Rain Cover Recommendations?

[Anne]

There seem to be a lot of sun covers out there. What about rain covers? Any recommendations? OK, you Alaska folks can stop laughing, but my plane looks new, and I'd like to keep it that way for awhile. A rain cover would also keep my new Oregon Aero seats dry.

Anne.

[StewartB]

Anne,
What few wear spots there are on my plane are caused by covers. Anybody that's used a windshield cover has seen the haze they leave. That nice, soft rain water is less damaging to your plane than nylon covers are.
SB

[CaptFox]

I'd have to agree about the covers, I've used wing covers for snow many times and they end up leaving chafing and scratch marks which are more obtrusive than other things rain would bring. I do use sun canopy covers for some low wing planes to keep the sun out and some heavy rains here out in FL but they do some damage over time.

D.

[Rookie]

Another downside to covers is that they take time to put on and off.

I recently moved from an open T to a proper hangar, and am now able to hang up my Cunningham Covers (recommended). I used them because although my plane was out of the rain, it faced into the rising sun, and lots of birds poop on anything anywhere near the open T hangars. I'm glad I used them for the 15 months or so that I had my plane there, they did bleach out a bit from sun, and I'm glad they took the damage rather than my plane.

Anyhow, I sure don't miss taking them off and putting them back on. That was always at least an extra 15 minutes on either end of a flight.

If you can build an open shelter that doesn't catch sun, and doesn't attract avian deposits, that would be best. You don't want to use covers unless you have to use covers.

[Big AK]

Amen.

'You don't want to use covers unless you have to use covers'.

If it's leaking water, it should get sealed properly. If not sealed properly, flying in the rain will get it wet, something covers can't protect from.

DMC

[mvivion]

Anne,

Also, Ultra Violet is the absolute worst enemy of fabric and paint. Cloudy weather and rain are actually helping to preserve your plane, sorta.

I'd second the comments on covers. They are a pain, and unless you are willing to go to the airport in the middle of the night when the wind starts to blow to take them off, you'll incur some damage.

Mike V

[Torch]

There seem to be a lot of sun covers out there. What about rain covers? Any recommendations? OK, you Alaska folks can stop laughing, but my plane looks new, and I'd like to keep it that way for awhile. A rain cover would also keep my new Oregon Aero seats dry.

Anne.

Anne I am not laughing. I am jealous because you have nice seats. :D :lol: