I used to think tap testing composite panels was a waste of time until a hidden delamination cost me three days on a King Air.

We were doing a 100-hour inspection in Phoenix and I skipped the tap test on a wing panel, assuming a visual check was enough. Found out the hard way there was a big delamination under the paint that needed a full repair. How many of you still rely on just looking at composite areas?

3 comments

3 Comments

hugo_bennett1mo ago

Come on, a good visual is all you need if you know what you're looking for. That tap test is just busy work for people who don't trust their eyes.

rose_craig971mo ago

Honestly hugo_bennett, I get where you're coming from, but a visual check can miss hidden damage. The tap test finds hollow spots you can't see, like delamination under a perfect-looking surface. It's saved me from buying a board that looked fine but was basically cracked inside.

rileyellis1mo ago

My old instructor at the North Dakota flight school always said the tap test was non-negotiable. He showed us an old Cessna Cardinal flap with a smooth surface that sounded like a drum when tapped, full of voids. That visual check hugo_bennett talks about just doesn't catch what's under the surface layer. Skipping the tap is a gamble with expensive downtime, like your King Air story proves. The right sound tells you more than any perfect looking panel ever will.