A picture of an aircraft wing with more speed tape on it than I’ve ever seen in my life has been making the rounds in social media, under the caption “This is my last time flying with Spirit Airlines!!!!!”
This is not a Spirit Airlines aircraft. It looks like a photo out of the window of a Boeing 787. Spirit operates all Airbus narrowbody planes (A319, 320, 321). If real (and I’d guess it’s doctored), the photo would understandably be alarming to a passenger. Naturally people think it shows duct tape, but that’s not used on the exterior of an aircraft.
I hope it's not off-brand #ducttape. @garyleff @n194at
— Senator Bulworth (@senatorbulworth) July 26, 2023
Customers see what looks like duct tape on a plane and get understandably concerned! But it is actually speed tape which is aluminum pressure-sensitive tape that can stick to an aircraft’s fuselage or wing at high speeds.
It is used in aviation for minor, temporary repairs on aircraft. It has high resistance to weather conditions and extreme temperatures. And its use is strictly regulated. In general, it is for temporary fixes until a more permanent repair can be made, often within a few days.
The location and nature of the damage on an aircraft determines whether use of speed tape is appropriate, consistent with FAA guidelines and the aircraft manufacturer’s structural repair manual. Speed tape is not indicated where it could potentially affect the structural integrity of the aircraft (or cause an aerodynamic issue).
So you’ll generally see it used for minor, non-structural damage such as:
- Covering minor dents or scratches that don’t affect structural integrity.
- Securing loose objects such as a panel until they can be properly fixed.
Many 787s have this issue due to paint problems on the wings. It’s not a short term situation, the speed tape can be on the wings for months until the wings can be repainted. Boeing covers this under warranty I believe as well. It’s definitely not a doctored picture, just a misinformed caption. Recurring inspections occur until the repainting occurs.
Looks similar to the 789 I flew on Oman Air. For all the talk of A350 paint issues, I’ve seen worse on 787 wings.
“Sealing small leaks like fuel or hydraulic fluid until the leaking part can be replaced or repaired.”
… does this concern anyone else?
It could be paint damage from hail. No structural damage, but cosmetic. Yep, people do get nervous, but it is just cosmetic.
If it is a 787, this is part of the same issue with CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced polymer) surfaces that was the issue for Qatar Airways with their A350s. QR said it was a safety issue while Airbus said it was not but the two finally settled and the delayed A350 orders have been resumed.
The A350 and B787 both extensively CFRP as does the A220. The 777X also has a composite wing.
The duct tape looks ugly but the bigger issue is correcting the CFRP degradation.
I don’t believe for a moment that this is not a digitally doctored photo.
Spirit’s verified Twitter account replied, “ We want to make it up to you! Please DM us your confirmation number and we’ll do all that we can to make it right.”
In Denver I once watched out my window as ground crew removed a damaged winglet off the plane I was waiting to depart in, and then used this tape to seal up the resulting hole in the end of the wing. Repairs done, off we went! Certainly had my attention!
I have never seen a wing repaired in such a manner.
Been on a couple of death trap 3rd world regional hoppers that I think used actual duct tape.
Sounds like my Adam Air flight in 2008.
Duct tape on the wings, along the fuselage interior, and where the oxygen masks were located.
They went bust a couple of weeks later, due to numerous safety (and corruption-related) issues.
As a 40 year airline mechanic, speed tape IS NOT USED TO SEAL OR REPAIR SMALL LEALS OF ANY KIND.
Do these people really believe pilot would fly his/her crew and passengers on a aircraft taped together? Many new composite aircraft are having UV degradation issues, Tape protects the integrity of the carbon fiber until it can be repainted.
They get a lot of hail in Denver. Was that aurcraft left outside during the pandrmic?
From the positioning of the tape, this looks like the same plane as shown in the second photo in this article from 3 months ago:
https://www.9news.com.au/national/silver-tape-on-qantas-plane-787-dreamliner-wing-nothing-dangerous-just-peeling-paint/78845fa3-73c2-4614-8088-e94f1129a6f9
Not really “news.” In my part of the world we’ve learned that WD-40 and duct tape you can solve may seemingly intractable problems. In some circles a can of the former and a roll of the latter are often among bar mitzvah gifts. Every man should be acquainted with and know how to use both.
The original poster has deleted the tweet.
it’s not duct tape
it’s called speed tape
big difference between the two
✈️
Temp. repair for hail damage?
Fuel tank access panels are located on top of the wing. When maintenance is accomplished, the panel must be sealed. If the sealants aren’t fully cured, speed tape is applied over wet sealant. Once the sealant is cured, the tape is removed. Neither the sealant or tape are structural, only to keep moisture out. All within Repair Manual instructions. Aircraft maintenance for 50 years.
I thought the issue was expansion. Carbon fiber does not expand very much with heat. The coefficient of thermal expansion is about one sixth that of aluminum. Paint expands similarly as aluminum. So you park your brand new carbon fibered wing, on a hot apron the paint expands more than the wing and separates from the carbon fiber.
Soooo….a dusting of snow on the wing means 1-6 hour delays because….lift.
Duct tape on the wing doesn’t affect lift….no sir.
It is not duct tape. It’s aluminum tape! A dusting of snow doesn’t cause a delay unless it sticks to the surface.
You rather they not fix the wing?
People’s ignorance can cause descension and irrevocable damage to a business and people.
Aluminum speed tape is used to make blistering paint more aerodynamic. Many carriers use cheap paint shops that do not apply paint correctly. If it is too humid or the paint guns use moist air the paint will blister. Speed tape is great for moving the metal but looks like crap. Av tech for 45 years.
Speed tape is our best friend! loose bolts? speed tape, too much clearance, speed tape! lil crack on the fuselage, speed tape! leaking panel, speed tape and a prayer! speed tape and deferred findings our best frineds!!! safe flying everyone ✌
People like Hayes comments above , are misleading, frightening, and down right WRONG !
The fuel tank access panels haven’t been on top of the wings of aircraft modern designs since the DC-10 days. They (we) have never used “Speed Tape” to seal any leak ever !
This wing is carbon fiber, when the paint comes off, the carbon fiber MUST be covered , protecting it from UV sunlight or it can begin to degrade. That is all that is going on here.
Any wild notions or suppositions by commenters only enforces the showing of how ignorant the public is about modern Aircraft, and maintenance. If any Airline is using Speed Tape for purposes other than cosmetic protection, or aerodynamic smoothness, they would be grounded in the us by the FAA. Enough of the social media false hype. And I Really am an A&P Mechanic and Inspector for an Airline for more than 40 years…
Just following the SRM… I didn’t say anything about fixing leaks. I said to cover curing sealant in panel gaps. Removed after sealant has cured.
BY the way, new ATR 72 have carbon wings and access on the top. Been that way since the 90s.
So what airline is it? You wrote the article.
I just flew on a Delta B737-800 which was delayed about 3 hours in Antigua (where 737 parts are presumably in short supply) as a panel on the lower fuselage was found to be missing. A technician came out, made a cardboard template, and returned with a piece of aluminium which he then duct-taped (presumably speed-taped) in place. The captain said it was FAA-approved, so off we flew, and I trust they replaced it with a real part in Atlanta!