On May 29, 12:51 am, "Robert Loer" wrote:
Can not possibly afford a hanger and can not find a shelter so my plane will
have to sit out. Is a fabric covered plane an absolute no-no? What can be
done?

Fabric often sits outside, but the climate is a big factor as
is the type of fabric and cover system. Dry and cool climates don't
hurt much, but hot sun cooks the finish and moist climates can cause
condensation that corrodes the structure or results in mildew inside
the fabric. There are still some cotton-covered airplanes around that
shouldn't be outside.
What covering system is on it? How old is it? Is it well-
drained?

I see more damage to fabric-covered airplanes due to people
(Poke, poke. "Look, George, this here is just cloth painted to look
like metal. How devious can you get? Look how the paint cracks when
you push hard on it...oops, I stuck my finger right through it. Let's
get out of here. Pretend nothing happened.") and wind, which slams the
control surfaces around and blows dirt and dust into everything. And
hail. A hangar is more important for those reasons than for fabric
life, I'd say.

Dan