Definition
A repair to a fabric-covered aircraft surface in which a fabric patch is hand-stitched over a damaged area using a baseball stitch or similar approved sewing technique, then finished with dope and reinforcing tape to restore strength, airtightness, and aerodynamic smoothness.
Plain English
A way to fix a tear or hole in fabric-covered aircraft skin by sewing a fabric patch over the damaged spot, then sealing it so the surface is smooth and strong again.
Context Anchor
Seen in aircraft maintenance instructions for fabric-covered wings, control surfaces, and fuselage sections.
Derivation
From 'sewed' (stitched with thread) and 'patch' (a piece of material applied over a damaged spot). The name describes the method exactly: a patch held in place by stitching rather than by adhesive alone.
Why Pilots Care
Restores the strength and smooth surface of fabric coverings so the aircraft remains airworthy and safe to fly.
Intuition Check
A sewed-patch repair is not just any cloth patch sewn over a tear. In aircraft work, the material, overlap, stitching, and finish all have to meet the approved repair method.
Example Sentence 1
The mechanic completed a sewed-patch repair on the wing fabric where a hangar tool had punctured the covering.
Example Sentence 2
After the fabric was damaged during ground handling, a sewed-patch repair was applied before the next inspection.