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Using clearbra film to place on the wing leading edge to remove more easily insect

Conifer

Member
As anyone been using 3M film to protect the leading edge of the wing and so remove more easily insect with a sponge and water rather than using a more abrasiv even non scratch product. Any effect on the stall (speed or others)
 
As anyone been using 3M film to protect the leading edge of the wing and so remove more easily insect with a sponge and water rather than using a more abrasiv even non scratch product. Any effect on the stall (speed or others)

Depending on how thick it is and where the edge is, it could have an influence on stall.
I have found the best practice for make bug removal easy is to keep the leading edges well waxed.
On our company airplanes we gave been using Griot's Best of Show spray wax on the airplanes for a couple years now and it helps a lot.
 
RE: Cleaning insects off aircraft wing leading edges

A hgih-quality wax and/or paint sealant does make it much easier to remove splatted-on insects from your wing's leading edge.

We've had a lot of great customer feedback - including from RV owners - telling us that it is MUCH easier to remove insects, dirt, etc. using our products, especially our Paint Sealant.

Purchase our SUPERBIRD Paint Sealant using this link and we will donate $3.00 from every purchase to Doug Reeves/Vans Air Force:

https://www.superbirdclean.com/prod...to-vans-air-force?_pos=1&_sid=f2db9c117&_ss=r

(P.S. - feel free to pass around this link - even to your non-RV aviation friends - and we will still honor the $3.00 donation with each purchase to Doug/VAF) ;)
 
A spray bottle with some water in it is a great way to remove bugs. Spray water on, let sit for a few seconds, and come back over it with a microfiber cloth. Bugs come right off.

At least the bugs we get here in BC. Those Colorado bugs may be different. :p
 
2nd Spray Bottle

I keep a spray bottle with water and a few drops of Dawn dish soap. I wipe down off the bugs after every flight, basically all the leading edges. I do the legs fairings and bottom of flaps less often.

This is also how I clean the plane. I never use running water and certainly not any water under pressure. Good wax a couple times a year, more often on the leading edges as the wax wears off faster with the wipe down after every flight.

Paint job is near 7yrs old and looks great! 650hrs on the plane.

Paint by Grady at GLO At 52F, it is thought as nails.

Cheers
 
As anyone been using 3M film to protect the leading edge of the wing and so remove more easily insect with a sponge and water rather than using a more abrasiv even non scratch product. Any effect on the stall (speed or others)

I am using the 3M clear bra (Pro series) on both my leading edge of the wing and HS and have not seen any adverse effect. It is really thin and super clear. My primary reason for using it has been for cleaning bug but also protecting the paint that could get chipped. My last plane had a number of small chips on the leading edge as a result of flying in rain once or twice.
 
I am using the 3M clear bra (Pro series) on both my leading edge of the wing and HS and have not seen any adverse effect. It is really thin and super clear. My primary reason for using it has been for cleaning bug but also protecting the paint that could get chipped. My last plane had a number of small chips on the leading edge as a result of flying in rain once or twice.

A process I am going to have my nephew do on my 7A is "FUSION PLUS Ceramic Coating from XPEL", really a great process and product. Getting his crew out to the hanger may be another story...

I was going to go with clear bra until I heard about this stuff.
 
I've been using a product called "BugSlide" on my leading edges for a year now. It takes just a couple of minutes with a spray bottle of BugSlide and a microfiber cloth to wipe down the leading edges after each flight.

After using it a couple of times, the bug juice doesn't etch into the paint right away. So they just wipe right off.

Some people use Pledge the same way. But, you have to leave a thick coat of Pledge on to get good results. Bugslide works a little better and you don't have a thick waxy build up on your paint job.
 
A process I am going to have my nephew do on my 7A is "FUSION PLUS Ceramic Coating from XPEL", really a great process and product. Getting his crew out to the hanger may be another story...

I was going to go with clear bra until I heard about this stuff.

Just looked into it as I had not heard about it. After watching a couple of youtube video, seems a lot of work and some concern as how long it will last.

One area of real interest to apply it, would be under the belly for oil protection and clean off.

thanks for sharing.
 
I recently started using a product called ?Wash Wax All?
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wash+wax...efix=Wash+wax+all,aps,146&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12
So far I like it. It seems to be more ?wax? than ?wash? but it takes the bugs off just fine and leaves a fresh coat of wax every time you use it. It does leave a slight wax haze after it dries completely but the haze wipes off with with very little effort. Not at all like wiping the dried wax off using a traditional paste.
 
Xpel

I used Xpel paint protection film on a Rans S-20 Raven I previously owned. I purchased 3 inch wide strips from Amazon. Self healing from small rocks and bugs and polishes just like paint.

Cleaned the surface and applied to the leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer and leading edge of landing gear. Took less than a half hour. No more rock chips from the prop.

Since it was a high wing, I did not apply it to the wings as they are out of the prop arc. Instead I applied RejeX car wax once every couple years. Very slippery and bugs come right off.

I was introduced to Xpel PPF after I purchased my 2017 Corvette C7 Stingray. I had the car wrapped with the product. Zero rock chips on the nose or rocker panels behind the sticky tires that throw small rocks. 10 year warranty.

Jim
 
I recently started using a product called ?Wash Wax All?
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=wash+wax...efix=Wash+wax+all,aps,146&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_12
So far I like it. It seems to be more ?wax? than ?wash? but it takes the bugs off just fine and leaves a fresh coat of wax every time you use it. It does leave a slight wax haze after it dries completely but the haze wipes off with with very little effort. Not at all like wiping the dried wax off using a traditional paste.

Have used this product for 15+ years for the entire plane including canopy. Works very well, and a little goes a long way
 
I do a quick pledge coat before flying on the leading edges, makes so the bugs don?t stick. Cleans real easy. Learned that from car show guys. Safe on the paint and very cheap specially buying at Costco.
 
I am using the 3M clear bra (Pro series) on both my leading edge of the wing and HS and have not seen any adverse effect. It is really thin and super clear. My primary reason for using it has been for cleaning bug but also protecting the paint that could get chipped. My last plane had a number of small chips on the leading edge as a result of flying in rain once or twice.

+1 on this. I used it on the wheel pants as well...fabulous. But I wouldn?t use any el cheapo car bra product.....it?s 3M or nothing.
 
+1 on this. I used it on the wheel pants as well...fabulous. But I wouldn?t use any el cheapo car bra product.....it?s 3M or nothing.

Bob,
Were you able to stretch it enough to go on the wheel pants. I would love to put some on my wheel pants but not sure if they can be stretch that much.
 
Bob,
Were you able to stretch it enough to go on the wheel pants. I would love to put some on my wheel pants but not sure if they can be stretch that much.

I cut it into small sections with a bit of overlap....works fine...no problems. I didn't use it on the high part of the wheel pants and that is the only place I have any stone chips....the covered parts are perfect. If I was doing it again I'd cover the lot. I also used it on the gear leg fairing...again 100%. I have a slider and I also used it on the fuselage at the turtledeck where the canopy touches the fuselage on closing and it has completely protected the paint. I also used it along the sides of the fuselage where the canopy also makes contact. And I also used it on the flaps instead of Vans dreadful UHMW tape. 440 hours and everything perfect. It's a great product. The only downside is that I had to buy a complete roll and it costs a bomb. But well worth it and highly recommended. But as I said previously I wouldn't use anything but 3M. I certainly wouldn't consider using any of the UHMW tape that Vans supplies with the kit....just junk.
 
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