Noticed one of my window rocker switches was a bit loose this morning, further investigation reveal one of the little tabs had broken off. Seeing as I live in the stick, and I found the tab inside the switch I used a little trick I discovered when I was flying and needed to fix stone chips in carbon fibre props....Super Glue and Baking soda!

You can fix all kinds of stuff with this combo, its extraordinarily strong, you can sand it, file it and it really holds on. On a 72" prop at 3500rpm the tips are approaching sonic speed and never had a repair fail.

Use the liquid super glue, not gel, apply glue as you would normally for a repair, then sprinkle baking soda over it. The soda catalyzes the glue is some way, its mildly exothermic and it will make your eyes sting if you get too close. Just keep adding a little more glue and more soda as you deem necessary.

Rocker switch fixed, no 40 mile trip to town to source a part! Sorted!

Hope this might be useful to someone else,
Andrew

 

Wow!

That is tremondously helpful now that everything is plastic.

How did you discover the trick?

 

I gotta try this---way cool!!!

 

Will try next time a piece of the Jag plastic breaks. Been 14 years old, it happens very often. Thanks for a great tip.

 

What kind of plane did you fly? I'm guessing it was an experimental of some sort, because most production planes use metal props.

 

Great tip, thanks for sharing. I never found Super Glue quite strong enough, so this is great news.

 

Hello Sam,
Yes you are right experimentals, ultralights, trikes. Weight shift and three axis, my last was a Rans s12, 2place, about the same performance as a 150, a little slower top speed. but 2and half years ago I became a Dad for the first time at 45 so thought I better ease up on the adrenalin a tad. Sold my ZX12r last spring and bought a 4x4 ATV. So the XKR was the best of all worlds, feels like your flying, goes like stink, and the best bit, the wife loves it !

Love all you vids by the way, you sport some nice time pieces too I noticed. Curently I am wearing a Victorinox Maverick 2 Chrono.
I have to do my headrests too, you video was a big hepl, Thanks
Andrew

 

Get some Hellerman Triton shrinktube for the headrest repair. This is heavy wall shrinktube with glue on the inside and your headrests will be sorted forever

 

good idea..one for my little book

 

Wicked cool.

 

Actually just about every J3 out there runs a wooden prop, fixed a few of those too.

 

Yeah... but when was the last time a new J3 rolled off the assembly line?

 

Very cool idea; thanks.

Just curious ... does the FAA have reg's about such stuff? They're downright cranky about pilot repairs to traditional (non-ultralight) aircraft.

 

You are right of course, they are all antiques

 

Hey Dennis,
Yes the FAA does have very strict rules on repairs, my experience was primarily experimentals an ultralights.