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#1866241
a comment by Bill in the LAA Rally thread,

Bill McCarthy wrote:.....
I still get excited about getting to the rally, but the wind gets knocked out my sails when I see the dominance of the quick build kit types. The highly polished Luscombe taking pride of place a couple of years ago had me wondering if more time was spent keeping it glossy than flying it. The core of the PFA, to me, was the wood and fabric builders of old - those days are long gone, sadly.


took me back to once again wondering if the technique of interlocking plywood is often used in kit built aircraft. It's not something I can honestly say I've seen a lot of, but it does seem to be common in model making. With 3D CAD being so common, and router or laser cutting of plywood relatively easy, is this a technique light aviation is ignoring or have I just missed it?

Is structural strength or weight the issue?

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#1866261
I believe that the problem most associated with the use of plywood structures is centered around the often troubled question of quality control during manufacture.

Type of timber, moisture content, quality of glues, ability to deter attack by wood boring insects are some of the desirable characteristics of plywood intended for use in the construction of airframes.

Excellent quality plyboard is available generally from the Far East (Indonesia for example) though it is still important to check and continually assess production standards.