Fabric Covering Cost

[whee]

I'm trying to compare the quote I got from Oratex to the cost of other covering systems. Anyone have any idea how much it cost them to cover their 4-place from fabric to topcoat? Looks like the Otatex will run me $4500-6000.

[LukeS]

I would be interested to hear some numbers as well (materials only, not equipment). I was really attracted to the oratex fabric after to speaking with Lars in Oshkosh and witnessing how much punishment the oratex can take. I also think that Mark Goldberg's LSA is a good example of how an airplane can still look quite nice even if the fabric isn't shiny.

[Bcone1381]

The Polyfiber website says that a cub sized aircraft usually cost between $4000 a $4500 in materials to cover regardless of the type of covering system one uses. Do you think our fuselages might get covered for less than half that amount?

[N942VT]

I'll have to check when I'm home but $2500+ for materials. Stewarts has a spreadsheet for the bearhawk that I put together for them when I did mine, can check with them. Marv Haught is the rep I used.

[whee]

I sent Stewarts an email asking for a estimate. I really don't like painting so not having to pain was the main reason I wanted to go with Oratex. If a complete cover job from Stewarts is ~2500$ and Oratex is ~5000$ then I guess I'll have to suffer through painting. I was hoping for ~1000$ difference.

Thanks guys

[jaredyates]

Wouldn't you still have plenty of painting to do with Oratex? Like the wings, wingtips, boot cowl, cowl/nosebowl, fairings, inspection covers, control sticks/flap handle, and the like?

[whee]

I'm sure there will be a few things I'm going to have to paint, like the tunnel, but the current plan is to vinyl wrap most things. Not going to paint the wings but will wrap the leading edges and wingtips just to aid in SAR if I go down. I ordered all the sub-assemblies from Mark so those are all painted.

[n144sh]

I'm in process of covering 4 place with Oratex now. Finished ailerons, flaps & rudder. Working on horiz stab and elevators now.

Here is my invoice for the materials I purchased. Right at $6K. Overall I'm happy. It is very light. I've not fully covered a plane before, just repairs on a Tripacer and Citabria I have owned in the past. There is definitely a learning curve but the material is pretty amazing.

Steve

[whee]

Quote I got from Stewarts was ~3000$ for material/paint + anther $500 for other supplies they recommend. $225 of that was for a HVLP gun. I have a couple guns that I'd used so I'll call it $3250 for a Stewarts cover job.

Quite a large price difference between Oratex and Stewarts, much larger than I expected. When I get closer to covering I'll have another conversation with Oratex to see if their $4500 quote is realistic. That $4500 was with fabric and glue, no tapes. They said you could save money by making your own tapes using the remnants.

[fly_n_low]

Oratex may work if you're fine with limited colors and mediocre quality finish although I personally wouldn't trust it on a Bearhawk with an O-540 in particular. A friend has used it on a replica F4B, a 60mph cruise bird, and while it looks ok it's difficult to get nice straight lines and to work with compound curves since there's no bias. I'm not sold that it will hold up under higher speed and beating.

[whee]

Thanks for the thoughts fly-n-low. While I do want my plane to look good I'm building a bush bird that will constantly be covered in mud, ran though the sagebrush, have rocks flug at it constantly and be stored outside. Being able to slap on a permanent patch without having to paint will outweigh seams that aren't perfectly straight. That being said, with the estimates being what they are it is likely I'll be going with Stewarts.

[fly_n_low]

I probably came off as bashing Oratex which I didn't mean to do. It's like everything else, you'll have to pick based on your mission and desired outcome. If you don't want to paint (as much) then it's about the only other solution.

Ted

[muleyman78]

I've seen places selling it per meter. Can anyone tell me how many meters were needed to cover a BH? I picked up 6m from a fellow pilot that purchased it a few months ago and never used it. Now i need to figure out how much more to buy.

[rodsmith]

I just got a quote from Paul Mills in Anchorage. It was 30 meters of 71" wide fabric. I assume that is based on other Bearhawk builds. I will do my own calculations before buying any fabric, especially if I go with Oratex.

[svyolo]

The quote I got from Oratex was 30 meters. This is an old thread resurrected, so just to compare to 3 years ago:

The BH has aluminum wings so you can't compare Cub costs to BH costs. The Cub cost twice as much to cover. But you have to paint more of a BH.
I am going to use Oratex. I used a similar product on model airplanes 40 years ago that is still for sale today. Coverite. It is too light for a homebuilt, but is 10% of the cost.

I am at the above average end of the spectrum for what I will spend on an airplane project. I am more concerned with getting it flying than saving money. For me the time savings is worth the extra cost, but just barely. It is also easier to repair.

Oratex, like many products, is charging what they think "the market will bear". I think they overshot on the homebuilt market as a lot of folks are passing based on cost. I wish they would sell it for a lower price, and then an STC "upcharge" for certified aircraft. For a certified aircraft, covering with Oratex, including labor charges, is an absolutely SMOKING deal.

It is just polyester fabric with a well engineered coating, and then a BUNCH of regulatory dollars spent to get it FAA approved, and STCed for certain aircraft. I don't disparage them for the effort they went through. i am sure it was a lot.

I am going to use it, and I am sure I will be happy with it. But I can also understand why others take a pass. I read a quote from a few years ago of $67 a yard. I was satisified with that. Unfortunately it is triple that.