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26" ABW Airstreaks, repairing with bedliner material - Herculiner Brush / Roll on

So was this helpful and will you use it in the future?


  • Total voters
    52
Ed,
If you follow the procedure which I described above in post #50, Dave's process would become an "approved" repair for the specified tires. It would be legal on a certified airplane when accomplished in accordance with the procedure. If Dave wants to be able to allow others to use the procedure, he needs to be sure not to have anything written into it which says words to the effect "when accomplished by Dave".

I hate to feel pessimistic but to the best of my knowledge getting a "multiple use field approval" like those that Dans Aircraft has, is a thing of the past.

If Dave wants to sell this system I would expect the current FSDO to send him through the STC engineering route. He would have expensive testing to do to prove the adhesion of the product and prove that it does not impact the original composition; along with anything else they can dream up.

I have a friend that have lately tried to get an approval on his T-craft for a C-150 exhaust (which was already installed when he bought it) using prior field approvals for data. Juneau said that wouldn't work as that they wanted proof testing of the carb heating along with flight testing. He luckily found an engineer in Texas who had the engineering specs to satisfy the feds. $$
 
So does anybody know what the best procedure is for flying a down wind turn to landing? :smile:
 
This is getting kind of funny. Lawyers, liability, nose-overs, what the faa thinks, and 337s. All over applying sticky stuff to big tires on slow moving planes. Some tires only reaching a scorching 35mph. This despite the fact that ABWs, by their very design, are intended to be used in real rough places. Places that'd make your mother cringe if she knew what her boy (or girl ), was up to. So, "ya check the things that'll kill ya first and the other stuff second". Will delaminating bedliner kill ya? Very, very slim chance. So you don't worry about that. But what about a little bit of misjudgement during the course of getting the most out of your ABWs in a place that doesn't even remotely resemble a runway? That really could kill ya.
 
Before you spend any $$$$ on approval from the FAA you might want to get an approval from the manufacturer. After the first lawsuit that they get drug into and then they label their cans "not for use on aircraft", game over.
 
Roddy you live where it's diferent , the lawyers are so bad it's hard to explain. The case being made was an aircraft accident not relating to the coating , what ever it may be pilot error etc, and you have a coating signed off the lawyer will sue you. The shop i work in got sued for $100,000.00 because we had installed a starter on the aircraft that lost the engine a short time later, nothing to do with the starter. The reason we were insured. The insurance company's don't fight right or wrong and just offer a settlement. When working for myself I don't and can't afford insurance so there you have the state of the art aviation cover you butt in the states.
 
Roddy you live where it's diferent , the lawyers are so bad it's hard to explain. The case being made was an aircraft accident not relating to the coating , what ever it may be pilot error etc, and you have a coating signed off the lawyer will sue you. The shop i work in got sued for $100,000.00 because we had installed a starter on the aircraft that lost the engine a short time later, nothing to do with the starter. The reason we were insured. The insurance company's don't fight right or wrong and just offer a settlement. When working for myself I don't and can't afford insurance so there you have the state of the art aviation cover you butt in the states.
I understand you're position totally. We operate a small business and liability is a concern always and being properly covered is a must. It's too bad it's that way. We seemed to have done it to ourselves somehow.
 
Before you spend any $$$$ on approval from the FAA you might want to get an approval from the manufacturer. After the first lawsuit that they get drug into and then they label their cans "not for use on aircraft", game over.

I don't think ABW is interested in this, its a loss of sales. If they wanted this it would be in the COCA under repairs. Im not going to live my life based upon some conceived notion of getting sued. Thats why we have corporations for aircraft ownership. That line of thinking stifles new ideas.
 
I don't think ABW is interested in this, its a loss of sales. If they wanted this it would be in the COCA under repairs. Im not going to live my life based upon some conceived notion of getting sued. Thats why we have corporations for aircraft ownership. That line of thinking stifles new ideas.

I was referring to the manufacturer of the bed liner not ABW.
 
... Im not going to live my life based upon some conceived notion of getting sued. .....

I wouldn't worry too much about being sued, unless a big slab of bedliner flew off and killed someone.
My concern would be more about getting it signed off at annual time.
If your IA's good to go with it, great. If not, put some other tires on for the inspection.
Like I said, don't ask don't tell.
You seem mad because very few other people are buying into your "it's approved" argument.
But the only person you have to convince is yourself ------ and your IA.
 
There was a guy last year at Johnsoncreek that did it to his 26in Aw. Marc
 
I wouldn't worry too much about being sued, unless a big slab of bedliner flew off and killed someone.
My concern would be more about getting it signed off at annual time.
If your IA's good to go with it, great. If not, put some other tires on for the inspection.
Like I said, don't ask don't tell.
You seem mad because very few other people are buying into your "it's approved" argument.
But the only person you have to convince is yourself ------ and your IA.

No, not mad just disappointed in the overall "Im afraid because I might (enter your tragedy here)" tone that is coming over here. I'm OK and the IA is ok with this but its a hot button issue and I think I might go the field approval way first and see what happens.
 
Obviously an old thread, but any new reports? Does it take the whole gallon of Herculiner to do two tires?

Any alternate coatings, maybe Devcon, that people have tried?

I'm experimental (the plane) so not concerned with all the certified compliance discussion, but it was interesting.
 
I’ve had great success with Devcon 84 liquid urethane.
I re coated a set of well used up 31’s 600 hrs ago, just recently wore thru coating.
re applied 2 lbs per tire a 100 hrs ago and still going strong.
I collaborated with Trent Palmer a couple years ago on a you tube video covering the process. Should still be avail to view.
The stuff has doubled in price recently ($60 1 lb kit) 2 to 3 lbs per tire required on badly worn tires.
I’ve heard mixed results from others, couple things:


Tires should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water, not solvents.
Tires must be inflated to operating pressure during entire process and checked for leaks/repaired prior to coating.
Any previous coatings, bedliner etc will compromise adhesion due to residue that’s very difficult to remove.
 
Obviously an old thread, but any new reports? Does it take the whole gallon of Herculiner to do two tires?

Any alternate coatings, maybe Devcon, that people have tried?

I'm experimental (the plane) so not concerned with all the certified compliance discussion, but it was interesting.

For my 29" Airstreaks, a small can is perfect, a qt. I think it is, about 30 bucks. After a few coats, you will cut down the coverage, not so much on the sides, as the wear surface becomes evident. I compare it to protecting a expensive pair of wing tips shoes (which I very vaguely remember) while walking in mud with a cheap pair of these:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galos...dickersons,boot, especially a rubberized boot.
 
I've tried Herculiner, Devcon 80, and Devcon 94. The Herculiner didn't last very well for me. I have Devcon 80 and 94 on right and left tires respectively right now, to compare how they hold up. 1 lb per tire, concentrated on the tire shoulders where most of the wear occurs.
 
Thanks all

Oliver - do mean Devcon 94 not 84?

The 94 seems easier to work with than the 80 type????

Yes, you are correct - Devcon 80 liquid
I think the 94 is too hard and cannot grow and move with the rubber tire. Creates shear zone between layers resulting in adhesion issues.
Tried it on a set of 29’s, it started peeling around the side walls, it took hours of tugging and grinding to remove the rest of it.
 
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