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Wood glider outdoor storage



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 8th 20, 07:39 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Sky Surfer
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Posts: 11
Default Wood glider outdoor storage

Random question (kinda): Can an all-wood homebuilt glider be tied down outside year-round in a dry climate (e.g., Colorado) and be weather-protected by padded covers? The glider's plywood skin is covered by a layer of thin fiberglass, then painted. I guess I'm asking for actual experience or knowledge from anyone who has sucessfully done so. The glider's owner would be willing to periodically remove/dry-out/put back the covers after rain/snow/hail, etc. Being assembled and tied down is the only practical way this particular glider would be flown.
  #2  
Old July 8th 20, 10:36 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Scott Williams[_2_]
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Posts: 83
Default Wood glider outdoor storage

On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 1:39:24 PM UTC-5, Sky Surfer wrote:
Random question (kinda): Can an all-wood homebuilt glider be tied down outside year-round in a dry climate (e.g., Colorado) and be weather-protected by padded covers? The glider's plywood skin is covered by a layer of thin fiberglass, then painted. I guess I'm asking for actual experience or knowledge from anyone who has sucessfully done so. The glider's owner would be willing to periodically remove/dry-out/put back the covers after rain/snow/hail, etc. Being assembled and tied down is the only practical way this particular glider would be flown.


I've owned a wooded glider, a dry trailer would be a vast improvement over your proposal.
even an open sided tin roofed "T" hangar would be better.
Scott
  #3  
Old July 8th 20, 11:40 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
[email protected]
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Posts: 16
Default Wood glider outdoor storage

Fly it as much as you can because it won’t last long
  #4  
Old July 8th 20, 11:46 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Nick Kennedy[_3_]
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Posts: 269
Default Wood glider outdoor storage

On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 12:39:24 PM UTC-6, Sky Surfer wrote:
Random question (kinda): Can an all-wood homebuilt glider be tied down outside year-round in a dry climate (e.g., Colorado) and be weather-protected by padded covers? The glider's plywood skin is covered by a layer of thin fiberglass, then painted. I guess I'm asking for actual experience or knowledge from anyone who has sucessfully done so. The glider's owner would be willing to periodically remove/dry-out/put back the covers after rain/snow/hail, etc. Being assembled and tied down is the only practical way this particular glider would be flown.


No
It will turn to junk very quickly
Nick
T
  #5  
Old July 9th 20, 01:07 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Martin Gregorie[_6_]
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Posts: 699
Default Wood glider outdoor storage

On Wed, 08 Jul 2020 14:36:14 -0700, Scott Williams wrote:

On Wednesday, July 8, 2020 at 1:39:24 PM UTC-5, Sky Surfer wrote:
Random question (kinda): Can an all-wood homebuilt glider be tied down
outside year-round in a dry climate (e.g., Colorado) and be
weather-protected by padded covers? The glider's plywood skin is
covered by a layer of thin fiberglass, then painted. I guess I'm
asking for actual experience or knowledge from anyone who has
sucessfully done so. The glider's owner would be willing to
periodically remove/dry-out/put back the covers after rain/snow/hail,
etc. Being assembled and tied down is the only practical way this
particular glider would be flown.


I've owned a wooded glider, a dry trailer would be a vast improvement
over your proposal.
even an open sided tin roofed "T" hangar would be better.
Scott


Good suggestion. Eden Soaring, in Eden Valley on the foothills of the
western side of the Pennines, so not the driest part of the UK, keep a
pair of ASK-13's rigged under open-sided tin roofed T-hangars during the
soaring season. That setup looked pretty good last time I was there. Here
are the co-ordinates if you're interested: 41.590833, -93.620833

The most recent image, dated 19 July 2016, shows both T-hangars, anmd no
I don't know why its black&white when all the other images of the field
are in colour. Its a winch-only site with a guaranteed crosswind if the
hill is working.


