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Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some common concerns of our clients before purchasing Superflite products. If you have other questions, please just send it to molly@superflite.com

How is Superflite different from other covering systems on the market?

Superflite manufactures everything you need to cover your airplane – fabric, tapes, accessories, glue, primer, and paint – and it’s all approved for use on certified aircraft. 

The fabric covering portion of an aircraft restoration project is essentially the same with every coating system – glue the fabric to the frame, shrink it, stitch it, and then apply the surface tapes. 

Where Superflite really stands out from the competition is with its actual coatings – the part that comes after the fabric covering.  Superflite doesn’t require a fabric filler or “silver” coats.  Instead, it combines those two steps into one with the fabric primer.  After attaching the fabric and shrinking it, you’ll apply two coats of primer, sand it, and then apply two coats of paint.  That’s it, three steps and four coats of product to cover and paint your plane. The competition requires an extra step, several extra coats, and much more sanding. 

The Superflite urethane topcoat provides a high-gloss show finish with minimal effort, meaning, when you spray it, it comes out shiny.  There is no need to sand, buff, or reshoot for that ultra-gloss “wet look.”  It is a quality finish with minimal labor.

In addition to the easy application and the high-gloss finish, a Superflite covering kit costs about 20% less than the major competition.

It's not hard at all! For small patches, we recommend gluing them directly to the finish. The you build back up your primer and paint coats. Some tips for patching to get the best results: Scuff the finish with Scotch Brite before gluing your fabric patch. Pre-shrink your patch before gluing it. Use the hot temperature reducer (SF7895) as a blending agent to feather out the paint edges of your patch and to get rid of the "halo effect" that happens when spraying urethane over urethane.

Depending on the color of paint that you choose, for a Cub-sized airplane, you can expect to spend anywhere from $5000-$6000. That includes everything you need from fabric to finish.

Yes! In fact, we encourage it. The Superflite STC covers almost every type of certified aircraft. When you’ve purchased your covering kit, Superflite will provide a copy of the STC, AML, and a letter of permission to use it.

It all depends on the extent of your restoration and how quickly you work. A typical and average-sized covering/restoration project, which includes an airframe inspection, will probably take about 200 hours.

Superflite does NOT provide any kind of chip matching. However, if you have a competing paint code that you’d like to use (PPG, Dupont, Imron, Sherwin Williams, car manufacturer colors), we can usually cross those into a Superflite match for you.

Good news! The Superflite fabrics and tapes are PMA'd to use with any STC'd coating system. So if you want to use a competing brand, you can put that on top of the Superflite fabric and still receive your STC.

In addition to the fabric, tapes, and finishes, Superflite also makes a line of engine paints and windsocks.

Superflite is available through a select list of distributors, or you can purchase directly from us.