Although parts quality has improved, this Plane Plastic Cessna part still requires trimming.

by Jim Cavanagh

When you slide into an airplane new to you, what usually jumps out first isn’t the radio stack or the new engine analyzer. It’s the window trim that no longer covers the aluminum frame, or the uneven line of a cracked glareshield, or the multiple screw holes in the door post plastic trim, or the eroded beading applied to the edges of door trim.

As the age of the general fleet continues to advance, much of the 30-year-old plastic meant to last a decade or less is reaching the end of its practical life. But old and neglected are two different things and given the lively aftermarket in trim…