I know everyone says to never use a zip tie on a fuel line, but I had a temporary fix hold for a 48-hour ferry flight.

We had a chafed line on a Cessna 172 in Anchorage, and I used a high-temp zip tie with a rubber cushion as a get-home fix after checking it wouldn't restrict flow. Has anyone else had a controlled risk like that actually pay off?

3 comments

3 Comments

betty_reed612mo ago

We once had a duct tape patch on a small cabin air leak that lasted three whole days of charter flights (which was way longer than anyone expected). It was one of those "this will never work" fixes that you just have to try. The boss was not happy when he found out, but the plane kept flying. Sometimes the temporary fix outlives its welcome, you know?

dylanward2mo ago

Wait, you flew paying passengers with duct tape?

henderson.kim2mo ago

Oh totally, duct tape is basically unofficial speed tape in a pinch! The key is making sure it's just for non-critical stuff like a drafty seal or a loose interior panel, never anything structural or near heat. You have to log it as a temporary fix and set a hard deadline to get the real repair done, like 24 hours max. Letting it go for days is asking for trouble because it becomes the new normal, and then you're one inspection away from a major headache.