I recently listened to an aviation insurance official cite a collection of claims for aircraft damaged during ground operations and dropped my jaw. The cost of even the smallest hangar rash can be quite expensive to your-or your insurance companys-checkbook.
Light materials like sheet and stamped aluminum or composites can carry amazing structural loads as long as the integrity of their shape is maintained. But, a small dent can seriously compromise the load-carrying capability of the structure. Repairs of more substantial damage-to a nosegear, a wingtip or a tail surface-can easily exceed the value of an older pride-and-joy, forcing you or the insurance company to total it. And the repair cost alone does not consider the expense of downtime. In the case of aircraft, its much cheaper and a lot less painful to prevent hangar rash in the first place than to pay for the damage afterwards.
