AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 97
P&E OWNERSHIP
'We figure it out'
SEAL Aviation makes wet wings dry again
B Y D AV E H I R S C H M A N | P H OT O G R A P H Y B Y T H E A U T H O R
APPLY NOW FOR
AOPA'S FLEXIBLE
AVIATION LOAN
DO YOU WANT QUICK & EASY?
Fill out a quick online application and be
approved in one business day.
DO YOU WANT AFFORDABLE?
A $10,000 flight training loan with monthly
payments as low as $250 a month. AOPA
Member rates starting at WSJ Prime +5%.
THIS 1944 GRUMMAN WIDGEON is a serial fuel leaker, and multiple attempts to plug constant drips of avgas from the wings have been unsuccessful. In a last-ditch effort to avoid
removing and reskinning both wings, the owner hired a mobile team from SEAL Aviation in
Florida to repair them in place.
THE TERM " WET WINGS " takes on new meaning when unwelcome puddles of avgas show
up on the hangar floor, and telltale streaks of
blue dye mark the escaping fuel's pathways
across the wings.
Wet wings are ideal in theory.
The wings themselves are fuel tanks so
there's no wasted space, no extra weight,
and no need to add troublesome internal
tanks or bladders. Mooney Aircraft has
long been a believer in wet wings, and so
was Grumman, which used them on its
iconic flying boats in the 1940s and 1950s.
One of those flying boats, a twinengine Widgeon built 80 years ago, has
frustrated multiple owners with ongoing fuel leaks despite several attempted
repairs. One owner even slathered fuel
tank sealant on the outside of the wings
in a futile attempt to stop them.
The current owner recently hired
SEAL Aviation to fix the problem. The
Florida company has mobile teams of fuel
tank repair experts who travel the country
drying out weeping wings.
The process isn't quick or cheap.
Repairs typically take hundreds of
hours of labor, up to three weeks of calendar time, and $20,000 or more to
complete. But the alternative for the
Widgeon owner-removing the wings
from the airplane's center section and
reskinning them-would cost far more.
And the wings and center section on this
airplane appeared to be in excellent shape,
if only they'd hold fuel.
" This kind of work requires being
patient and thorough, " said Jerel Bristol,
a former U.S. Air Force F-16 crew chief
who founded the 40-employee company
aopa.org/pilot AOPA PILOT | 97
DO YOU WANT FLEXIBILITY?
You can borrow as much as 3x your monthly
income (up to a max of $100k).
Go to
aopa.org/financemytraining
to apply today.
AOPA's Flexible Aviation Loan can be put
to work right now to get you on your way as
a better trained, more proficient pilot.
http://www.aopa.org/financemytraining
http://www.aopa.org/pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021
Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - Intro
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - Cover1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 12
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 22
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 24
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 26
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 28
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 32
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 34
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 36
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 38
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 102
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 107
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - 112
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - June 2021 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201103_test
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201011demo
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot0308
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com