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air tech coatings

Dan Gervae

FRIEND
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
What do you guys think about air tech coatings,,,,I just spent some time helping a guy do some covering with this stuff and it seems like a nice product....is is lighter than other products like they claim....I am recovering my J3 and would like opinions
 
Air Tech System

I used Air Tech stuff to cover my Texas Sport Cub. It is similar to Poly Fiber in its general application. A few differences: It uses one adhesive with different dilution rates instead of two (Poly Tack and Poly Brush). It uses acetone as the solvent instead of MEK.

Air Tech also says that you don't need to pre-prime the covering with something like Poly Brush before applying the primer paint. This may or may not save weight in the end. The Air Tech primer is white, so that can save a white base coat if you are using certain "thin" finish colors like yellow.

The Air Tech poly urethane finish coat is a PITA to work with, but it really came out nice, thanks to some help from Ron Lusher of American Legend.

I think it is a good system worthy of your consideration, but it has pretty much all of the same toxic problems as Poly Fiber.
 
I believe the guy who displayed Air-Tech for years at Arlington is now using Stewarts. Just FYI.
 
Check out Superflite - it's urethane like the AirTech system. But we manufacture our own fabric, so you can get the whole shebang from us.

Give me a call if you want more info!
Molly McNamara
Superflite, Inc.
800-323-0611
www.superflite.com
 
I hate to do this but I feel I must weigh in here also.

I used Air Tec on my Smithcub. When it works it is awesome. Once the paint dries it is hard as nails and has good gloss. However, the topcoat is VERY hard to work with. The glue and primer are fantastic. Sands great, good adhesion, easy to apply, etc.

I struggled with the finish paint. I finally took the boot cowl to a professional with a LOT of experience in both auto body and aircraft painting. I gave him the Air Tec paint and the boot cowl and the mixing instructions. I did not say anything about the paint. When I picked it up it looked fine but he asked me how much more painting I had to do. I told him a few small parts. He said, "That's good because that is the worst paint I have ever shot in my life". When a pro with 30 years experience says that it is not good. (So maybe all the trouble I had was not entirely my fault. I know "its a poor carpenter that blames his tools".....)
Furthermore due to having to redo stuff I'll bet I have over 10K in paint and supplies from Air Tec. I am relatively pleased with the overall finish I have on my Cub and I am quite sure it will last forever but it did not come easy, and I would not use the system again or recommend it. I might; however, use the glue and primer but would shoot a different topcoat.

It may be a good system when used by a pro that does it every day, like Kenny Blalock, or other professionals, but my recommendation would be for the average Joe to use a different system.

Bill
 
MollyM531 said:
Check out Superflite - Give me a call if you want more info!
Molly McNamara
Superflite, Inc.
800-323-0611
www.superflite.com

Hi Molly, I see my Cub is still gracing your homepage.
I love the Superflite paint, a wet look that just keeps shining.

Brad
 
My experience is two complete aircraft and some tail feathers every once in a while.

I like how it works, it is as easy to use as any of the automotive paints I have shot and I have used many. The process is quick and simple for a fabric job. This is the good about the product, here is the bad:

It does not hold up very well, cracks easy over any part that is hard underneath after a few years if you happen to push on that area. I think the flexibility goes away fairly soon. I think it is worse when it is cold out also. It would not be that bad if I was just repainting the tail feathers every 4 years because they need it anyway after I use the airplane the way I do. My complaint is that even the fuselage looks like crap.

The last airplane to be done was Bushwacker and it will be the last time I use Air Tech for a bush type airplane. It is a bummer because I like the system but I would expect more out of the product over time then what I have received.

Greg
 
I've been beating on my Air Tech coating for 4 seasons now. The only place I've had problems is thin cracks in areas of high stress and where I put the paint on too thick. Other than that it looks brand new.

Going forward I will, however, switch to the non-toxic materials. Not sure I'd want repeat exposure to the toxic stuff.
 
I cant imagine someone having trouble with the spraying of the paint I didnt like it that much in my hvlp gun but I went back to my regular devilbiss syphon gun it just sprays on like a dream and flows out to a perfect mirror my airplane isnt a bush plane but the paint is getting close to 10 years old already and it looks every bit as good as the day I painted it and there isnt 1 crack in it anywhere I couldnt ask for a easier tougher glossier paint the primer was just as nice the only problem I had wih the whole system was the primer would spray thru if the was somthing behind the fabric like a tube or some insulation or whatever so you had to do alot of sanding to make it nice a coating of a "polybrush" type would solve that problem ----if I use it on my current project I will seal the fabric with the thinned out glue before the primer goes on
 
I used Air Tech on a prior recover and thought it was about as easy to use as you could ask for. The glue through primer was actually quite fun. IMHO, the paint is also pretty darned friendly provided you adhere to the instructions and a few friendly suggestions from folks like Kenny Blalock or Steve P. I did not end up with a "show winning" finish, but almost all of that was due to prep and not the paint. It was still a very "pretty" cub.
My experience was much like Gregs. After only 2 years I had cracks on the top stringers on both sides from leaning into the plane while moving it. And rock chips on most of the metal surfaces...After a hail storm the airplane had to be recovered due to many holes, but,, even with out the holes it would have had to be recovered due to the amazing amount of ringworm from the smaller stones... I am certain none of that ringworm would have shown up on a recent dope or Stewarts job...
I worked a Thrush that had Air Tech professionally done. The paint on the tail would de laminate from the primer and come off in sheets...
I recovered the cub in Stewarts, Like Greg I would never cover another "bushy" or work airplane in Air Tech again... Too bad because it really does look good...
If you are thinking Stewarts paint is going to be any easier than Air Tech... it won't. Clean up etc will be easier, but achieving a glossy finish (if that's what you want) will be twice as hard. It will still come out very nice, just not as shiny as Air Tech. The good news is that so far it seems to be amazingly flexible... I have inspection hole cut outs from the Stewarts, and the entire skin from the Air Tech and the difference is night and day...
If I were recovering a J3, and was not going to be exposed to the chemicals on a daily basis, like a professional, I would borrow an air mask, and use dope, polyfibre, or some such... Some wheels just aren't worth re-inventing...

Take care, Rob
 
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