DIY aircraft covers for occasional winter outside parking?

German guy

German guy

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Dec 7, 2009
Messages
1,219
Location
Novi, MI
Display Name
Display name:
Oliver
I thought that plane covers would come in handy for (very) occasional winter outside parking. Looking at the prices, I however don’t feel like spending all the money, only to park once or twice per winter outside. I was therefore wondering if I could make a set of simple covers myself. Few things are less pleasant than to return in the morning to the plane, at a remote airport without any services, only to find it coated with a nice layer of ice and snow…

Has one of you ever done this before? Which material did you use? It would have to be watertight, but still soft on the inside to not scratch the paint / glass.
 
Smear the entire plane with Vaseline. It'll eventually wash off by spring maybe.

upload_2016-12-8_8-57-55.png

Or buy a big grill cover. :)
 
I have three sets of wing and tail covers and still get caught out sometimes without covers, like in the fall hunting season when a cold night surprises me. More than once I've used poly tarps or visquine draped over the wings and held by firewood or loosely tied with spare cord. Just hope the wind doesn't blow, but wind prevents wing frosting so maybe do hope for some wind.
 
I went to Wal-Mart aircraft supply and bought a car cover. With some cutting and sewing, adding some snaps and straps, I had a servicable aircraft cover of appropriate material that I used for outside parking until I could get the plane under a roof.
 
Thanks for all your responses.

I'll look at car covers and also came up with the idea today, to buy vinyl table cloth fabric by the yard, which is waterproof and has a soft lining in one side and to make a basic cover for the wings and the horizontal stabilizer with with it.

If this doesn't work out, throwing a roll of visqueen in the plane might be the easiest solution...
 
Look up my ex-wife and buy a set of her undies, they are more than sufficient to cover a light aircraft. If you don't mind some stains of course?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top