Easy Installation in Less Time

GORE SKYFLEX
™ ™
aerospace materials Helicopter Application Guide
GORE™ SKYFLEX™ Aerospace Tapes and Gaskets are significantly translates to fewer replacements and re-work of seals and significant
easier to install than polysulfide FIP seals. They eliminate cure savings in personnel time during production and maintenance.
time for sealing and protective materials, significantly reducing
Unlike traditional two-component materials, Gore’s materials require
manufacturing cycles and direct maintenance time. These
no mixing, masking or clean-up after installation. In addition, the
materials do not require special equipment or training to install. In
non-hazardous material reduces environmental impact, disposal
addition, their unique construction enables them to maintain their
costs, and improves safety for installation personnel.
protective performance over multiple open/close cycles, which

Table 1: Comparison of GORE™ SKYFLEX™ Aerospace Materials

Material Sets
100 110 200 500 520 700 720 730 1600
Property Series Series Series Series Series Series Series Series Series
Abrasion/anti-chafe
+ + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
protection

Corrosion protectiona + + + + + + + + +
Purpose

Environmental sealing + + + + + + + +

Gap-filling + + + + + + + +
++
Jet fuel sealing ++ (gasket
preferred)

Gap-filling compensation
.15 to 2.0 .5 to 3.5c .5 to 3.0 .28 to 9.6 .3 to 2.5 .15 to 1.4 .2 to 1.2 .15 to 1.4
range – single layer (mm)
Application Environment

Low Compressive Forces ++ ++ ++ + + + + +

High Compressive Forces + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++

Vibration + + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
Frequent opening,
+ + + ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
access

Aviation fluid exposureb + + ++

Jet fuel exposure ++ ++ +
Most
Surface
Big gaps, applications, Areas with Areas with
Big gaps, low protection – no
very low Gaskets Fuel seals especially repeated repeated
Best uses compressive Gap-filling compression
compressive > 19 inches > 18 inches high vibration exposure to exposure to
forces required. Floor-
forces or repeated hydrocarbons aviation fluids
board edges
access
Tape,
Available forms Tape Tape Tape Gasket Gasket Tape, gasket Tape Tape
gasket
a Protection of applied corrosion-inhibiting compounds on surface from scratching, protection of surface from standing fluids, and isolation of dissimilar materials (galvanic)
b Sustained exposure to hydraulic fluids, including SKYDROL®, engine and turbine oils, and deicing fluids.
c Gap-filling capability (width) is less than width of tape.

NOTICE — USE RESTRICTIONS APPLY

Not for use in food, drug, cosmetic or medical device manufacturing, processing, or packaging operations.

W. L. Gore & Associates GORE, SKYFLEX and designs are trademarks of W. L. Gore & Associates.   © 2017 W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.  SKY-0309-REF-US-APR17
SKYDROL is a registered trademark of Eastman Chemical Company.

gore.com
 GORE SKYFLEX ™ ™
Applications for Helicopters
aerospace materials

Proven by more than 20 years of successful applications,

Applications
GORE™ SKYFLEX™ Aerospace Materials are lightweight
n Access panels
materials that provide a no-cure seal for panels,
fairings, and floorboards while protecting surfaces n Anchor nut gaskets
against vibration damage. They remain flexible and n Antenna gasket fastener seal
compliant over multiple open/close cycles, providing n Body fairings
durable protection against corrosion and the ingress
n Cargo floorboards/structure
of water, fuels, and oils.
n Dry-bay gasket
n Engine cowling
GORE™ SKYFLEX™ Aerospace Materials are engineered
from expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE). These n External fuel tanks
products are available in a form-in-place tape or die-cut n Fuel bladder cavity
gasket and with options for materials resistant to fuels, GORE SKYFLEX TAPES
TM TM
GORE SKYFLEX GASKETS
TM TM
n Engine cowling
oils, and hydraulic fluids. 730 Series Tapes 720 Series Gaskets
n Helicopter tail boom
for anti-chafe applications for die-cut precision
sealing applications n Lamp seal
To prevent chafing damage caused by the abrasion
n Passenger floorboards
of the aircraft’s panels against airframe structure,
GORE™ SKYFLEX™ Aerospace Materials expanded PTFE n Pitot tube
tape installed between panel and structure provides n Windshields/Windows

a durable, low-friction barrier to absorb effects of

airframe vibration. GORETM SKYFLEXTM Aerospace Materials
n 720 and 730 Series Tapes are effective at
Benefits sealing access panels and protecting against
n Easy installation from single-component material abrasion and aviation fluids.
n Nocuring reduces manufacturing cycles and n Die cut gaskets provide precision sealing
maintenance downtime for fuel and environmental sealing applications.
n Less replacement and re-work of seals by n 1600 Series tape protects structure and coatings
maintaining performance over multiple with a durable, wear-resistant surface.
open/close cycles n 110 Series tape seals windshields and panels
n Improved sealing of irregular surfaces with with no cure time, enabling quick installation
highly conformable materials and replacement.
GORE SKYFLEX TAPES
TM TM
GORE SKYFLEX TAPES
TM TM

n Durableprotection against mechanical forces,

200 Series Tapes 730 Series Tapes
extreme temperatures, fluids, and other for windshield seal for anti-chafe applications The examples presented in this document were
environmental hazards applications applied using Gore’s best practices for installing
n Low environmental impact from GORE™ SKYFLEX™ Aerospace Materials. In
non-hazardous waste addition, instructional videos are available at
www.gore.com/skyflex
Suggested areas for applications are presented in
Table 1. For more information or assistance in selecting GORE SKYFLEX TAPES
TM TM
GORE SKYFLEX TAPES
TM TM

the right materials for your application, contact your 730 and 1600 Series Tapes 110 Series Tapes
Gore representative. for floor beam applications for panel sealing
applications

Note: This document is only a guide, and procedures in the current version of the technical orders supersede examples presented in this document.