Aviation mechanic and TikToker Max explained the purpose of a silver tape that can be seen on several aircraft and said it should not be confused with duct tape
An aircraft mechanic has revealed people should not panic after seeing what they believe to be duct tape on plane engines, explaining its true purpose.
Certified aviation mechanic Max, who goes by airplanefactswithmax on TikTok, responded to a video that showed a plane passenger’s nervous reaction to seeing silver tape on the engine. Without wasting any time, Max explained the tape was not what people might first think it was.
“So, yeah, that’s not actually duct tape,” Max, who has more than 300,00 followers on the platform, says straight away. “That’s speed tape.”
Speaking directly to the camera, US-based Max could be seen walking around a huge plane engine before coming to the strake, a part attacked to a plane to improve airflow. He added: “Speed tape is an aluminium-based tape that’s designed specifically for aviation due to the high speeds and the large temperature differentials that aircraft are subjected to.
And, in this instance, it is most likely being used as a temporary sealant for the forward part of this component, which is called a strake that helps redirect airflow coming around the engine.” In a humourful twist, Max then compared the redirection of air to Aragorn’s battle tactics in the Lord of the Rings (LOTR_ fantasy epic.
“But, yeah, speed tape doesn’t actually hold anything together,” Max added, returning to the main thrust of his video response. “It just in this case is keeping moisture from getting underneath this component. I think that speed tape’s pretty cool.”
The Mirror has contacted airplanefactswithmax for comment.
Since being uploaded to TikTok over the weekend, the video has racked up an impressive 10 million views and more than 1.2 million likes. Many of those who commented on the post praised Max for his humourful explanation about the tape.
One said: “Thanks for the explanation. I was a little lost at first but I understood it once you referenced Lord of the Rings.”
Another added: “I thought I was a LOTR fan until I realised I understood the aviation explanation better than the LOTR comparison.” While a third posted: “I’m in training to be an aircraft mechanic, and I can’t wait for the day when I can open with my job and then lore dump about LOTR.”
Duke Armitage, airline pilot and founder of aviation questions website Aviamonde, gave a further explanation about the importance of speed tape. He told The Mirror: “The speed tape is a heavy-duty aluminium tape designed to handle extreme speeds, temperatures, and a slew of weather elements. It’s primarily used for minor repairs (usually to cover worn panels to prevent further wear or erosion).
“It’s never used for structural or critical airplane parts or to ‘hold’ components together. There’s no reason to panic when seeing the speed tape on an airplane.
“The manufacture and approval of this specialized adhesive tape must adhere to stringent standards and regulations. The tape goes through extensive testing and certification processes to confirm its ability to withstand the demanding conditions it will endure in flight.”
