Sealing controls on a glider is one of the easiest and most effective tuning measures. When done right it improves the performance and the control feel. So this is how you do it:

1. Step: Get the stuff you need

To be specific:

  • Alcohol – to remove grease and fat – also helps to endure the long hours of concentration
  • Masking tape – to help you hold stuff in place
  • Double-sided tape (the red thing in the picture)
  • Teflon textile tape (the yellow-gold thing in the picture)
  • Mylar bent tape
  • White Tesa thin cover tape
  • Sharp scissors and cutter with a new (!) blade
  • Cleaning cloth
  • Patience

 

2. Step: Move the wing to the edge of the support and deflect the aileron, securing it in full downward deflected position.

3. Step: Remove the old mylar and clean the surface

Make sure surface is completely free of old adhesive and free of grease.

If you don’t want to undo everything you just did, than keep your fingers away.

 

Step: 4. Step: Apply the double sided tape

As you see above the manufacturer already prepared the rudder seal groove. Begin applying the tape on the left side of the wing, so that you can guide the tape with your right hand – makes it much easier. Don’t stick the part of the tape you touch with your fingers to the wing, leaving 2-3 cm of tape hanging over the edge.

After you’re done with the tape carefully trim the edges. Don’t cut into the paint.

It is very important to push all the bubbles of trapped air away from underneath of the tape

 

5. Step: Clean the surface with alcohol again.

Make sure aileron is clean as well

 

6. Step: Apply the Teflon tape

First prepare the edge of the teflon tape, because you won’t be able to make it later without damaging the surface. Than roll it out and cut it to the approximate length securing it in place with masking tape.

Than peel part of the protective foil off using your cutter, without touching the adhesive with your fingers and apply to the edge of the wing.

Don’t stick the teflon tape to the aileron just yet.

continue in this manner until the whole length of the aileron is done. Than start, using a clean cloth, sinking some material into the wing-aileron gap first doing the hinges. Than  start slowly sticking the tape to the aileron using the clean cloth, swiping across the surface of the tape. Start at one hinge and work your way to the middle between another hinge. When you’re at ~1/3 the distance start at the opposite hinge, repeating the steps above until the whole tape is applied. If you did it right it should look like this:
Than trim the edges.

7.Step: Apply the mylar

Roll out the mylar, prepare one edge (Note the 45°  cut off that faces the aileron), cut it to approximate length (2-3cm longer) and secure in place with masking tape.tthan peal a small peace of protective film of the double sided tape and carefully stick the mylar on to it.When you’re applying the mylar, keep it constantly under high tension with your second hand. That will prevent this from happening:and trim the edges again when you’re done.

Step 8: Apply the Tesa tape

Tape the gap between the groove and mylar over. And voila:

If you’re bothered by the golden color of the teflon tape, don’t worry, it gets white with time (UV Light).

Step 8: Open a beer. 🙂

Gliding, Pimp my glider

March 2, 2012

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