By Anupum Pant
The next time you are flying to your home town, you look out of the plane window only to find a flaw in the wing that has been repaired using a tape, do not panic. Patches of engine housing and other tiny external flaws are often corrected using a tape – also known as the speed tape.
The speed tape (more expensive than your normal scotch tape), or the 600 miles per hour tape, is a specially designed adhesive tape that can be used to correct minor aerodynamic (dents, dings etc.) flaws on the body of a plane. It of course is used only for a quick temporary correction, which is often replaced by permanent corrections. Airliners use it regularly. In fact it is also legal because FAA allows high speed tape as a temporary patch for punctures, scrapes, or surface damage.
The tape is made up of Aluminium and is resistant to water, solvents, and flames. It also reflect heat and expands with the body of the plane for a wide range of temperatures. It is applied to a clean surface and is so strong that it doesn’t come off till it is removed manually. However it should not be used as a fastener to stick loose parts. Neither should it be used in line with the engine inlet.
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