--
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org

  #6  
Old July 9th 20, 09:29 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Eric Munk
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Posts: 179
Default Wood glider outdoor storage

Long time ago saw the result of leaving a wooden glider outside in
the weather for considerable time, in covers. Water got into the
airbrakes box damaging spar longerons. Wing folded on take off.
Don’t leave a wooden glider outside in the weather please.

At 18:39 08 July 2020, Sky Surfer wrote:
Random question (kinda): Can an all-wood homebuilt glider be

tied down
out=
side year-round in a dry climate (e.g., Colorado) and be

weather-protected
=
by padded covers? The glider's plywood skin is covered by a

layer of thin
=
fiberglass, then painted. I guess I'm asking for actual

experience or
know=
ledge from anyone who has sucessfully done so. The glider's

owner would
be=
willing to periodically remove/dry-out/put back the covers after
rain/snow=
/hail, etc. Being assembled and tied down is the only practical

way this
p=
articular glider would be flown.=20


  #7  
Old July 9th 20, 04:08 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
AS
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 653
Default Wood glider outdoor storage

On Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 4:30:05 AM UTC-4, Eric Munk wrote:
Long time ago saw the result of leaving a wooden glider outside in
the weather for considerable time, in covers. Water got into the
airbrakes box damaging spar longerons. Wing folded on take off.
Don’t leave a wooden glider outside in the weather please.

At 18:39 08 July 2020, Sky Surfer wrote:
Random question (kinda): Can an all-wood homebuilt glider be

tied down
out=
side year-round in a dry climate (e.g., Colorado) and be

weather-protected
=
by padded covers? The glider's plywood skin is covered by a

layer of thin
=
fiberglass, then painted. I guess I'm asking for actual

experience or
know=
ledge from anyone who has sucessfully done so. The glider's

owner would
be=
willing to periodically remove/dry-out/put back the covers after
rain/snow=
/hail, etc. Being assembled and tied down is the only practical

way this
p=
articular glider would be flown.=20


I saw a Duster stored derigged inside a reasonably rain-tight hangar in PA for many years. Even under these seemingly benign conditions, the annual changes in temperature and humidity did a number on the plywood! It started to delaminate all over the place. I would have not stood under the wing had it been rigged let alone flown it no matter how desperate I needed a glider-fix!
Wooden gliders need to be taken care of by storing them in a dry and somewhat humidity controlled place.

Uli
'AS'
  #8  
Old July 9th 20, 07:14 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Sky Surfer
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Posts: 11
Default Wood glider outdoor storage

The opinions are unanimous about keeping a wood airframe dry. Admittedly it's tough to do that outside. Moisture can come from unobvious places, like the ground below the glider. I was hoping that someone had already demonstrated a solution, like installing a shallow platform on the ground (with a vapor barrier) and a removable rain/hail glider cover that leaves generous air gaps and cross ventilation around the glider. That, along with frequent inspections and being in a drier environment, may work. Does one want to be that pioneeringly "experimental", though. Thanks for everyone's inputs.
  #9  
Old July 9th 20, 07:50 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
AS
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Posts: 653
Default Wood glider outdoor storage

On Thursday, July 9, 2020 at 2:14:50 PM UTC-4, Sky Surfer wrote:
The opinions are unanimous about keeping a wood airframe dry. Admittedly it's tough to do that outside. Moisture can come from unobvious places, like the ground below the glider. I was hoping that someone had already demonstrated a solution, like installing a shallow platform on the ground (with a vapor barrier) and a removable rain/hail glider cover that leaves generous air gaps and cross ventilation around the glider. That, along with frequent inspections and being in a drier environment, may work. Does one want to be that pioneeringly "experimental", though. Thanks for everyone's inputs.


Have you looked into the 'Ensign Sailplane Hangars'?
http://ensignhangars.com/15meter.html

Uli
'AS'
  #10  
Old July 9th 20, 08:10 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Sky Surfer
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Posts: 11
Default Wood glider outdoor storage

I didn't know its brand name but am aware of that hangar type. So far as I know, permanent structures aren't allowed at the intended location, judging by their complete absence.
 




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