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In need of moral support.

FredMagare

Well Known Member
It's after 1am and I can't sleep. I went to my airport storage to find pigeons had defecated on my (unwrapped) wings. (They can't have been there more than two weeks.) I pulled my vertical stabilizer and rudder to find the beginnings of some pretty serious corrosion.

My plan is to wash and dry all the parts and wrap them loosely in plastic. The empennage is fairly easy to rebuild if I have to but severe damage to the wings might just kill my desire to continue building (and I have just ordered a finish kit)....

Any thoughts?
 
If you clean it up and post some picture people could give a more informed opinion, but I have a funny feeling your parts are just fine. they probably just need the corrosion removed and primed.
 
If you clean it up and post some picture people could give a more informed opinion, but I have a funny feeling your parts are just fine. they probably just need the corrosion removed and primed.

Thank you. I'll know more when I go out in the morning to clean them up and evaluate the parts. I'm hoping the filiform corrosion is limited to the vertical stab and rudder which were laying on the other control surfaces.

The lesson is to keep those parts clean even if just in storage. The amount of dirt that settled on them along with moisture is surely what has led to the corrosion.
 
I'm sorry those f'n birds soiled your plane. The big box stores sell some relatively cheap canvas tarps used for painting. The ones I bought were 4' wide and about 16' long - perfect for covering up wings and fuselages. Get you some of those when you get your plane cleaned up.
 
I wrapped all my stored parts in Tyvek from Home Depot. Breathes but sheds liquids. Not sure how it would do with pigeon poop though.
 
Take a deep breath, if it's only been a couple of weeks I doubt the corrosion is that bad. Wash it off, and scrub with a scotch brite pad and I bet it looks good as new. The only problem I would foresee is if you plan on polishing instead of paint.

Bob burns
Rv4 n82rb
 
Yep!

You should be fine. This happens all the time. You will be priming anyway as time goes on. Go down to NAPA and get some cans of I think 7072 primer. After you clean up the poop, mist coat and all will be ready for the long hall.
Birds this time of year are something we all try to get read of and never seem to do a good job of. Hope this helps, Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888
 
You should be fine. This happens all the time. You will be priming anyway as time goes on. Go down to NAPA and get some cans of I think 7072 primer. After you clean up the poop, mist coat and all will be ready for the long hall.
Birds this time of year are something we all try to get read of and never seem to do a good job of. Hope this helps, Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888

NAPA 7220 primer is what you want.
 
Fred,

My son and I can fly up this Saturday morning to help. Are you still in the end unit at the old green city t-hangers? Let me know. I still owe you for helping with the wing bolts years ago!
 
Another trick.... When I was in the navy they would put rubber snakes up in the hangers on the beams. Not full proof but it does seem to spook the birds at least for awhile.
 
UPDATE:

Ok. Just got back from cleaning things up. My pigeon guests were nowhere to be seen today (perhaps my presence dissuaded them from setting up a home in my storage unit).

Good news: the wings look good after washing off the pigeon poop! Only light surface corrosion.

Bad news: left flap has a LOT of filiform corrosion! Right flap and both ailerons have some as do some of the empennage parts.

After conducting some searches during my restlessness this morning, I found mention that control surfaces can sustain a fair amount of corrosion and cleaning before strength is affected.

The end result: I will likely be able to clean and initially fly with what I have but I will have to re-build and replace the parts eventually.

The lesson: COVER THOSE PARTS! The bird poop is annoying but not the major problem. Allowing the parts to sit, uncovered and gathering dirt is what has led to the corrosion. I didn't want to cover them with canvas as I was afraid that would retain moisture and lead to corrosion. I figured free-air was the best course of action. WRONG! I have now loosely wrapped them in plastic sheeting to keep dirt and moisture from settling on them but still allowing them to breathe.

I took a picture of the corrosion on one of the ailerons but not setup to host the photo yet....
 
Fred,

My son and I can fly up this Saturday morning to help. Are you still in the end unit at the old green city t-hangers? Let me know. I still owe you for helping with the wing bolts years ago!

Larry, thank you. I have taken care of what I can for right now. I wouldn't mind crawling through your airplane if it's in the area though.... I'm trying to figure out how to route some wiring and pitot/static lines. :confused:

I could probably use a motivational flight if you have some spare time....
 
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Let not your heart be heavy

It's after 1am and I can't sleep. I went to my airport storage to find pigeons had defecated on my (unwrapped) wings. (They can't have been there more than two weeks.) I pulled my vertical stabilizer and rudder to find the beginnings of some pretty serious corrosion.

My plan is to wash and dry all the parts and wrap them loosely in plastic. The empennage is fairly easy to rebuild if I have to but severe damage to the wings might just kill my desire to continue building (and I have just ordered a finish kit)....

Any thoughts?

Gunny,
A little elbow grease would make them good as new.
I do however, suggest 20g target rounds for the birds.

Daddyman
 
Gunny,
A little elbow grease would make them good as new.
I do however, suggest 20g target rounds for the birds.

Daddyman

My li'l buddy and I go starling hunting at the hangar door all the time. 2 x 12gauge shotguns. Some really fast wing shooting.

Rascals nest in the hangar every spring, drop pillaged robin eggs and their own poo all over the plane and floor. At least they don't roll the plane with toilet paper after they egg it. They are shown no quarter, though.
 
Pigeons-starlings

.22 birdshot quieter than my 20 ga., dep. on noise allowed. Saw a big chute draped high near the roof, over a twin in the corner yrs. back. Kept the droppings off it. Another Mont. airport mgr. uses poisoned bird seed for pigeons...maybe the Farmer's Co-Op knows where to get it, or has it.
 
Fake Owl

I bought one of those Owls and it kind of worked but not how you would expect. The birds would land on its head and poop all over it instead of the plane.
(Funny thing, I originally wrote c r a p but it was censored).
 
SO down at an airport local to me there’s a Comanche 250that looks like it’s been there for 50 years, the plane is destroyed, Corroded something awful. So I asked if it was the salt air because it’s 1 mile or so from the beach. My buddy who owns a large hangar for his aviation business (banner towing etc) says nope, it’s the bird poo. I asked how long it had been sitting in the hangar he said 2 years, ��

He said it was mint condition when parked there and the owner has yet to be back to see it. Imagine that Guys surprise when he sees that airplane.

All the airplanes in the open hangars around it are in good shape and been there longer just get washed off regularly. Who knew bird poo could be so corrosive and this was a painted airplane. The whole roof Truss area is filled with bird nests above it.


Wasn’t about to post this until after I read your outcome was OK BTW. Glad it mostly worked out for you,

Figured I’d post this so more people knew how much of an issue this can be.
 
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