Register

Hail Damage: Not Always Cosmetic

That's a T-1A Jayhawk blemished from a hailstorm that swept through the Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas in 2017. That damage is sever enough to require skin replacement. U.S. Air Force photo credit goes to Teresa Pittman.

Hail-damaged aircraft are what salvage deals are made of. If you’ve dealt with hail damage as I did with my Grumman after an isolated thunderstorm peppered it on a transient ramp in Wisconsin, you know it can be ugly. Shredded fabric, trashed windshields and gaping holes in the skin are an expensive reality. 

But minor hail damage can be a relatively easy cosmetic fix, even though some owners just take the insurance money and call it a day. That might not be the best idea.