AMT

111
Aircra* Fabric Covering
Chapter 3

Fabric Covering

Fabric Covering

Fabric Covering

Fabric Covering

Fabric Covering

Fabric Covering

Fabric Covering

Fabric Covering

Fabric Covering

 Pluses

Fabric Covering

Low equipment cost

! Very light
! Easy to repair
! Aircra* can be completely inspected during
recovering process
!

Minuses
Very labor intensive installaCon
! Requires periodic recovering
! Aircra* can be completely inspected during
recovering process
!

Fabric Covering

Maule Video

Fabric Covering

PainCng

Fabrics

Fabric weight is determined by speed of the

aircra* and the maximum wing loading
Natural
!

Linen
Made from ax
No longer available

CoIon
Grade-A
Tensile (under tension) strength of 80 lb/in in both warp
and we* (ll)
Used only on anCque restoraCons

Shrunk with disClled or de-mineralized water

 Man-made
!

Fabrics

Polyester
Ceconite, Superite, and Poly-Fiber
Sold in unstretched (greige) state
Heat shrunk to t

Fiberglass
Glass bers treated with butyrate dope
Fire resistant
Impervious to moisture, mildew, chemicals, and acids
Heavy

Usually requires an STC to apply

Fabrics

Covering System Approval

Usually requires an STC

Not needed if you use the manufactures methods

and materials
! The aircra* and covering system are STCed together
! FAA Field Approval is an opCon
!

Considered a major repair or alteraCon

Requires a 337
! Requires IA inspecCon at dierent intervals
!

Usually a pre-cover inspecCon, pre-paint and nal

Check with your IA

Is Recovering Necessary?

Fabric must be replaced when its strength is 70%

of strength of the original fabric
If the plane was originally cover in coIon, the man-
made ber must meet the coIon standard
! New Grade-A coIon fabric has a strength of 80
pounds per inch
!

70% of 80 lb/in is 56 lb/in (0.70 X 80)

!

An airplane whose VNE is less than 160 mph and

whose wing loading is less than 9 PSF may be
covered with intermediate fabric whose new
strength is 65 lb/in
70% of 65 lb/in is 45.5 lb/in (0.70 X 65)

Is Recovering Necessary?

Fabric TesCng

Required at 100 hour and annual inspecCons

!

High sunshine and water exposure areas

TesCng methods:
!

Maule test
Precision spring-loaded instrument with a blunt pin on its
end and a scale calibrated in pounds per inch

Seyboth test
Specially shaped, spring-loaded sharp point and an
indicator pin that is marked with green, yellow, and red-
colored bands
May require a patch over the test spot

Send a sample to a lab if in doubt

Fabric TesCng

Fabric RejuvenaCng

Dope (nitrate butyrate) has a tendency to dry

out and crack.
Allows damaging UV light in
! Allows water in
!

Apply dope rejuvenator to dope/paint to repair

cracks
Rejuvenator doesnt repair the underlying fabric

Pre-cover InspecCon and Repair

With the fabric removed, most of the aircra*

systems and structures are exposed
!

Save old fabric for reference

This is the best Cme to conduct a complete

inspecCon and repair
Insure the underlying structures coaCng/paint is
compaCble with the new covering system
chemicals
!

Usually requires a new coaCng because of age

Replace rib reinforcing tape

Have the IA inspect before covering

Truss-type Wing

A truss-type wing is squared up by measuring the diagonal distance across each of the bays with a trammel bar and
trammel points. If distances A and B are not idenCcal, adjust the drag and anCdrag wires.

Rib Reinforcing Tape

AnC-Chafe Tape

Padding the Leading Edge

Envelope Method

A pre-sewn envelope or sock

Slide the envelope over the structure
Straighten seams to align with structure
Single sCtch seams must be over a structural
member
! French-fell seams have four layers
!

Glue envelope shut

Seams

Some of the machine-sewed seams used to join aircra* coIon fabric.

Blanket Method

Fabric is glued to the structure

Large surfaces (wings and fuselage) are made
with mulCple pieces
Check AC43-13-1B secCon 2-7 for seam overlap
The strength comes from the fabric to fabric glue
seam

Fabric ApplicaCon

Protect structure from covering chemicals with

aluminum foil or cellulose tape
Cover rivets and rough edges with anC-chafe
cloth tape
!

Helps fabric slide over ribs

Apply fabric
Shrink fabric
Apply reinforcing tape
AIach fabric with sCtching, screws,rivets or clips
Apply rst coat of dope or fabric nish
!

Helps coaCngs to sCck to fabric

Reinforcing Tape

Reinforcing Tape

Fabric AIachment

Surface/Finishing Tape

Surface/Finishing Tape

Surface/Finishing Tape

Fabric ApplicaCon

Dope or glue on nishing tape

Covers all seams, ribs and structural members

! Helps protect the fabric from abrasion
!

Install inspecCon rings and drains

Apply nishing per system instrucCons
Fill coat
! Ultraviolet blocking coat
!

Usually contains powdered aluminum

!

Finish/color coat

Install control cable protecCon

InspecCon Ring

Drain Grommets

Aileron/Flap Cover

First Video
Second Video

Finishing Systems

Dope Nitrate and Butyrate

!

Nitrate goes on rst

Encapsulates fabric

Randolph Aircra* Products (owned by Ceconite)

Ceconite fabric and glue

Superite complete system
Has super smooth painted nish
! Uses MEK for gluing
!

Finishing Systems

Poly-Fiber complete system

Final nish looks more like Dope

! Glue is Poly-Tak and easy to use
!

Stewart System
Less volaCle vapors
! Thins with water
! Glue acCvates with heat
! Uses Ceconite fabric
!

Rib SCtching

StarCng sCtch for single-loop rib sCtching.

SCtch Spacing

43-13-1B 2.11

Rib-sCtch spacing chart.

Rib SCtching

Rib SCtching

Starter Knot
Seine Knot
Finishing Knot
Stearman Rib SCtching

Fabric Repairs

See AC43-13-1B Chapter 2 SecCon 4

Follow nishing system instrucCons to remove
nish
Opening not over 8 inches in length in any
direcCon, on an aircra* with a VNE speed less
than 150 mph, can be repaired with patch or
tape
Larger openings are repaired with sCtching and
tape or patch
Whole secCons can be replaced

Fabric Repairs

Repair to tears in aircra* fabric.