Cozy III
Pilot’s Operating Handbook Page 58
APPENDIX III:
(Maintenance / Inspection)
COMPOSITE STRUCTURE
The COZY is painted with a white acrylic enamel or lacquer. A
barrier for UV Barrier is used (dark primer) to protect the epoxy
and foams from deterioration. Do not expose unprotected
fiberglass to sunlight for extended periods. Unpainted areas
should be retouched. The high surface durability and high safety
margins designed into the COZY make it highly resistant to
damage or fatigue. If the structure is damaged, it will show up as
a crack in the paint. The strain characteristics of the material are
such that it cannot fail internally without first cracking the paint. If
damage is suspected due to a crack in the paint or a wrinkle in
the skin, remove the paint around the crack (by sanding) and
inspect the glass structure. Do not use enamel or lacquer paint
remover. If the glass structure is damaged, it will have a white
appearing ridge or notch, indicating torn (tension) or crushed
(compression) fibers. If there is no glass damage, it will be
smooth and transparent when sanded. If there is glass structure
damage, repair as shown in Plans Section I, Chapter 3.
Delaminations are rare, due to the proper design of joint (none
have occurred in the prototype). If a delamination occurs (skin
trailing edge joints, etc.), spread the joint, sand the surfaces dull,
trowel in wet flox, clamp back together, and let cure, or use the
method in the construction manual.
Inspect suspected debonds (areas where skin has separated
from the foam) by tapping a quarter across the surface. A
debond will give a "dull thud" compared to the "sharp knock" of
the adjacent good area. Debonds must be repaired by injecting
epoxy in one side of the area and venting the air out the opposite
side.
PLEXIGLASS CANOPY
Due to the uniform frame and lack of metal fasteners, the COZY
canopy is not as susceptible to cracks as the common aircraft
plexiglass components. If a crack up to three inches does occur,
stop drill it just outside the end of the crack with a 1/8" drill.
Cracks longer than three inches require canopy replacement.
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