Why airlines use tape to fix planes

Not so long ago, you may have seen a photograph of an easyJet airplane mechanic using tape to fix an engine just before take off.

Do you recall the viral brouhaha that ensued once the passenger tweeted said image?

It raised the question: Should you worry if you see this happening to your plane?

Always worrying when @easyJet are duct taping the plane together :-s #finaldestination pic.twitter.com/daYKgR9ssp

— Adam Wood (@adtomwood) May 29, 2015

Well, let’s set a few things straight …

What may look like plain, old duct tape is actually a heavy-duty aluminium bonding tape called ‘speed tape’. And it can cost thousands of dollars per four-inch roll.

It’s a quick fix for minor impairments or superficial issues with non-critical components made until full repairs can be made later.

Now, applying tape to an engine may not seem so ‘non-critical’, but speed tape is a high-performance product that’s pressure sensitive and will adhere to a fuselage travelling around 500mph – or the cruise speed of a Boeing 777.

So, don’t fear – it’s a ‘cosmetic’ thing. If your plane needed serious maintenance it would be grounded until it was completely fixed and signed off by a plethora of engineers and mechanics.

Besides, with the cost of speed tape, it’d be cheaper for the airline to fix the plane properly, so this is not a matter of cutting corners!