This morning was perfect weather for a first flight. The runway grass was newly cut and dry. I had a chase plane and a ground crew ready to go. But,I went out last night for a few more taxi runs, when the oil canning got more intense, and the attitude seemed much lower.

(Note to builders: Use a piece of rope in place of the bungee until your nearing completion. They get old just sitting there.)

A quick look up the cowl confirmed my suspicion. Broken bungee. I had never seen a broken one before. It almost looks like it was cut. Is that normal?

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Very similar to mine. Had 20 hours on mine.

Hi Ernest,
Yes, looks liked that... Mine did anyway.
Regards,
Norm

It's difficult to tell from the picture, but the entire woven cover seems very irregular - is that just loosening of the cover's weave due to the break, or is the entire cover abraded along its length?  I've had one broken bungee and the actual break looked much like yours,but the cover was smooth and intact for most of its length.

Certainly inspiration for me to get back on my "Dual Bungee" project this winter!  ;>)

John

N750A

I think it is just the cover loosening.  The rubber feels supple still, but I think there was some dry rot going on in the sheeth and outer layers of rubber.  I couldn't see anything that might have cut it, so it is good to know that other breaks look the same.

How old was it?  Not time in service but time since manufacture?  The chart is on this page that gives you the color code woven into the bungee cover for the year and quarter of manufacture.

blue, blue, green

I'm guessing 2008, but it could just have well been 2003.  I bought the fuselage from another builder who is no longer available. Not replacing it as a preventive measure is my own foolishness, especially considering it was only a $32 item.

Yeah, that's what mine looked like:  Old Bungie vs New

Patrick Hoyt

N63PZ

Ernest,

I just purchased Viking's steel Gungee kit last week they had a 20% discount offer; I've heard to many Zenith broken bungee stories and don't want to experience it with my freshly completed Zodiac 650.

The bungee that broke and caused me to flip and total my 801 had zero outward signs of deterioration. Covet was perfect right up to the edge of the break which happened under the label. Ends of fibers were broken clean as if cut, bit nothing near to cut it. Mine showed evidence of about 2/3 of fibers were broken some time before the final 1/3 failed on a rough field. Yet close inspection only 6 weeks prior showed no signs of anY deterioration.

Sam,

How did a bungee break cause your 801 to flip over?

Jimmy Y

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