Leading edge erosion: when to repair, when to protect
Erosion starts as a surface problem and ends as a structural one. The cost of fixing it depends mostly on when you find it.
Why the leading edge wears out
The outer part of the blade moves fastest. At that speed, rain droplets, hail and airborne dust hit the leading edge like small projectiles. Coastal and desert sites add salt or sand, so erosion can appear earlier than the design life suggests.
The first effect is aerodynamic: a rough edge disturbs the airflow and reduces performance. The second is structural, once water can reach the laminate.
Reading the damage
- Early stage: pitting and a matt, roughened coating.
- Coating loss: gouges through the topcoat, filler visible.
- Laminate exposed: fibres visible, water can enter.
- Delamination: layers separating. This is a structural repair, not a cosmetic one.
Findings should be categorized and photographed by position on the blade, so the next inspection can compare like with like.
Repair or protect?
If the surface is sound, a leading edge protection system is the cheaper step: a coating, tape or shell that takes the erosion instead of the blade. If the coating has failed or the laminate is exposed, the blade needs repair first, and protection goes on top of that repair. Applying LEP over active damage only hides it.
What decides the result
Most early LEP failures come from application, not from the product. Surface preparation, layer thickness, temperature and humidity must follow the product and OEM limits, which means the weather window matters as much as the crew.
Our blade teams repair leading edge erosion, lightning and transport damage, and apply protection systems by rope access or from a platform, with photo documentation before, during and after.
