MY DA40 has the pox

Any DA40 related topics

Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray

User avatar
Rich
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 4592
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:40 pm
First Name: Rich
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N40XE
Airports: S39 Prineville OR
Has thanked: 145 times
Been thanked: 1180 times

Re: MY DA40 has the pox

Post by Rich »

Tommy wrote:
Lance Murray wrote:yes, the blisters diminished and hardened after the plane dried out and some time passed.
Did you or anyone experiencing the same problem actually break open a blister and observe water or just an empty dry shell?
I thought this a worthwhile suggestion. So today I took the plane up to get all the standing water off the wings. I figured I could pop one off the wingtip I expect to be getting redone next month. It turns out these things are very hard. I figured they would pop open and reveal primer or glass underneat, with or without water trapped in there. No go. I didn't succeed in breaking any open. I'll see what we find when sandpaper gets taken to it next month.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
Tommy
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 801
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:48 am
First Name: Tommy
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N591CA
Airports: KCGF
Has thanked: 3 times
Been thanked: 33 times

Re: MY DA40 has the pox

Post by Tommy »

Rich, in my opinion I would consider your findings troublesome. I hope it isn't the resin itself that is lifting.
Let us know what your findings are.
User avatar
Rich
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 4592
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:40 pm
First Name: Rich
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N40XE
Airports: S39 Prineville OR
Has thanked: 145 times
Been thanked: 1180 times

Re: MY DA40 has the pox

Post by Rich »

Soooo. Got the wingtip reworked. The "bubbles' are actually in the primer. The wingtip had to be sanded down to the carbon fiber. There's no composite delamination or resin deterioration. But the shop says it's definitely a problem with surface prep or the initial primer mixing or application. Perhaps not allowing the initial primer coat enough time to cure before applying the next layer of primer or paint.

There aren't any actual voids in those little "bubbles". They are something forming of the primer itself. Why it took all these years to materialize is a mystery.

The conclusion of the shop is that it is not critical to get this problem rectified and it's strictly a cosmetic defect. But I may take it to London one of these days so the factory can see it first hand (since they maintain they never heard of such a thing).
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
User avatar
Tim H
4 Diamonds Member
4 Diamonds Member
Posts: 453
Joined: Wed Dec 29, 2010 3:44 pm
First Name: Tim
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N233MA
Airports: KMGY
Been thanked: 34 times

Re: MY DA40 has the pox

Post by Tim H »

Rich - glad to hear it's strictly cosmetic and nothing more serious. It will be interesting to hear what the factory says.
User avatar
Steve
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1953
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:23 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N432SC
Airports: 1T7
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 493 times

Re: MY DA40 has the pox

Post by Steve »

The last post in this thread is almost 6 years old, but I felt the need to reopen it...

Actually, I finished my Annual Inspection today, and after I put the airplane back together, I always give it a thorough wax job. This year was no different, but I noticed some pinpoint paint defects on the control surfaces and wingtips. Nothing on the fuselage or wing skins. See the photo below:
IMG_2682.jpg
Not sure what to make of them. They aren't really noticeable unless you get very close. In the photo, you can see them best adjacent to the reflection of the fluorescent light. Overall, the paint on my 18 year old airframe actually looks pretty good, as it has always been hangared. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else had seen anything like this, but since my airplane is one of the oldest DA-40s flying, and I just noticed it this year...

Steve
User avatar
Lance Murray
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1163
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:25 pm
First Name: Lance
Aircraft Type: DA40
Airports:
Has thanked: 7 times
Been thanked: 118 times

Re: MY DA40 has the pox

Post by Lance Murray »

It seems you suffer from the same issue as everyone else in this serial number range.
User avatar
astaib
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:00 pm
First Name: Arnaud
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: FGNJX
Airports: LFPX
Has thanked: 244 times
Been thanked: 51 times

Re: MY DA40 has the pox

Post by astaib »

I will check mine tomorrow.

Serial number 40.026
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
User avatar
Steve
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1953
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:23 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N432SC
Airports: 1T7
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 493 times

Re: MY DA40 has the pox

Post by Steve »

Lance Murray wrote: Sat Mar 02, 2019 7:37 pm It seems you suffer from the same issue as everyone else in this serial number range.
Probably, but the 'lesions' that Rich described are different than what mine has, and mine are just on the 'small' parts (flaps, ailerons, wingtips). Nothing visible on the rest of the airplane (at least, yet).

Steve
User avatar
Rich
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 4592
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:40 pm
First Name: Rich
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N40XE
Airports: S39 Prineville OR
Has thanked: 145 times
Been thanked: 1180 times

Re: MY DA40 has the pox

Post by Rich »

Steve wrote: Sat Mar 02, 2019 8:21 pm
Lance Murray wrote: Sat Mar 02, 2019 7:37 pm It seems you suffer from the same issue as everyone else in this serial number range.
Probably, but the 'lesions' that Rich described are different than what mine has...
These kind of look the same as mine. Little tiny bumps randomly protruding from the surface. Sort of hemispherical with a horizontal diameter of .5-ish mm and vertical protrusion maybe half that. Now they are on all upward-facing surfaces on the plane, to varying degrees of bumps-per-sq. meter.

But they all seem to be the same size. I've recently acquired a better set of calipers and will try to get better measurements as soon as I can clear the glacier from in front of my hangar :scream:
Last edited by Rich on Sat Mar 02, 2019 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
User avatar
Steve
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1953
Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2010 1:23 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N432SC
Airports: 1T7
Has thanked: 81 times
Been thanked: 493 times

Re: MY DA40 has the pox

Post by Steve »

I'll try to get some accurate measurements next time I am out at the hangar. No snow here, but weather has been lousy. Good month to have done my Annual - I didn't miss many good flying days...
Post Reply