Seaplane grommets?

[Bartman]

Which are the correct seaplane grommets to use? Aircraftspruce.com has AN231-4 but they don't look right.

AN231 Drain Grommets | Aircraft Spruce ®

AN231 Drain Grommets Manufactured from virgin cellulose acetate butyrate resin.

www.aircraftspruce.com

Any reason not to use seaplane grommets?

 

[Brice Mehlbauer]

Always got them from airtech coatings in Arkansas.

 

[Bartman]

that's them, thanks!

https://airtechcoatings.com/product/grommet-seaplane-1-ct/

 

[Bob Turner]

Are you putting a Decathlon on floats? If not, save some future grief by using normal grommets, covered with surface tape, and opened with a pencil soldering iron.

We have a Cub with them - truly messy. I have taken to using doilies with a small hole to hold replacements.

 

[Big Ed]

Are you using those on your Decathlon? Should I be ordering some?

 

[Bob Turner]

Really good for seaplanes. Unnecessary for land planes, even in damp environments. Opinion.

 

[Bruce]

I used these make sure you order extra as I also used them for trim tab and my reason is I think they look better and no this is not a float plane

 

[Bartman]

i have always heard they're preferable over the regular washer grommets. the factory is doing the wings so they'll be whatever the factory uses. maybe i'll do the tail and belly with the seaplane ones.

 

[Bruce]

Bet they will use whatever you request.

 

[Bartman]

For a tailwheel plane with the horizontal stab and aft fuselage down close to the runway/taxi surface, I'd think the highlighted text would apply.

 

[Brice Mehlbauer]

For a tailwheel plane with the horizontal stab and aft fuselage down close to the runway/taxi surface, I'd think the highlighted text would apply.

I'd definitely want them on the belly just to help keep oil out of the belly. Makes since on the tail surface as well since I get a lot of mud splashing on it

 

[Tangogawd]

Yep. we've always puts them on the belly and tail feathers, regardless of floats..... but then again, here in AK, you never know when a plane will find itself on pontoons.

 

[Bartman]

made a little template, cut a bunch of patches to hold the grommets in place and went to work. Patches might be a little bit bigger than they needed to be but that's ok