Quote:
Originally Posted by k corbin
Of course they do pre-flight inspections but a pre-flight does not include a detailed inspection of the caulking.
I would know because I used to own a small plane. is easy to assume they don't know what they are talking about just because you are not as familiar with a subject as they are.
I am very fortunate to have many skills in many areas that I find are of considerable use in owning vintage FBRV's.
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I think that my point is getting lost in the minutiae.
Of course you're correct on both counts... and I make no assumptions about anyone, nor would I hope, that folks make assumptions about me, but just for the record, I'm intimately familiar with airframe corrosion and its attendant issues as well, but that's not really the issue here.
I'll spell this out as I think we've gotten off-track for what my point was.
Aluminum alloys expand and contract with temperature. Sealants deteriorate and lose their elasticity with exposure to the elements. Eventually they can't keep up with the expansion and contraction of the metal, and the seal fails, requiring maintenance.
Commercial aircraft sit out in the weather, but they're also inspected regularly for issues by maintenance crews, and regular preventative maintenance is performed
UNLIKE how most privately owned RVs are maintained. Also, unlike RVs, the joint systems between sheets are much different on aircraft, the fasteners are different, and there are no square joints as you find on an RV roof/sidewall or flat surfaces where water would pond and search for that compromised sealant.
I hope that makes my thoughts on the comparison more clear.