Ralf,
Some builders put the wings together with Hysol 9360. It is blue
in color after it is mixed and applied. Are you sure that is not what you
are seeing on the leading edges?
I am having trouble imagining brown rubber or wet spots on the leading
edges. There should be no fuel in those areas.
Bill B
From: Lancair Mailing List [mailto:lml@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of bronnenmeier@GROBSYSTEMS.COM
Sent: Friday, August 15, 2008 4:26
PM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: [LML] leaking wing on IVP
Dear subscribers,
I need some help/advise. I purchased a used IVP with 250
hrs. It did not look very nicely and I knew that it needed some work. I had a
pre purchase inspection/anual done at Lancair and they confirmed that
everything was in a working condition and that the airplane was safe to fly.
Based on this I made my purchase decision.
I took the airplane apart and I am rebuilding it right now
(I did not have the money for a new kit). After painting the wings we got a
paint bubble during the buffing in the sun. I dug into bubble and found some of
that brown rubber under the primer (the sealer that is used to seal the inside
of fuel tanks - unfortunately I decided to just grind of the original paint and
leave the primer on) I decided to grind of all the paint and primer around my
leading edge and found that brown rubber stuff on several spots along the
leading edge. After removing the rubber I found wet spots in the carbon fiber.
After looking at the wing closer I found blue stains on the very outside of the
leading edge (visible by looking into the wing after removing the winglets).
This probably should have been found by Lancair during the annual/pre purchase
inspection.
I think my whole leading edge is soaked with fuel since I
see stains where no fuel tank is. I would also consider this as a safety
concern. My friends from the FBO here think the design of a wing without any
inspection panels is hazardous anyway. So I won’t find much help there.
One professional Lancair builder recommended to paint the outside of the wing
with sealer paint – I don’t feel very comfortable with his advice.
Can anyone give me advise on how to fix this right. I would
also feel more comfortable if I would have professional help on this –
any advise on this? Do you think I would have any success asking Lancair for
help on this since I purchased the plane based on their evaluation.
Ralf Bronnenmeier
Bluffton, OH 45817
Phone: (419) 369 12 33
E-mail: bronnenmeier@grobsystems.com