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Desert Sailplane storage
I just moved from Virginia where my glider was stored
inside a hangar to El Paso, Texas. For the time being, I will have to store it in my enclosed trailer outside. I own a fiberglass Concept70 with metal flaps. Any of you desert flyers have any tips, warnings, suggestions about storage. Charlie mcLaurin |
#2
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Charles McLaurin wrote:
I just moved from Virginia where my glider was stored inside a hangar to El Paso, Texas. For the time being, I will have to store it in my enclosed trailer outside. I own a fiberglass Concept70 with metal flaps. Any of you desert flyers have any tips, warnings, suggestions about storage. Charlie mcLaurin I know that the material used in most canopies is hygroscopic which is one reason they tend to warp when a glider is moved from a dryer climate to a more humid one. In fact, when I purchased a Ventus which had spent most of its time in a dry climate and moved it to southern Florida, it was not long (a few weeks) before I had to have assistance closing the canopy before each flight. In addition, I have heard that gelcoat is also hygroscopic and tends to absorb moisture which is one reason gliders get heavier over time in humid climates. I'm curious if anyone has advice on moving from a humid climate to a dry one on the impact, if any, to a glider. I myself will be moving next year to a dryer climate and I will be bringing my glider with me. As to the post above, the one piece of advice I have consistently heard is that fiberglass trailers do not block all the UV, therefore it is prudent to coat the inside of the trailer with a UV blocking paint. Or keep the glider in a hangar. A good solar vent is also cheap insurance if you can reduce any potential condensation inside the trailer by keeping the air moving. Respectfully, |
#3
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#4
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Has anyone measured the UV transmission of a
glider trailer top? Since most plastic absorbs UV well, it's hard to imagine much of the UV gets through the resin (and the paint, if that's used). All new Cobra trailers are painted black inside and have been for some time for just this reason. My 1999 one is black inside. Robert Mudd |
#5
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Robertmudd1u wrote: snip All new Cobra trailers are painted black inside and have been for some time for just this reason. My 1999 one is black inside. Robert Mudd One could also epoxy a layer of heavy duty houshold aluminum foil to the inside of a fiber-glass shell trailer. If any UV radiation gets through that, we have a much bigger problem on our hands. ;-) Uli Neumann |
#6
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GM wrote:
Robertmudd1u wrote: snip All new Cobra trailers are painted black inside and have been for some time for just this reason. My 1999 one is black inside. Robert Mudd One could also epoxy a layer of heavy duty houshold aluminum foil to the inside of a fiber-glass shell trailer. If any UV radiation gets through that, we have a much bigger problem on our hands. ;-) Uli Neumann I was thinking of using 3M adhesive spray for this. Then again, my ship is 27 yo and has lived most of its life in a fiberglass trailer in Colorado (5500-7500 ft msl), so what really is the point? Shawn |
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Jim Vincent wrote: I think the key question is, Has anyone done any studies to see how much UV really penetrates through the trailer? Solutions are great, but I really question whether any UV really does penetrate through the paint and fiberglass shell. Jim Vincent N483SZ illspam Jim, I raised that question with the 'Experts' of Edmund Optical. They were clueless as far as detecting and/or measuring UV light. Does anybody have a practical idea? Are there UV-meters? Uli Neumann |
#9
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I raised that question with the 'Experts' of Edmund Optical. They were
clueless as far as detecting and/or measuring UV light. Does anybody have a practical idea? Are there UV-meters? I googled around and found a company called solar.com that happens to be in my area. I'll call them on Tuesday and see if they might be willing to loan me an instrument for 20 minutes. I'm willing to drive my trailer down to their office to see what the results are. I'll post any results here. Jim Vincent N483SZ illspam |
#10
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A somewhat easier solution is to get a "black light" out of your attic from
when you had all of those black light posters in high school...they transmit mostly UV-A. Have someone stand on the outside of your trailer at night and crawl inside to see what light is transmitted. Little if any gets through but you would do best to prove it to yourself. Besides it may even inspire you to take a trip down to the local "head shop" and buy a few more posters of Jimi Hendrix. ;-) Casey Lenox KC Phoenix |
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