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That moment I realized how much dirt accumulates inside wing panels
I was reading a old maintenance log from the 90s last week for a Cessna 172 Ive been helping with. Ran across a note where a guy wrote down the weight of dirt and debris he pulled out of the wing cavities during a inspection. It was over 3 pounds total from both sides. That blew my mind because I always figured a little dust and maybe some leaves but not that much. Now every time I open a panel I make it a point to vacuum it out or at least blow it clean with compressed air. Has anyone else seen surprising amounts of junk hiding in places you would not expect on a plane you work with regularly?
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the_faith6d ago
Did you weigh it before you cleaned it out?
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That story about the 3 pounds of dirt is exactly the kind of thing that keeps me up at night, honestly. I once pulled a wing root fairing off a beat-up old Piper and found what I can only describe as a prehistoric bird nest mixed with what looked like shredded shop towels (someone was really doing some wild stuff in there). @the_faith, I didn't weigh it, but I'm guessing it was at least a half pound of pure crud. My own filthy plane is probably flying around with a couple pounds of unknown debris right now, and that's just embarrassing given I see it every week. Maybe I need to start a support group for people who neglect their wing cavities.
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vera_palmer6d ago
Oh man, that 3 pound number really hit me too. I pulled a wing root fairing off a Cherokee last spring and found a whole nest of pine needles and dried grass packed in there, must have been a few ounces at least. It makes you wonder how many extra pounds of junk are flying around out there. Ive started keeping a shop vac right next to my toolbox just for this reason. Its wild how these little pockets can hold so much without you ever knowing.
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