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Wing Walk material?

O

okent

Member
Just got my RV10 back from paint and would like to put some sort of nonslip protection on the wing walk area.
Any suggestions? I was thinking skateboard tape but am open to other options.

Thanks
 
Use wing walk compound. Mask off the seat well with high quality masking tape and use a paint roller.

I used adhesive tape and head it peel off in the summer. Made a big mess.
 
On the recommendation of a friend after having both the Vans and ACS products disappoint; got some really hearty skateboard traction material that seems to be adhering well and very good grip even wet or snow!
 
Van's sells wing walk nonslips, mine have held for almost 20 years, though my baby's usually hangared.
As far as wing walk non-slip compound, not sure. I bought and applied some on a previous aircraft. Supposedly good boating product (don't recall the brand), it sure was easy to apply, looked good (had a light grey on a white wing), but the non-slip action wore off pretty quick, so it had to be reapplied every other year. Hope the stuff you ordered holds better.
 
okent said:
Just got my RV10 back from paint and would like to put some sort of nonslip protection on the wing walk area.
Any suggestions? I was thinking skateboard tape but am open to other options.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Try boardpusher.com, custom wing walk tape. I applied mine yesterday. Pick a font have fun.
 

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I find the 3M safety walk works well and lasts a long time. The stuff you paint on doesn’t seem to last.
 
Mine was the original stuff from Vans that was put on about 20 years ago. The “RV-8” was flaking off at the edges and the borders around the outside were starting to fray. I peeled them off both sides and used a rubber eraser wheel on a drill and it did a fantastic job getting the remaining residue off. Made a bit of a mess but easy clean up. Thoroughly wiped down the area with alcohol and I used the precut 12” x 30” wing walk from Flyboys. It was super easy to trim and apply. Looks great, easy to wipe off dirt and dust dirt and no issues so far. The Flyboys stuff is good quality and about half the price of Acft Spruce or Vans.
flyboyaccessories.com

Flightseal WingWalk Sheet Precut 30 inch Length

Save a few bucks by ordering precut lengths in our most popular size (12″ x 30″). Flightseal Wing Walk sheet is self-adhesive and easily cut with scissors. This durable, non-skid surface is also non-abrasive. This embossed vinyl wing walk material is easy on your knees and has no sandpaper-like...
flyboyaccessories.com flyboyaccessories.com
 
I bought an adhesive type product that’s claimed it was specifically for aircraft. I wish I could remember the brand. One day I was flying when it was about 110 degrees outside and I look out the window and it had peeled off the wing. The plane had sat on the ramp for a couple hours, which didn’t help.

The wing walk compound has held up well for several years and seems to tolerate heat well. Even if you need to touch it up every couple years, I think it’s a better product for flying in the south west US where it gets super hot.
 
2+ on Vic's recommendation. Put mine on in 1997 and will be replacing it this year just because. I used three parallel one inch strips up the wing with a single short strip snugged up to the bottom of those three. Good grip. No edge curling. I rounded off the leading edge of the three strips. Darker grey color.
 
This thread came up a few months ago.... I used one from a skateboard shop for about $12. About 5 years old, around 100 hours of flight a year and still looks good.
 

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Yeah, for about $12 from amazon, I got a roll of 12 or 11" x 44" hexagon patterned grip material. Cut it into two strips of 10"x20" and rounded the corners. I think the rounded corners are important to fend off future peeling. Plane is kept in hangar, but I'm happy with the way it has solved the problem so far. Sorry no pics handy. Pressing it on with a hard roller helps to keep it flat and not trapping bubbles.

"S&X - Grip Tape for Skateboards, 11" x 44", Mesh Pattern Designed Coarse Texture Non-Slip Surface Longboard Skateboard Grip Tape, Black"​

 
Anyone have any recommendations for a temporary wing walk material? We're going to fly our RV9A primed until completion of testing, then paint. We're just looking for a temporary solution that will remove easy for painting later? What about just a piece of vinyl?
 
Note - it is not a good idea to apply wing walk material any wider than the reinforced skin area as it could result in cracks along the rivet lines. Most vulnerable spot for cracking is the rivets along the rear spar just outboard of the reinforced walk area.
 
Can't vouch for brand or quality, but if you want to see this material "up close and personal" before purchase, many times recreational vehicle dealerships have it in stock. Camper and the other "RV" (Motorhome) people use it by the ton......
 
I used this wingwalk from FlyBoy. Easy to use and so far is fine - 1 1/2 years so far, hangared:

flyboyaccessories.com

Flightseal WingWalk Sheet

Flightseal Wing Walk sheet is self-adhesive and easily cut with scissors. This durable, non-skid surface is also non-abrasive. This embossed vinyl wing walk material is easy on your knees and has no sandpaper-like grit which can come off and scratch your paint. Instead, the texture and non-skid...
flyboyaccessories.com flyboyaccessories.com
 
Purchased my RV-6 wing walk material from Van's Aircraft 25 or so years ago and they have held up excellent. Would look even better if I were to clean them with cleaner and a scrub brush.
 
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