Cracked fabric former on aft fuselage?

[Bob Turner]

2003 Decathlon with pretty much brand new Aerothane (hopefully stock colors):

The crack is right where you might expect a club member would push with his/her hip when trying to swing the tail around. The mechanic says it is cracked right at the eyelet.

I can get a photo, but it is almost invisible on the outside.

If it were mine I would worry about something else for a couple years, but it is not mine, it is a rental airplane, and an official repair shop gets to sign it off. It does fly acro.

So I suggested going in through the belly and gluing on a reinforcement. Sort of a minor alteration kind of thing that may involve some kind of reinforcing block at the eyelet, and a doubled stringer. If it were structural, it would require a 10-1 splice and reinforcing plates, but as far as I can tell, none of the woodwork is structural in any sense other than supporting the fabric shape.

Opinions?

 

[Nuchatlitz]

Not uncommon, not pushing there should be part of a quality checkout on the aircraft. Bought mine the same, not worrying about it. I agree not structural, depends what token repair the shop wants to see.

 

[Tangogawd]

I would agree it is a minor. Add some anti-chafe to the broken section to protect the fabric. Shrink the fabric if it’s not tight, and add a “NO PUSH” vinyl decal.