I think the push for all composite repairs to be done in climate-controlled hangars is overkill

Last week in Mobile, I fixed a small delamination on a Cessna wing in a regular shop bay, just wiped the area with solvent first. Has anyone else had a repair fail because it wasn't done in a 'clean room' environment?

2 comments

2 Comments

rayc8916d ago

Yeah, that solvent wipe is key. @amyr57 has a point about field repairs working, but for anything bigger than a credit card patch, I'd at least hang a plastic sheet to keep the dust off while the resin sets. Moisture in the air is the real killer for a bond.

amyr5716d ago

Fixed a small delamination in a regular shop bay" sounds like my kind of operation. My best repair was done in a dusty field with a credit card to spread the resin. The push for clean rooms just feels like they're trying to make my usual mess look bad. I'm sure my fixes fail for lots of reasons, but I've never blamed the lack of air conditioning.