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- Dec 27, 2017
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I just wanted to bounce my experience off some others who are familiar with the process of spraying a cherokee with a fogger.
I had the local shop at my field - a very well respected and long time in business outfit - do a full corrosion X spray down to my airplane since it is now based in Florida. It took them a good while to get to it, but they finally did. They did it yesterday.
However, when I saw the airplane after, I couldn't tell it had been done other than that they had obviously replaced a ton of screws with new ones. It was truly obvious that they had pulled the tips, inspection plates, etc. But, what was lacking was the dripping I'd been warned about by others. I fully expected a weeping airplane. I figured the bottom of the fuse and wings would have streaks of fluid oozing out and that it would drip on my hangar floor for weeks. However, the bottom of the airplane was bone dry. Not a drop.
I climbed into the rear and pulled the hatch and shined a light down the tail and it looked dry in there too. I couldn't tell that it was sprayed, visually.
So I went over to the shop and talked to the owner and he said that they sprayed the heck out of it. They sprayed a half gallon into it and the metal just soaked it all right up. He said that there are pores in aluminum, very small, and that if an airplane is being sprayed for the first time, it'll just soak it all up. He said the protective film is there, none the less. He said if I were to rub my finger along the metal, I'd feel a thin film there and that is what you want to see. He was emphatic that they sprayed the heck out of this thing. But, he recommended that since it did soak it all up and that it was obviously the first time the airplane has ever been sprayed, that I spray it again at the next annual, in April. I would think that the "next" spray down might start to yield the telltale drips. I'm 100% onboard with spraying it again in 9 months.
For now, based on our conversation, I feel good about it. But, I'll admit, I expected a messier affair. The airplane is clean, dry, and happy. I expected drips, oozing, and obvious wet looking metal.
I went flying last night and smelled corrosion X the whole flight while sitting in the cockpit - more evidence it was truly done.
Just curious if this sounds right.
I had the local shop at my field - a very well respected and long time in business outfit - do a full corrosion X spray down to my airplane since it is now based in Florida. It took them a good while to get to it, but they finally did. They did it yesterday.
However, when I saw the airplane after, I couldn't tell it had been done other than that they had obviously replaced a ton of screws with new ones. It was truly obvious that they had pulled the tips, inspection plates, etc. But, what was lacking was the dripping I'd been warned about by others. I fully expected a weeping airplane. I figured the bottom of the fuse and wings would have streaks of fluid oozing out and that it would drip on my hangar floor for weeks. However, the bottom of the airplane was bone dry. Not a drop.
I climbed into the rear and pulled the hatch and shined a light down the tail and it looked dry in there too. I couldn't tell that it was sprayed, visually.
So I went over to the shop and talked to the owner and he said that they sprayed the heck out of it. They sprayed a half gallon into it and the metal just soaked it all right up. He said that there are pores in aluminum, very small, and that if an airplane is being sprayed for the first time, it'll just soak it all up. He said the protective film is there, none the less. He said if I were to rub my finger along the metal, I'd feel a thin film there and that is what you want to see. He was emphatic that they sprayed the heck out of this thing. But, he recommended that since it did soak it all up and that it was obviously the first time the airplane has ever been sprayed, that I spray it again at the next annual, in April. I would think that the "next" spray down might start to yield the telltale drips. I'm 100% onboard with spraying it again in 9 months.
For now, based on our conversation, I feel good about it. But, I'll admit, I expected a messier affair. The airplane is clean, dry, and happy. I expected drips, oozing, and obvious wet looking metal.
I went flying last night and smelled corrosion X the whole flight while sitting in the cockpit - more evidence it was truly done.
Just curious if this sounds right.
