What do the cover actually cover against? Most of the covers I see only cover the cabin. Does that mean they help with the moisture, and don’t really protect the airframe?
Just curious.
A cover does two things
To use a cover to actually protect the aircraft, you need a huge cover, wing covers, elevators covers, etc. I know someone who did it (Stefan, who got killed last week) and he had a whole set made, at some big price, and it was a huge hassle because e.g. the wing and elevator covers break off the static wicks when put on and taken off. In the end he didn’t use it (was hangared anyway) and very kindly sent me some of it in case I can use it. I could have actually used some of it because for a year or two I was in a hangar with a really bad birdsh*it problem, but that just shifts the birdsh*it from the plane onto the covers which are very difficult to clean due to their size.
OTOH if you don’t have a hangar then you have to do “something” otherwise the plane will just rot. What happens in reality is that airfields which don’t have hangarage don’t get any half decent planes based there in the first place (I wonder if they ever realise why – probably not)….
Christophe wrote:
What do the cover actually cover against?
For southern sunny countries,>50*C cabin temperatures are usual .Imagine how your electronics,plastics,windshields and fabrics suffer from that.
For northern rainy-haily countries and leaky cabins,they block much of the seeping humidity .
Frames are not so sensitive except composites in summer.
Peter wrote:
OTOH if you don’t have a hangar then you have to do “something” otherwise the plane will just rot. What happens in reality is that airfields which don’t have hangarage don’t get any half decent planes based there in the first place (I wonder if they ever realise why – probably not)….
LFMA is an overcrowded field, where hangarage is unavailable and possibility to build a hangar limited, because they don’t want to rent the needed surface.
I can think of few SR22s and a very nice TB21 (owned by an older and much more wealthy MD), sleeping outside equally.
Luxury at my place is to have concrete apron instead of mud (lots of plane there too).
So, mine may rot, but I try to do something in the mean time…
Our experience with covers and a fabric covered plane:
Cover over the cabin while outside is VERY useful: keeps the sun off the avionics, and keeps the temperatures down. Even here where the OAT rarely exceeds 20 deg C, keeping the interior cool while parked helps.
I’ve considered wing covers, but I’m a bit concerned that will end up trapping moisture too much. Our aircraft sits outside during the summer (because the only way we can get in and out of the AGC hangar is sideways, which requires at least two people to do) and the fabric lasted the expected amount of time despite the lack of airframe covers. I think it helps during the summer that if it does rain, the moisture evaporates quickly without a heavy cover (and we park in a spot that’s shaded most of the day so the sun isn’t beating down on the aircraft all day).
Check out vertigo, they are UK based: http://www.vertigocovers.co.uk
Here are some more informations.
The question of engine cover, is not really clear, between those who advise to and those who are firmly opposite.
(One point that should be pointed out: engine cover helps setting up the whole set into winds…)
Here is a quotation from Cambrai, I inquired about this point:
I always feel that it is best to cover the engine cowling. Not only does this make the cover very much easier to fit with one person, the engine bay is protected from ingress of weather and small feathery and furry creatures that like to make their homes where it is warm!. It is a really great idea to fit the cover as soon as possible after landing, as this slows the rate of engine cooling and keeps the formation of condensation at a low level. This leads to easier engine starting, especially in the cold weather, and generally helps to keep the engine bay clean and tidy.
Cambrai also states their fabric is produced in a totally controlled environnement (spain), and thus is of better quality than Sunbrella.
At last, their price tag is quite high, 860£ + VAT + delivery for cabin + engine cover, significantly higher that Bruce, or PlaneCover (but the latter won’t provide engine cover).
So, in the end, I have a meeting with one of the airport manager in January to see how we could build a hangar… 
Why would you need an engine cover? Cowling plugs block the two front holes and stop rain and wind driven debris getting in there. Covering the outside of the fibreglass casing isn’t going to much more to slow down the heat loss, but also I don’t see that keeping the engine warm for extra time is helpful. Maybe it is but I can’t see why. One should fly for an hour or so always, to boil the water out of the oil.
If birds get in from the bottom then it isn’t flying often enough
A hangar is the best thing by 100x – also you can do maintenance in there (if you play your cards right) and save thousands a year just via that.
Does anyone know where I could get hold of plugs for the air intake in Europe? I would like to avoid having birds nesting in my engine compartment… Someone told me that the aircraft cover manufacturers could be a good place to start.
I think Bruce cover produce some.
But if there are any other provider, in Europe, would be interesting.
