EAA SPORTAIR WORKSHOP – SECOND TIME AROUND
I went to an EAA SportAir Workshop for electronics and wiring last year (2017) and really enjoyed it. Not only was it definitely worth the money, but I learned an absolute ton in the course. Taking the class really lent me some serious confidence in a range of topics, tools, and methods. I came to the easy conclusion that another course would be well worth my time and energy. I was most certainly not disappointed.
Within the first few minutes of class, our instructor began by reinforcing to us that this was a composites class, not just a “fiberglass” course. There are plenty of ways to accomplish your goals if all you want to do is sand some doors and make a fairing or two. This course dug deeper into methodologies, working with all manner of composite materials, and perhaps most importantly all manner of methods.
THE SHOP
True to form, I walked away from class with an enormous shopping list. Well more than I needed, but lots that I wanted. We will see what I end up getting (if anything yet). The basics for class are shown below.
We were introduced to resins and fibers and all manner of fillers. This is just a sample of materials that we were exposed to. There are lots of options when it comes to materials. I will certainly refer back to my coursework to remember what works best and where. As I mentioned above, perhaps the neatest experience was learning good processes. I like the composite process because it is highly repeatable and if done under good conditions it will yield a consistent and high quality result. One of my favorite processes was vacuum bagging.
If you are unaware of what this is, I’ll give you the opportunity to search it out yourself and get lost in a lifetime worth of information on internet. The net effect is a fantastically uniform piece with almost no pooled resin on any surface. This piece came out feeling nearly glass-smooth. I was truly and profoundly impressed.
Class is over – time to get back to my RV!