TIL the hard way that hydraulic fluid eats through a standard tarp in about 20 minutes

Last Tuesday I was swapping out a leaky actuator on a Cessna 172 at Gillespie Field and parked my tools on a cheap blue tarp underneath. The fluid dripped right through and soaked into the concrete, which got me a lecture from the line manager about environmental fines. Anyone else had a quick incident like this that made you change what gear you bring?

3 comments

3 Comments

piper_reed4d ago

Was the concrete stained permanently or did they have to grind it out?

keithbennett19d ago

Did you check if the tarp had any coating or was just plain poly? A lot of guys grab those dollar-store tarps without realizing they're basically glorified trash bags. Once hydraulic fluid hits them, the plasticizers break down fast and you end up with a mess like you had. I switched to a thick rubber mat a few years ago after a similar spill on a CTLS, and it's been worth every penny. How much did the cleanup cost you with the concrete soak?

elizabethg1819d ago

Saw some mechanic on YouTube say the same thing about those cheap tarps. He uses old conveyor belt rubber now.