HIPEC coated fabric covered aircraft have been flying since 1964 with thousands of examples. Designed for all types of fabric covered aircraft, including aerobatic with wing loadings over 12 psf., HIPEC has been tested for extreme weather conditions from intense summer sun to -50 Celsius winter cold in both dry or damp climates. NO RIBSTITCHING, NO RIVETS, NO TAPES are required, thus providing huge savings in costs and installation times!

The HIPEC STC ( Supplemental Type Certificate) includes almost all certified fabric covered aircraft.

Using the latest, highly developed and tested polyurethane paints and products, our process provides a lightweight, easy to use, extremely durable and long lasting high gloss or alternative finish. Topcoats retain their gloss and flexibility indefinitely.

The first coat , Hipec Sun Barrier,is rolled or brushed on, It soaks through the fabric and adheres it to the structure, whether metal, composite or wood. A second coat can be cross sprayed then lightly sanded for a deluxe finish if required. The Sun Barrier is a single component, moisture cure, silver-gray polyurethane. It saves a huge amount of labour and is very weatherproof and easy to repair.

Primers and most topcoats cover 75 sq ft per quart or liter, per coat, and when dry the weight per coat is 1.2 lbs per 100 sq ft.(9.2 sq m) White topcoat is 1.5 lbs per 100 sq ft. These will provide as light as 2.7 lbs per 100 sq ft.for Ultralights or up to 5.4 lbs per 100 sq ft for 4 complete coats (2 coats of sun barrier and 2 topcoats). This yields 32 lbs total finished dry weight for Citabria sized aircraft versus 45 to 75 lbs with other systems that sometimes require 8 coats!

Hipec has a detailed easy to read 114 page (23 rd edition) Manual, describing our process, available for downloading upon request or purchased as a hard copy (recommended).

The HIPEC FINISHING SYSTEM includes:

• Preps

• Coatings for Fabric, Metal, Wood, Composites

• Sealers

• Sun Barrier

• Adhesives

• Wet (High Gloss) or Low Gloss

• Metallics, Pearls, Candied or Florescents

Benefits:

• 45,000 colors are available in various lusters

• Considerably less labor required (up to 100+ fewer hours).
  RIVETING, RIBSTITCHING AND TAPING ARE ELIMINATED!

• Continuous fabric attachment to rib capsticks versus intermittant attachment (typical for ribstitching or riveting) thus providing a more even loading on your ribs. The width of your capsticks does not matter whatsoever.

• Much lighter weight and lower costs as rivets, reinforcing tapes, surface tapes and extra coatings to fill tapes are not required.

• Only 1 to 3 coats are required and very little sanding.

• Cleaner 'no tape' appearance and much lighter weight provide better performance.

• Actually the whole system can be rolled on with good results if done in a clean, dust free environment with good ventilation and at recommended temperatures.

• Easier to patch with pre-coated patches and other techniques. Color matching is available.

• Smoother airflow over wing, so better performance.

• Excellent resistance to fuels, MEK, acetone, glycol, etc.

• Costs for a Cub or Citabria size aircraft, including fabric, run $3000 to $3400 USD depending on color choice.

Well Proven:

• Extensively lab and field tested, including temperatures up to 60 C (140 F) in intense UV light and pressures of 120 psf with No Fabric Release from ribs regardless of contact area.

• All paints are VOC Government Compliant and our new Category B catylst can be substituted to provide a VOC free product.

• OTHER COATING SYSTEMS REQUIRE UP TO 8 COATS, VERSUS A MAXIMUM OF 4 COATS USING OUR HIPEC SYSTEM, AND THE OTHER SYSTEMS DOUBLE THE WEIGHT!

• To get the STC approval, Hipec conducted extensive testing including pull away, push off deformation recovery (heat and pressure), chemical immersion, tear testing, yarn pull, and weather tests for wood, alumium, or wood ribs. It meets or exceeds FAR23.337 design standards (aerobatics) without applying rib stitching.

• Hipec has 7 times the peel strength vs most other aircraft fabric systems.

How wide do capstrips need to be?

Types of aircraft

COMPOSITE AIRCRAFT
Don’t leave an aircraft parked in the sun without a good ultraviolet-proof finish - use HIPEC® SUN BARRIER and HIPEC® TOP COAT - Only 2 coats. Use HIPEC® CLEAR to seal interior against water, oil and dirt absorption.

AEROBATIC & HIGH WING LOADING AIRCRAFT
Rib stitched and surface taped - neat, flexible, weatherproof and high gloss finish using HIPEC® SUN BARRIER, HIPEC® PRIMER SEALER and HIPEC® TOP COAT. Three to five coats total.

NEW or OLD DOPED AIRCRAFT
Sand, rejuvenate if required. Apply HIPEC® SUN BARRIER (HSB) and HIPEC® TOP COAT (HTC) -permanently seals and preserves base dope and fabric. Adds brilliant weatherproof finish.

ULTRA LIGHT AIRCRAFT covered with Dacron, Sailcloth, Tedlar, etc.
Use 1 coat clear HIPEC® TOP COAT to improve the takeoff, climb and cruise, or for maximum UV protection, use HIPEC® SUN BARRIER and HIPEC® TOP COAT color.

ULTRA LIGHT & AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT
No rib stitching - no tapes - aluminum colored HIPEC® SUN BARRIER primes, seals and tenaciously adheres fabric to structure. Add HIPEC® TOP COAT color and optional stripes and decals.

FACTORY BUILT AIRCRAFT
Where approved, HIPEC® can now be used on factory-built aircraft. NO MORE DOPING!!! Only 3 coats required.

How to apply the HIPEC® Finishing System

It's easy - with just 6 simple steps you have an incredible professional finish:

1. Prepare aluminum structures by aluminum cleaning, alodine treatment and apply a HIPEC® PRIMER, or prepare steel by sandblasting, abrading or chemical cleaning, then coat with a HIPEC® PRIMER, or prepare wood structure by sealing with HIPEC® CLEAR or HIPEC® SUN BARRIER.

2. Apply heat shrink polyester fabric onto structure and secure around perimeter with HIPEC® ATTACH GLOO (HAG).

3. Tauten fabric with household iron.

4. Brush on one coat of HIPEC® SUN BARRIER - it will soak through fabric and adhere fabric to structure.

5. For heavy duty or deluxe coating, spray on one coat of HIPEC® SUN BARRIER or HIPEC® PRIMER SEALER.

6. Finally, spray on one coat HIPEC® TOP COAT color.

Job’s done!! There are techniques for concave surfaces, fluted metal ribs, metallic color applications, etc.