cessnaford wrote:Gentleman,
I have read the posts about the metalized wings, but I can't find anyone listing specific pros/cons (other than originallity or future repairs)...Or should I spring for a fabric wing? (bear in mind I am after Functionality and Practicality)
Here are a few pros/cons:
Pro: 1-
No more need for regular replacement of fabric. Con: 1- With modern fabrics OR metal, not much opportunity to see inside the wing because
no more need for regular replacement of fabric. (One advantage of fabric wings is their easy/fequent-access for deep interior wing inspections and repairs. This opportunity is virtually lost with metallized wings, consequently the additional, necessary structure of the wings does not receive the regular inspection/repair it's designers originally expected it to receive.)
Con: 2- Metal skins are not only heavier than fabric, ...the entire wing-design is now heavier than it needs to be for it's relative strength. (Compression struts and brace-wires and associated hardware not required in all-metal wing designs, but they are required in fabric-wing designs. Therefore a metallized fabric wing is unnecessarily heavy. As a matter of fact, when Cessna went from the fabric winged 170 to the all-metal 170-A the aircraft LOST approximately 20 lbs of empty weight.)
Con: 3- Modern fabrics and coatings are much more durable than original cotton/linens and new/recent recoverings are likely to outlast present ownership periods, even if stored outside. (With modern materials, the emphasis from damage due to, the outside storage is generally more damaging of the entire airframe....same as with all-metal aircraft.)
Plus, the loss of originality is a factor to many potential purchasers of future. (It should be pretty obvious by now that I would encourage you to recover with modern fabric and not metallize your wings.) IMO
