Leaky little kite

[NC Bill]

When I purchased 544CT she came with manuals that showed water damage. Mmmm.

 

I washed the plane today. Quite carefully. I've owned three planes previously. No hose spray directly on window seams, etc.

 

Drying her and cleaning the interior I noticed some moisture on the shelf behind the pilot's seat. Water drops on the window behind the co-pilot. And water collected in the channels of both baggage doors. Water in the window sliders was expected.

 

Question is can I address these issues as they occur or is the CTLS just not a water tight ship?

 

At the moment I'd be uncomfortable taking 544CT thru rain or leaving her outdoors with rain in the forecast.

[Roger Lee]

Hi Bill,

 

If you use any water spray under pressure it will get into any of our planes if it hits any where there is an orifice or gap. I believe most of us hand wash our planes with damp rags using some sort of cleaner like Composiclean. Then you can foloow the wash up with a spray wax like Composiclean spray wax or some other. My one issue with Composiclean wash is it won't take off greasy dirt because it is PH neutral. Typically anything that will cut grease is a base with a PH more like 12 or more.

Making sure that your wing root gaps are taped will help, but pressurized water can get through door seams, windows, flap joint where it meets the fuselage or other orifices. If your plane gets rained on it's not a big deal, but I wouldn't make a practice of it if you can help it.

If you leave your plane out in the rain make sure you get a cover more like the one I have pictured in other post as it is water proof and covers all the places water might leak in. The Bruce's cover does not cover these areas.

[sandpiper]

I have owned 8 spam cans and they all leaked in the rain or with washing to some degree. Washing, even using a hose, squeeze sprayer nozzle and normal house pressure can easily reward you with water where you don't want it. Just like hosing off your house can do. Sometimes this shows up in the interior, other times in the belly below the floor boards where you can't see it unless your weep holes get clogged. My worst offender airplane was a Lake Amphibian. It was tight from the bottom up but could hold alot of water from rain - or washing. No weep holes for this baby but it had a gazillion drain plugs plus a bilge pump for when it was parked on the water and you couldn't get to them. Not draining on preflight after a rain could make things interesting - as could forgetting to put one of the drain plugs back in if you were headed for the water.

 

Anyhow, the CT isn't exactly the tightest bird I've run accross but not the worst either. Periodically check to make sure your weep holes are open. Especially on a new plane since I bet it's full of little bits of whatever that will wash to the holes and clog them. Not only can water accumulation make for an interesting flight, it can also ruin things like the bottom tail fin. Just ask some of our forum participants!