Repairing and re-registering written off aircraft

[marcov]

Hi All,

 

Like many, my dreams are bigger than my budget. There are many damaged aircraft for sale on the market here and overseas.

 

I have an engineering background and a machine shop with composites experience.

 

Is it possible to repair /rebuild and more importantly re-register a written off ultralight or light aircraft in Australia? Id be happy to have it as experimental under the 40 hour test rule.

 

Cannot seem to find reliable information on the subject.

 

Any reliable comments with references or direct experience are greatly appreciated.

 

 

[rankamateur]

My Savannah S model rebuild Blog this one didn't look very pretty on the trailer on it's way to it's new home, BUT now starting to breathe again. Take a look at this thread Marco and welcome to the forum. You could message Mark about his experience.

[marcov]

My Savannah S model rebuild Blog this one didn't look very pretty on the trailer on it's way to it's new home, BUT now starting to breathe again. Take a look at this thread Marco and welcome to the forum. You could message Mark about his experience.

Thank you for the lead. Has anyone done a composite craft repair?

 

 

[onetrack]

Marcov - I think you'll find, no one individual home or kit builder in the RA field has carried out a full rebuild of a badly-damaged composite craft.

 

The problem, as I see it, is trying to determine the total extent of the damage to major composite structures.

 

Without expensive equipment, it becomes a bit of a guessing game as to whether a composite component has incurred deeper damage than is able to assessed visually, and with every other known, simple, damage-finding, technique.

 

Unseen and difficult-to-find delamination deep in a composite component appears to need to be uncovered via some very expensive, high-tech equipment, to ensure the required level of safety in the repair.

 

Then, there appears to be problems with repair of composites when you are carrying out the repair manually - when the component has originally been manufactured in an autoclave.

 

Ensuring even temperature distribution in the repair process, and ensuring even removal of air bubbles from the matrix, appear to be the major requirements to ensure a satisfactory repair.

 

On that basis, it would appear that investment in some technically-advanced composite-repair equipment to assist with even temperature distribution and removal of air bubbles would be a minimum requirement to enable a structurally-sound composite repair.

 

There's an article in the link below that delves into composite repairs, which would probably give you some insight into techniques, problems and solutions, and processes, that are currently being used/incurred in everyday composite repair, in both GA and military operations.

 

Good luck with your project, I trust you succeed, but it will definitely be a learning curve for you. The more people you find, with competence in the field, to discuss the process with, the more you will gain confidence in your own ability to produce highly satisfactory composite repair and rebuild.

 

The craft of aircraft repair

 

 

[fly_tornado]

if you've got the skills, wouldn't you be better off buying an incomplete project?

 

 

[marcov]

if you've got the skills, wouldn't you be better off buying an incomplete project?

Yes, maybe, but the aircraft I'm considering has been written off by hail damage(dented upper surface of wings). I was "simply" going to build new wings. Someone suggested I cannot re-register because it has been written off. I just want to check. Price, aircraft type and equipment levels are unbeatable.

 

 

[Guy s]

Hi Marcov, I see we are Neighbours in a sense.

 

I fly out of Lismore and are you flying at the moment ?

 

 

[Happyflyer]

Yes, maybe, but the aircraft I'm considering has been written off by hail damage(dented upper surface of wings). I was "simply" going to build new wings. Someone suggested I cannot re-register because it has been written off. I just want to check. Price, aircraft type and equipment levels are unbeatable.

I would have thought "written off" was an insurance term. If we are talking RAAus, the Tech manager could answer you question but I can't see why an appropriately qualified L1(if the owner) or L2 could repair and declare serviceable. As long as you have enough money almost anything can be made serviceable. I've seen Jabirus that have had far more than hail damaged repaired and flying again.

 

 

[jon123]

Thank you for the lead. Has anyone done a composite craft repair?

Contact the Gliding Federation of Australia. Sailplane composite repair and rebuild has been carried out since the 1970's.

(for repair info, not practicalities/legalities of powered aircraft rebuild.)

 

 

[marcov]

Hi Marcov, I see we are Neighbours in a sense.I fly out of Lismore and are you flying at the moment ?

I have not flown GA for many years. Last in the air in paragliders and hang gliders last year. Looking for something with stronger landing gear Lol. My project will likely fly out of Lismore or Evans Head. Im based near Alstonville.

 

 

[kasper]

Yes, maybe, but the aircraft I'm considering has been written off by hail damage(dented upper surface of wings). I was "simply" going to build new wings. Someone suggested I cannot re-register because it has been written off. I just want to check. Price, aircraft type and equipment levels are unbeatable.

will depend on what its registration was.

If its factory built 25/55/24 reg then you best save your time and money - you cannot build new wings for one of them and turn it into an experimental - you would have to document major portion is you and new wings aint gonna cover it

 

If its 19 reg then you can. You are going to have fun with RAAus tech as you will not be the original builder so any mods (new wings to your design) or major repair (new wings to the original design) will require inspection and clearance by RAAus tech

 

 

[Guy s]

I have not flown GA for many years. Last in the air in paragliders and hang gliders last year. Looking for something with stronger landing gear Lol. My project will likely fly out of Lismore or Evans Head. Im based near Alstonville.

No worries and hope you find what your looking for.

 

 

[Raytol]

Hi Marcov,

 

The whole IDEA behind composite structures is there ability to withstand damage!

 

Airliners, military and Lancair aircraft components are manufactured out of a pre-impregnated

 

fibreglass or carbonfibre material (which means the resin is already with the fibres). The process for moulding

 

the components then includes heating the resin and honeycomb or PVC foam, under vacuum or pressure in an

 

autoclave, which then flows and and wets the fibres and the post-cure is done as it is held at a temperature.

 

You haven't said what sort of aircraft you are looking at but I would bet it is NOT made with pre-preg!

 

In this case it will be wet laid, cold cured resin possibly under a vacuum bag with the post cure done in an oven.

 

The resin system could be an Epoxy or Vinylester system, the manufacturer or any GFA repairer should be able to tell you.

 

If the wing skins are made with a foam core then the damage often looks worse than it actually is.

 

Send me some photo's of the damage as I can possibly save you from making more work for yourself.

 

Ray

 

raytolattpgdotcomdotau

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Will I be able to re-register my T84 Thruster under it's original number 10-1346 even though its been de-registered since 2006 and has been modified by me?

 

 

[kasper]

Will I be able to re-register my T84 Thruster under it's original number 10-1346 even though its been de-registered since 2006 and has been modified by me?

Yes. Absolutely. Reg numbers are not re-used so your airframe has those numbers till the end of time. Call RAAus and tell them what you're up to.

I hope you were the owner when the the reg was cancelled or have transfer docs from last registered owner through to you or you'll probablyend up needing a stat dec - just talk to RAAus on this it's rather painless.

 

Sorry to say but the current tech manual will require an inspection due to you modifying it and not being the original builder but other than that it's a paper and $ exercise with RAAus.

 

If any of the above becomes painful with RAAus send me a pm - been there done that in several 95.10 airframes and RAAus sometimes overstep their powers and start getting creative - I've always managed to talk them back to reality.

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Thanks Kasper, much appreciated.

 

 

[rankamateur]

RAAus sometimes overstep their powers and start getting creative - I've always managed to talk them back to reality.

Seems so hard to believe!