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Sunday, January 14, 2018

Home made tail protection covers


Tail covers provided with the glider, or bought as an option, a nicely made, but appears to not fully protect from shocks and prints.

I'm now using home made covers using a 2.5 thick foam called "Isolene". This foam has on one face a thin aluminuim sheet.  It costs around 5€ per square meter, given thatt he roll is 1.5m large.

Icut at the shape of the tail with a 1.5cm margin all around the tail.

Then I glue using hot glue, but proceeding 20 to 30 cm at a time, let dry, and continue. Then, with scissors, I cut the excess (around 5mm).

The covers are staying perfectly in place and are never sliding. They also keep the control surface aligned.
The density of the foam is protecting well the surface, and the 1cm excess all around is a good shield against unwanted shocks while manipulating.

I recently found in the same shop a even more dense foam, all white this time, called Isol'choc. Price is a bit more expensive (7€ per square meter). I haven't try yet to glue them, but I think it should worl the same.


  1. Hi Pierre
    I am looking since years for a replacement for these bubble foils. But in Germany I can't find this foam. Isolene here is a different isolation material for roofs. Would you please post pictures of manufacturer logos or other imprints to identify it? Thanks Robin

    1. Hi !
      I did some search and unfortunately I couldn't find a manufacturer. The only info I have is the reference Isolene 49/25 and the shop brand which is Saint-Maclou. I have no idea if you could find it in Germany.
      But I'm pretty sure you can try to find a equivalent in your country. For exemple, by searching in english "floor underlay" on google images, I could find some rubber underlay in UK called Duralay.
      I'm not speaking german (I forgot everything from college sorry :) ), but proceeding the same you should find something equivalent.
      Keep me informed so we can put more information on Planet-Soaring for others.
      Best regards,

    2. in US, I found this: https://www.rubberflooringinc.com/underlayment/silent-silver-underlayment.html
      I was searching "EVA Foam Underlayment"
      If you find the translation of E.V.A foam in german, you should be able to find something.
      Good search !

    3. EVA = EVAC in German

    4. I found that Saint-Maclou is named "home market" in germany.


      Same logo

  2. Ich habe auch Interresse. Aber im Google mit Isol'choc oder Isolene find ich nichts. Ist das eine Trittschalldämmung für den Fussboden? Oder für das Dach eine Unterlagsbahn ?DANKE

    1. Hallo,
      vielen Dank für das Lesen meiner Antwort oben.

  3. There are many different underlayments for floorings available. Most of them are PU or PE foam, Vinyl, Rubber, mixtures of different natural materials with foam but no EVA. I don't know if PE/PU can be glued with hot melt glue as easy as EVA. Many underlayments are covered with thin aluminium foil which looks not very good (crinkles, sensisitve surface). I keep on searching...

  4. a possible underlaying material that could work:



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