Warbird Information Exchange

James, it seems that this issue could in fact have some effect in Europe at least, this from a mutual acquaintance, who I hope won't mind me posting it:

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We flyers of old aircraft do have very much of an interest in what you are doing. The reason for it is very long in the tooth. The EASA as they are now known, have produced a list of aircraft that do not have to be maintained to their standards. It is in euro speak called Annex II aircraft. The complete list is on the link below:
http://www.easa.eu.int/ws_prod/c/doc...5-Feb-2008.pdf

The people in Brussels have agreed that AC 43-13 is the only way to keep these aircraft airbourne. So they have agreed that AC 43-13 is the only way forward for these airframes if they are not to disappear alltogether. They will be on what in euro speak is called "Permit to Fly" but they will be flying on something very, very close to the American Experimental cat.

If you can get West System into the AC 43-13 (even if it is an Advisory in America it will mean a lot more to us in Europe), then the horizons are very bright for us guys in Europe having to everything by the book!
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http://www.biplanerides1.com/

Ahh! Thanks TP! I had gone back to the Mossie pages and couldn't find it again...it's been years ago when I first read it.

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DBF

I built my first "stripper" canoe using West epoxy in 1987. Since then I've built about a dozen boats, plus many repairs.

It's good stuff, used properly, but it's not magic.

In fact, it's brittle, when mixed pure. If you let a cup of it harden for a week, chill it, then set it on a concrete floor and whack it with a hammer, it fractures like glass.

I mix it with micro-fibers, or an equivalent, to give it body. Then it has more strength -- it's much more tied-together.

I wouldn't use it pure in a structure that I wanted to have flex strength.

No quantified data gents, but I've been mixing it up for 23 years.

Dave

All epoxies are brittle, especially when cold. That is generally why they aren't used in large blocks. Once fibers are introduced, the fibers limit the strain enough to prevent the type of fracture you describe. Epoxies can also embrittle and shrink with age and environmental exposure over the years as they continue to cure. This can lead to microcracking of the resin which reduces strength and allows the intrusion of moisture.