Grob Wings

Craig Bixby reports:

Good Morning Everyone
Hope you're staying warm and that your Holiday Preparations are all going well.
During the annual maintenance and cleanup of the gliders we have found that the Gel coat on undersides of the Grob Wings is showing the definite effects of 15 plus years of being constantly flexed.
The Gel coat is cracking all along the underside of the wings. If no immediate action is taken the wings will need to be resurfaced at the end of next flying season. This would be a great expense to the club.
Ron Clarke and the Maintenance Crew have come up with a plan to extend the useful life of the coating out at least a couple more years. The process would entail blending out the cracks by wet sanding the wings, polishing out the wings with polishing (rubbing) compound, and then applying a good layer of wax.
As you can see, it is going to be a labor intensive project. Therefore, we would like everyone that is able too, meet us at the hangar this coming Saturday Morning at 930. Having enough people come out to help will ensure that the Grob will be available for New Years Day flying.
Thanks,
The Maintenance Crew

Nyal Williams responds:

Thanks, Craig!
Let me add that we need a dozen guys at least. At least six on the leading edge and six on the trailing edge. It is extremely slow work because it has to be done with very fine grit sandpaper and polishing compound.
If we have this many people, about two hours or so of work should take care of the sanding on one wing. If we leave it to the four or five guys who usually show up it will be well into the Spring before we have this done. We must either do the work ourselves or pay a huge figure to have it done commercially.
Wear especially warm socks and boots and a sock cap (toboggan to any Southerners in the group). We might even arrange to have coffee and doughnuts or bagels or some such. I'll be there.
Nyal