In the last week, a photo went viral on social networks after a enger observed and questioned the use of tapes on the wing of a plane, the episode took place on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
Outside of social networks, there is a broad debate involving airline operators and regulators, aiming to reduce the concern of engers in these cases, mainly due to the content that the aircraft is flying with some serious structural damage.
Both the FAA, EASA, Boeing and Airbus have already commented on the matter, and all companies claim that the use of these tapes and stripped wings do not affect safety.
Both the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350 recently experienced problems involving paint peeling, a situation that, depending on the location, can be repaired with the use of Speed Tape until the plane is in a base that can carry out more in-depth maintenance and suitable.
Faced with the great repercussions on the use of tapes on the wing of an airplane, many people pointed out that the use of tapes would be a way for the airline to “save money, aiming at profit before safety”, a statement that may be wrong, due to the fact that such tape is made exactly for use in aircraft, as we will explain below.
Speed tape: the famous tape used on the wings of planes that can cause distrust in engers
Used for small repairs on aircraft fuselages and automobile cars, Speed Tape is a very resistant aluminum tape for temporary repairs. In aviation, the appearance of small breakdowns in aircraft is quite common, which does not necessarily mean that such breakdowns can make the use of these aircraft unfeasible, of course, such a decision requires a detailed and responsible evaluation by the team of mechanics. These breakdowns can occur in the structure or even in the electronic systems of an airplane, but calm down! This does not mean that the plane is not prevented from flying.
In the case of Speed Tape, which is most often confused with a simple 'adhesive tape', it can resist water, fire, solvents, high speeds, including the ability to reflect heat and UV light, ideal for covering cracks through sealing, patches on non-critical components, it is even widely used for patches on the fuselage of war aircraft when they are hit by shots.
As previously mentioned, the use of speed tape requires authorization by teams of mechanics and engineers after a thorough evaluation for the execution of the procedures, and improper use can result in heavy fines for operators.
