REFLECTOR: Aircraft Covers

[Terry Miles]

ON AIRCRAFT COVERS

 

I am trying to work on my interior.  (Read: fix my door leaks before I can
do much else.)  I am looking into aircraft covers for a simple door leak
fix, or sewing a cover myself.  Here's what I have been able to learn so
far.  If you google "aircraft covers,"  there are two makers.  One (Kennon)
won't do any experimental aircraft covers and refers you to Bruce.  The
other (Bruce's Aircraft covers) lists a cover for the Velocity models but
will not do ours anymore citing too much variance between builders and
models to make it worth his while.  The fabric he uses is not real chafe
tolerant so any protrusions like door handles or inlet scoops need to be
custom re-inforced or the cover life is seriously compromised.  

 

To do this myself, it is going to take pattern making time/materials and an
equipment investment.  I think I could make several and it would drop the
set up costs to me which I think will run $1100 or so in a sewing machine +
work table, seaming accessories, and some sample material to experiment
with.  If you are interested in a cover, read on.  Otherwise you can delete
this post.

 

The first choice is material.  The longer lasting material is heavier and
bulkier.  The light weight stuff rolls up into a much smaller ball, but
won't wear quite as long as the horse blanket stuff.  Third choice is light
weight, longer wearing, high tech for more money.   If you were parked
outside all the time, the heavier stuff might make sense.  If you wanted a
dust cover inside a hangar and a weekend trip rain cover, then the later
would make more sense.  

 

A run of the mill spam can cover is table cloth size pc fitted nicely and
with belly straps fore and aft of the wing.  (Canards can do that).  These
spam can covers sell for $375 to $425 or so depending on size.  Canards
can't do the tablecloth routine.
http://www.aircraftcovers.com/index.php?cPath=1_15_615_618
<http://www.aircraftcovers.com/index.php?cPath=1_15_615_618&tplDir=fallback>
&tplDir=fallback 

 

The cover I envision is going to look a lot like this.  It will be fitted to
encase the nose, the upper fuselage and stretch back to include the cooling
air exits, but not the prop or any of the strake.   For now the anticipated
price is $600 which is no more than copy catting his price for now too. I
would hope to beat it by some, but not enough to impact anybody's buying
decision based on cost.   I don't know yet.  I am not out to skin anybody,
or get rich at this.  

 

I don't want to advertise on our forum beyond this question to the group.
I am not saying I will even do it.  I just want to know what the interest
is, and some sense of marine dingy cover material versus space age
synthetics.  Contact me off line at terrence_miles at hotmail.com  if you want
to know more.  .or you know somebody with a commercial sewing machine for
sale.

 

Terry

 

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