My nose bowl is also cracked, so I bought a somewhat better one on E Bay and I am fixing it. Whenever I get to install it, I will keep the other one, to fix it at leisure... Eliacim
> Thanks, Hartmut. It sounds like cowling cracks are part of the cost > of doing business. I mentioned my problem to the owner of a flight > school and maintenance shop, and he said that he had cracked > cowlings that needed repair on his Cessna planes. It seems like > every used nose cowling that I have seen on eBay has some patchwork > done on them. I guess there is just no way to isolate cowling from > the vibrations of the engine. > > Thanks. > > Frank Nelson > N51DV - 415C > TOA > > --- In [email protected], "Hartmut Beil" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > wrote: >> >> Frank. >> >> All Ercoupe cowlings seem to crack. >> It is just a matter of time. Fixing them with a patch is the way > for a fast success. A new cowling presumingly needs time to be > fitted accordingly and it is just a matter of time until it cracks > too. >> I think I remember someone stating that cracks happen even to the > fiberglass bowls - there seems to be no way out. >> I had mine repaired a few times over the few years I owned it. >> >> I assume a vibrating engine is contributing to the problem. >> >> >> Hartmut >> >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: fnelson913 >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 6:52 PM >> Subject: [ercoupe-tech] Cracking Up >> >> >> 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 >> > > >
