Wrapping aircraft - good, bad or?

FORANE

FORANE

En-Route
Joined
Mar 7, 2013
Messages
3,538
Location
TN
Display Name
Display name:
FORANE
I have seen pics of many aircraft wrapped lately. Seems to be gaining in popularity. I know little or nothing about it. Is wrapping good, bad, or ?
 
Not sure but I decided next long flight, I am putting plastic wrap on the leading edge so I can just peel it off to remove bugs.
 
I wonder how much they weigh compared to a good paint job... and if you just slap it on old, tired paint, or strip the plane bare, and treat/prime the aluminum first.

No question, though, the creative possibilities are endless!
 
How much does that mess cost?
 
FORANE said:
I have seen pics of many aircraft wrapped lately. Seems to be gaining in popularity. I know little or nothing about it. Is wrapping good, bad, or ?
Click to expand...


It makes sense when you think about the labor required to repaint a plane properly, including removing the old paint. Instead of removing old paint, just just cover it up with wrap. When the wrap looks bad, change the wrap, again without removing paint.

If that's how it works, I can see that it might be attractive.
 
FORANE said:
I have seen pics of many aircraft wrapped lately. Seems to be gaining in popularity. I know little or nothing about it. Is wrapping good, bad, or ?
Click to expand...

'Tis that time of year!
 
Unit74 said:
How much does that mess cost?
Click to expand...

To wrap an entire Cherokee is over $10,000. When I found that out I figured I would be much better off to strip, treat, prime and paint my aircraft. You can do some really neat graphics with the wrap but it is pretty expensive. At least the quotes I got were. If you wanted to do limited graphics over a white paint job that might not be too bad, but if you need to completely cover the existing old paint, hang on to your wallet.
 
MickYoumans said:
To wrap an entire Cherokee is over $10,000. When I found that out I figured I would be much better off to strip, treat, prime and paint my aircraft. You can do some really neat graphics with the wrap but it is pretty expensive. At least the quotes I got were. If you wanted to do limited graphics over a white paint job that might not be too bad, but if you need to completely cover the existing old paint, hang on to your wallet.
Click to expand...


:hairraise::eek::yikes:....

Somewhere I heard it was about 1/2 price of a nice paint job.... And 1/2 the weight...

Must have been bad info..
 
Wouldn't wrap be prone to chipping or tearing, and then the material starting to peel back, especially at speeds like 150+ kts?

I've never bothered to look over cars that were wrapped, but I'd have to believe wrap is also subject to rocks, chips, and tears. Just seems like it would be worse on a plane - not so much rocks, but other airborne particles that would strike it with enough force to tear or rip it.
 
FORANE said:
I have seen pics of many aircraft wrapped lately. Seems to be gaining in popularity. I know little or nothing about it. Is wrapping good, bad, or ?
Click to expand...

I've kinda been wondering how that will pan out on aluminum, I can see it going both ways with regards to corrosion. I would likely do a good soaking in a corrosion treatment first, but I would be sorely temped to try it.
 
LoneAspen said:
Wouldn't wrap be prone to chipping or tearing, and then the material starting to peel back, especially at speeds like 150+ kts?

I've never bothered to look over cars that were wrapped, but I'd have to believe wrap is also subject to rocks, chips, and tears. Just seems like it would be worse on a plane - not so much rocks, but other airborne particles that would strike it with enough force to tear or rip it.
Click to expand...

Not particularly, the wrap material is tough.
 
LoneAspen said:
Wouldn't wrap be prone to chipping or tearing, and then the material starting to peel back, especially at speeds like 150+ kts?

I've never bothered to look over cars that were wrapped, but I'd have to believe wrap is also subject to rocks, chips, and tears. Just seems like it would be worse on a plane - not so much rocks, but other airborne particles that would strike it with enough force to tear or rip it.
Click to expand...

Like Henning said.... The stuff is as tough as woodpecker lips....

All NASCAR, INDY and NHRA cars are wraps nowadays....
 
I had my tail done in vinyl this past summer. So far there have been zero problems but its been < 6 mos. From what I have observed, you trade the potential for drips and orange peel for imprecise cuts and some very small bubbles over rivets. It went on right over the top of older paint and IMO came out a pretty good match.

The Hoerner wingtips were painted at the same time as the tail was done, I had some additional touch up done on my cowl, the nose pant and spinner completely repainted. $1500 out the door.

I'm not sure what could hit the vinyl in flight hard enough to cause a tear that wouldn't chip the paint on a regular job. Then again, I don't very often ever see 150+ mph
 

Attachments

  • newtail.png
    newtail.png
    397.9 KB · Views: 75
I thought the whole plane wraps were popular with composite owners, who must paint most of the plane white and use colors sparingly. Like the puked-on look of the Cessna TTX, looks like a kindergarten ear chewed up crayons and spit them on the plane.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Not sure but I decided next long flight, I am putting plastic wrap on the leading edge so I can just peel it off to remove bugs.
Click to expand...

Hmm. Maybe multiple layers and some string to pull them off one by one can get me FIKI certified?
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Not sure but I decided next long flight, I am putting plastic wrap on the leading edge so I can just peel it off to remove bugs.
Click to expand...

Could get some sailplane style bug wipers and clean them off in flight!
 
I've wondered if you could replace the fabric on a tube and fabric airplane with shrink wrap.
 
I think the name is Oratex and they're working on a certified replacement for fabric that acts like monokote. Glue on and heat shrink. Its pre painted.
 
00586.jpg
 
SmashTime said:
The surface of plastidip is not smooth at all. I wouldn't suggest it for a plane.
Click to expand...

Hence the playing with the idea, would be fun to be able to camo the thing or something and just peel it off to the normal paint after I'm sick of it.
 
The Free Bird has vinyl stripes. I will never do such a thing again (didn't do it in the first place, it came that way). Paint gets chipped, you can repaint. Vinyl not so much.
 
But vinyl can easily be removed and replaced easier than paint can be redone. Is that your only complaint about it?
 
LoneAspen said:
Wouldn't wrap be prone to chipping or tearing, and then the material starting to peel back, especially at speeds like 150+ kts?
Click to expand...

Speed doesn't appear to be an issue - at least not if they are subsonic. Some examples of wraps on jets:


PandaJet.jpg


germanwings2.jpg
 
SmashTime said:
The surface of plastidip is not smooth at all. I wouldn't suggest it for a plane.
Click to expand...

Maybe I was how it was applied, there was a Audi I saw a couple days ago, felt quite smooth to me.
 
James331 said:
Maybe I was how it was applied, there was a Audi I saw a couple days ago, felt quite smooth to me.
Click to expand...

Both application and formulation make a difference. Some of it comes off smooth and glossy like the handles on tools, some comes out rough like Rhino Liner in a truck bed.(I also started having it applied to decks on workboats, boy is it great for that.)
 
If I could find someone who could lay some Russian style artic camo on my 185, nicely and for a decent price Id me game, worse case I just peel it off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top