The number of ways that I can be interrupted from completing my checkride seem to be without end. I only want a few more hours of practice and a couple of more hours with an instructor to review my practical test skills. Unfortunately I have a nose cowling that is cracking up. It had a patched crack going from the prop hole to toward the cylinder cooling vent. It originally (when I got the Coupe) had a reinforcing plate riveted in place. Since I have been flying again, one side of the rivets came out and the crack extended all the way across. I secured the crack with a temporary fix using duct tape on the back and did some touch and go practice work until I could get my A&P to work on it. The next time I checked it, I now had new cracks (three more) in different places with one parallel to original crack that was threatening to dispatch a 6 by 8 inch section of the cowling into the great unknown. Reluctantly, I have grounded my Ercoupe until I have an acceptable solution. So I have a few questions that I would hope that I could get someone to entertain. Thank you in advance.
1) Is my cowling a goner - can it be effectively repaired? 2) I know that a new cowling from Univair costs close to nine bills. Not that I don't know that owning an aircraft is an expensive habit, but I just got out of an annual that took a $3k notch out of my budget. Are used nose cowlings available in reasonable condition for reasonable prices (the one on eBay has holes and cut-outs that I don't need)? 3) My A&P asked if I could be a fiberglass cowling. I know that there are after market cowlings from Kenney, but I got the impression that they were out of business. Are Kenney nose cowlings still available and are they better than a metal one? Thanks to everyone. Frank Nelson N51DV - 415C TOA
