Repair of composite laminates

A method of repairing an area of damage to a surface of a fiber reinforced plastics composite structure with a patch, said structure including at least a monolithic laminate and said area of damage including a crater at least in said laminate, said patch is made of fiber reinforced plastics composite material for attachment to said surface of said fiber reinforced plastics composite structure over said area of damage to the structure, said patch defining an outer surface, a bonding surface opposed thereto and a peripheral edge, said patch including fiber reinforcement and plastics matrix material, said plastics matrix material being in a substantially final state of hardness, said patch defines a series of apertures therethrough to allow the passage of matter therethrough during bonding of said patch to the structure, the method including the steps of:

• applying to surfaces to be bonded and introducing into said crater liquid adhesive;
• leveling off said adhesive to stand slightly proud of said surface of said structure whilst substantially filling said crater;
• applying said patch to said surface so as to cover said crater;
• and
• extracting any excess adhesive and gas from beneath said patch through said apertures in said patch and hardening said adhesive to bond said patch in position and complete the repair.