Definition
Aircraft covering fabric whose edges have been cut with a serrated, zigzag pattern to prevent the weave from unraveling. Pinked edges are used where fabric strips, reinforcing tapes, or surface tapes are applied during the covering process so the cut edges resist fraying and lie flat under dope or coatings.
Plain English
Fabric that has been cut along its edges with a zigzag pattern, like the teeth of pinking shears, so the threads don't fray and come apart.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft fabric covering, especially on fabric tapes, seams, patches, and repair areas.
Derivation
From 'pinking' -- an old textile term for cutting cloth with a notched or serrated edge. The zigzag cut interrupts the straight line of the weave, so loose threads have nowhere to run.
Why Pilots Care
On fabric-covered aircraft, frayed edges under tapes or seams can lift, trap moisture, or weaken the covering. Pinked edges keep the finish smooth and durable, which matters for both airworthiness and inspection.
Analogy
It is like the zigzag edge you may see on cloth cut with sewing shears; the shape helps the cloth resist unraveling.
Intuition Check
Do not read “pinked” as a color. Here it means the fabric edge has been cut into a zigzag or notched shape.
Example Sentence 1
The mechanic applied pinked-edge fabric tape over the rib stitching before brushing on the first coat of dope.
Example Sentence 2
When doping the wing, the pinked edges of each fabric panel were overlapped to prevent lifting in flight.