Heard a boss say 'just use speed tape' for everything and it bugged me

I was working in a hangar in Dallas last month and overheard a lead tell a new guy to just slap speed tape on a loose fairing. Said it would hold fine for six months. I got it, it's quick, but that stuff peels off fast on hot tarmac and leaves a mess. Has anyone else had a job where speed tape caused more problems than it fixed?

2 comments

2 Comments

lily5113d ago

That bit about speed tape leaving a mess is spot on. I remember reading somewhere that some airlines actually banned the stuff on certain parts because the residue was worse than the original problem.

xena_taylor642d ago

Wait wait wait, they actually banned speed tape on some parts? That's wild to me. I always thought speed tape was like the duct tape of aviation, you just slap it on and it works. But if airlines are banning it then the residue must be a real nightmare, like leaving a sticky film that attracts dirt and makes it harder to fix later. I guess if the tape gunk gets into sensors or seals it could cause bigger problems than a loose panel. That's honestly shocking, I never knew it could be that bad.