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Home  >  Safety  >  Duct Tape On The Wing Of A 787?
Safety

Duct Tape On The Wing Of A 787?

Matthew Klint Posted onOctober 3, 2022October 3, 2022 13 Comments

A controversy over so-called airplane speed tape has emerged this week in Australia, reminding me of a story I wrote a few years ago on the same topic.

A concerned passenger snapped the following pictures on an Air New Zealand 787-9 in Sydney (SYD) and posted it on Twitter. That tweet went viral, leading to a bevy of concerns over the airworthiness of the aircraft in question.

Twitter / @WakehamDavid

Air New Zealand noted the issue was cosmetic in nature and was common and widespread around the world. A Boeing spokesperson noted:

“The peeling does not affect the structural integrity of the wing, and does not affect the safety of flight.”

Recall the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said in 2020 that the Boeing 787-9 is particularly “prone to paint adhesion failures due to Ultra Violet (UV) ray damage.” This causes peeling which speed tape covers up. Worldwide aviation regulators have consistently noted that this issue does not adversely impact the safety of the aircraft in any way.

The original article, concerning the same issue on the same aircraft type, is below.


Do airlines use duct tape on an aircraft as a “temporary fix” for items in need of quick repair? No, it’s called airplane speed tape and much different…and also perfectly safe.

Airplane Speed Tape

FlyerTalk member ContinentalFan posted the following pictures of a United Airlines 787-9 with a similar question.

Looking at the pictures,  it certainly resembles duct tape.

But let not your heart be troubled. This is not a shoddy repair job or United trying to cut corners. Instead, this is speed tape. As Wikipedia defines it:

Speed tape is an aluminum pressure-sensitive tape used to do minor repairs on aircraft and racing cars. It is used as a temporary repair material until a more permanent repair can be carried out. It has an appearance similar to duct tape, for which it is sometimes mistaken, but its adhesive is capable of sticking on an airplane fuselage or wing at high speeds, hence the name.

Apparently, it reflects UV light, can contract or expand in different temperatures, is flame retardant (at least for a short period) and resistant to water. Perhaps that is why it can run hundreds of dollars just for a single roll.

The use of this tape is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration and is perfectly safe. Still, there is something psychologically discomforting about seeing tape on a plane.

Are you bothered by the use of tape to repair an aircraft?

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

13 Comments

  1. Roland Scheckter Reply
    April 30, 2019 at 10:08 am

    They should sell this at WalMart (at a considerable discount) 😉

    • Tony N Reply
      October 3, 2022 at 5:39 pm

      Amazon. And you’re done.

    • Jerry Reply
      October 4, 2022 at 2:53 pm

      The current CEO of Air New Zealand came from Walmart, so maybe he is in fact getting a deal on it!

  2. tjp74 Reply
    April 30, 2019 at 12:26 pm

    The duct tape saved Apollo 13 crew and brought them back home. Space Shuttle used to carry duct tapes. I am sure there are couple of duct tapes flying around in international space station. What more can be said?

  3. Pete Reply
    April 30, 2019 at 1:08 pm

    There is no adhesive strong enough to repair a human being’s insecurities…perhaps the alternative of flight delay/cancellation will be better?

    • Henk Reply
      December 17, 2020 at 6:15 am

      It’s because of loose paint, the paint is just bad. So if you want to wait till the plane is repainted.

  4. Adil Reply
    April 30, 2019 at 1:13 pm

    Some news on the 737 MAX and its ‘alert’ and ‘indicator’ options.

    https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/international-business/us-business/article-boeing-says-optional-737-max-alert-was-not-activated-as-intended/

  5. Jan Reply
    October 3, 2022 at 4:09 pm

    I want to see this on Qatar’s 787s just to see Al Baker’s reaction.

    • Marissa Reply
      October 4, 2022 at 5:57 pm

      Bigger problem on his A350s!

  6. Maryland Reply
    October 3, 2022 at 5:10 pm

    Afraid it does not inspire confidence. You would start questioning what else might have received a taped repair.

    • PolishKnight Reply
      October 4, 2022 at 9:45 am

      The very definition of security theater which is why we take off our shoes and separate our liquids into small containers (before combining them again later if desired) to make people feel safe.

      It reminds me of a story told to my father by his friend, a Pennsylvania game warden: He was in his tent and a bear came up to it and he zipped the tent shut. He immediately realized how dumb that was.

  7. Tony N Reply
    October 3, 2022 at 5:41 pm

    There should be an indicator light on the panel next to the seat belt sign; “NO WORRIES.”

  8. Kipate Reply
    October 4, 2022 at 11:49 am

    Speed tape being mistaken for duct tape is one of those things that will always run its rounds on the news cycle every year or so

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