Wikipedia has a good entry on the material we are using:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum
Here's an interesting snippet:
Conor
RV-9A 90990 fuselage
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum
Here's an interesting snippet:
For example, just a small amount of mercury applied to the surface of a piece of aluminium can break up the aluminium oxide barrier usually present. Within a few hours, even a heavy structural beam can be significantly weakened. For this reason, mercury thermometers are not allowed on many airliners, as aluminium is a common structural component in aircraft.
I guess that means mercury could eat the anodised layer off your wing spars or center section. If anyone has a reason to take a mercury thermometer in/near their RV, that's a good reason not to.Conor
RV-9A 90990 fuselage