Lazair.com

Ray , Where did you get that tape?

I posted this on Yahoo group.


Be careful of the tapes guys !!


Hi everyone, I read this message in my mail i got about tape coming
loose. Can any verify where this tape came from ?
Was it applied properly ?
Was it gas / oil imperamble?
Did someone Not use Tedlar tape?
I greenhouse and or Furnace tape adequate ?

READ BOTTOM ------- Please I hope this Does not happen to anyone
else.
Verify you have correct tapes.


Shorty



----- Original Message -----
From: Ray
To: Lazairflyers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, May 09, 2005 10:49 AM
Subject: [Lazairflyers] Test Flight of Lazair #323 a Success


On Sunday Morning May 8, after about 10 test hops, my
Lazair and I took off into the dead calm air at El
Mirage in California.

First time she has ever flown after sitting in a
trailer in Arizona for 20 years with her previous
owner, just waiting to be completed and sent aloft.

The 10 test hops were essential to get a feel for the
stick, and the best way to get her back down gently,
and once I felt I had that well in hand, and noticed
that she trimed our perfect and needed no adjustments,
I was ready to fly.

I synced the engines on the ground till there was that
nice hum, and then let go of my flintstone heel brakes
at 85% power and at about 20 mph IAS and slight back
pressure she lifted off and we did a nice shallow
climbout at 35 mph.....it was perfect.....then the
first turn....she needs plenty of rudder in the turn
to stay coordinated, something I still need to get the
proper feel for as my turns were less than perfect.

I think a little tuft of yarn out front to indicate
slip would help, since Im a glider pilot, and thats
very familiar to me.

Once around the patch and I wanted to try and land so
at about 300' AGL and 2000' out I took the engines to
idle and noticed she has a very prdictable and good
descent rate.....I flew her down at 30 mph to my
aiming spot and leveled out at about 6' and as the
speed reduced started a flare at about 3'.....it was
perfect...with roll out about 300' with engines
idling.

I breathed a sigh of satisfaction and after a short
break went up again.

This one went as before except a slight problem
occured, suddenly the left wing sounded like it was
fluttering....I quickly looked and could not see nor
feel any control surface flutter...thank god....but I
decided it best to land immediately so I went to idle
at 680' AGL over the El Mirage dry lake bed and took
her down to a nice landing...I did notice the elevator
was not quite as effective for some reason but with
all that elevator available it was not a
problem....then I taxied a couple thousand feet to the
flying field fence at the edge of the lake and shut
her down.....Its really nice to have unlimited runways
below you on test flights.

Turns out that the leading edge where some fuel and
oil sprays from the carb on the left engine, got under
the tape and the tape let go on the inboard first top
wing bay.....did not rip but the tape lifed up a
couple inches and flutterd in the wind.

I had used the prescribed double sided tape, which
also let go, and the 2" wide stuff was the green house
repair tape.....both let go from the aluminum wing
skin.

Perhaps the Green house repair tape glue is fuel/oil
soluble.....I need to do some tests to find out, and
solve the problem.

Over all I had a very successfull test flying day in
still air.

My instruments showed top level speed around 45 mph
IAS and cruise at 75% power of around 38 mph.

I was climbing at 30-35 mph at 400 fpm, forgot to
check the idle sink rate....all this at 3000 ASL.

It was a great success and Im looking forward to more.

Ray
El Mirage, California








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Ray, By the Way

COngrats on the FLights

Where did you get your tape and please let us know how to fix it .

Tape coming loose is not a good thing

I hate to say it but, I had "heard" in some threads here, that this tape works well, and seeing as how I had a hard time finding the Tedlar tape, I did some tests and it seemed to hold well...BUT...I never checked to see if it was fuel/oil proof.

I bought it from a garden supply place online "bts supply" it is the "Poly Patch" material.

I need to do some more testing to see if perhaps fuel does in fact disolve the glue on this tape.

The other bays that had no fuel or oil near them were not affected as far as I can tell.

The glue grip on the Tedlar covering was great.....just the aluminum to tape section let go, so Im wondering if I needed to treat the aluminum with something to get proper bonding?

I just used laquer thinner to clean the area before applying the tape.

Anyone know where the Tedlar tape can be bought?

In the mean time I ordered a pair of K&N filters for the Rotax 185's, part number RU-2580 to help keep the raw fuel off the wing. My engines did not have the Velocity stacks on them so fuel can easily splash out at idle especially.....the filters will solve that problem.

I think we need a new category for this site.....an airworthyness alert type of category, so people can post info and things that do NOT work with a Lazair....what do you think?

Ray

Found Tedlar and Tapes at this site. Seems like it should be a good source since they are supporting the Falcon Ultralight. Art

http://www.aerofalcon.com/parts,%20supplies,%20mods.htm

Yes, IF you like white tape that is...