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Aircraft Finishing Systems - Upcoming 2005 seminars

Bugs66

Registered User
Spokane WA
I will be attending the Oct. 14-16 Aircraft Finishing fabric covering seminar at Stewarts Hangar in Cashmere, WA. This features the AFS waterBORNE covering process.

Just thought I'd plug the seminar dates for anyone who is interested:
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Aircraft Finishing Systems Fabric & Paint Seminar
Class size is limited
The available dates for the 3-day class are:
Oct 14-16, Oct 21-23, Nov 4-6.
This is a hands on class, you will cover a control surface from bare metal thru paint. You will learn all the skills you need to cover your airplane using our EPA compliant AFS product line. Class fee is $275 for three days. All required materials will be provided. For more information or to register call 509.679.3021
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I took the class last year, was one of the best things I have done in a long time. Can't say enough good stuff about the Stewart brothers and AFS

Jason
N43643
 
Did you shot the final color coats and how did they look? Was it hard to get an even gloss? I need to try their system.
 
Easiest darn system to use, light, inexpensive, nice gloss, simple to repair, and tough as nails.

Jason
N43643
 
I still do not see any STC numbers or listings in the STC list for the Piper series?? They claim they have approval, but show me a FAA STC and number!!
 
Coming soon to a fisdo near you!!

Seriously though they used to be piggybacked on the Ceconite STC until Stits bought Ceconite and dropped them off the approved finishing system list. l was just told they are soon going to have one (STC) of their own. They have never had a 337 on this system refused, and have used it on many certified aircraft.

Jason
N43643
 
Just talked to a knowledgable supplier of dope/fabric. He said that there are no more processes that allow an automotive enamel top coat. This is something that has been done more or less successfully for a full one third of the entire history of aviation!

My top coats will henceforth be butyrate, but I wanted the option, since I have had such spectacular results with Ditzler Delstar! CC has been using the PPG urethanes for a long time, with excellent results! Too bad we didn't get Bill O'Brien into this, on a 337 basis. He was going to make 337s on light aircraft all approved data, as a gift to us on his retirement!
 
I just got back from the weekend class, what an outstanding weekend! I couldn't have asked for any better than Dan and Doug Stewart who put on a fantastic class - from bare frame to finish coat. They were excellent teachers who didn't hesitate to give everyone one on one help throughout the whole weekend. They were chock full of information and knowledge and I didn't hesitate to tap into!

We had everyone from ultralight pilot to airline pilot. Experimental and certified projects. One fella came from as far away as Arkansas. Another from California. Every single person there who previously worked with Poly Fiber was blown away and said over and over that they wished they knew about the AFS system before. We all came away from there completely sold on the process.

I took a close look at Dan and Doug's Clipper which was covered in 1999 with 100% AFS process. Looks georgeous and no cracks to be found anywhere. Doug was banging on the skin like a bongo drum and it was flexible as ever.

100% water based glue and fill and a waterBorne poly top coat. No fumes with the CecoBond glue. No fumes with the Cecofill filler UV blocker. The Poly top coat fumes were minimal and all we needed was a charcoal respirator. CecoBond glue is amazing.

I encourage anyone else to check out this system. Better yet go to their class. Well worth every single cent. Two big thumbs up! :up :up

I'll be posting photos on my web site in the coming days.
 
well everytime i say anything on here i get jumped on but what the heck ill try it once more
it has been said a bunch of times on here:

["Just talked to a knowledgable supplier of dope/fabric. He said that there are no more processes that allow an automotive enamel top coat. This is something that has been done more or less successfully for a full one third of the entire history of aviation! "]

im thinking that why cant you paint whatever paint you want on the top coat? for instance as far as i know it just says you must use aerothane or polytone as a top coat with polyfiber ok well lets say you did just that ok most people know that when you want to build a show type airplane you would normally do your normal build up and paint job not neccesarily a full double cross coat whatever paint job but at least 1 full coat [have you not just complied with the STcC?] then you would let it dry and wet sand it and then go ahead and do the finish paint job this gives you a waaaaay better finish than not doing it, any way if you were thinking ppg was a better finish than aerothane then since youve already complied with the STC since you used poly fibers top coat now you are just repainting the airplane with ppg are you not? whats differant than if it was 10 years later and you just wanted a color change or somthing??not only that but randolf used to say in theyre instructions to finish the airplane up to and including colored dope ---then resand and apply randolf polyurathane or enamel although i must say why wouldnt you stay with aerothane or whoever elses sytem for a final top coat hope you understand my rambling on !!!
 
What are they saying about corrosion???

As I recall, years ago Piper tried the "blue river" process on the Super Cub because of the humidity problem they had and they later had severe corrosion problems, especially with the wing leading edge area.
 
HydroCub said:
What are they saying about corrosion???

As I recall, years ago Piper tried the "blue river" process on the Super Cub because of the humidity problem they had and they later had severe corrosion problems, especially with the wing leading edge area.

The problem they had with the old Blue River process was cracking paint. Blue River is a thing of the past. The new top coat is poly. No more cracking problems. Solvent based products are becoming dinosaurs. Just the way things are now. Health concerns aside, you seen the cost of shipping hazmat stuff lately? It's not going to get any better for solvent based stuff.
 
AFS is not the same as the Blue River system, which was also a water borne finishing system. It is probably the 4th generation of a highly refined polyurethane finishing system that uses water as the carrier instead of solvents. Nothing other than the glue "Cecobond" is the same. Different process/technique all together. No B.S. it's 100 million times better than the Blue River system. AFS used to be on the Ceconite STC as an approved system until Stits bought Ceconite and dropped AFS from the approved list. Ya think they knew it is soon to be the preferred way to cover fabric aircraft with all the health and EPA concerns surrounding solvent based chemicals/paints.

Jason
N43643
 
And guess who wishes they could buy AFS along with everything else they bought? You don't think they know the writing is on the wall?
 
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