervals are long. That shows how concerned Boeing are about it.
I'd imagine there aren't many 787s flying that dont have any speed tape either on the wings or on other paint blemishes or lightning strikes. The biggest problem is you can't just touch them up like an alloy structure, and generally can't be done on the line due to cure times and temperature requirements.
Thing is, if they were patches of ice/frost on the wing of exactly the same dimensions, people would be going nuts if it took off without deicing. There must be a limit to the amount of speed tape you can apply before the manufacturer says enough!? Maybe each patch had separate approval and they had no idea that the whole aircraft was going to look like The Mummy (or Moon Knight...)?