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Neoprene sidewall, floor lining

rondawes

Well Known Member
New-to-me RV-7A - The builder put 3/4" neoprene-like black foam along the sides, floor under the carpet, and on the inside of the firewall. I pulled a small piece off and it will not sustain fire once a flame is removed but it does put off some black sooty smoke when the flame is applied.

Suggestons? Pull it out? I'll need something on the floor in channels to support the carpet. Without the foam, will the sound levels go up? Would something else to replace it be better? I've searched and read some other threads but I still don't have a good plan.

Thanks!
 
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The RV-6A I bought had the same thing. BUT, I ripped out most of it. It was under floor matts, walls, even in the tail cone. Any time I find any in my plane, out it comes. I can't tell any difference in the noise level, as I have The Bose A20 headsets.
BUT, I can't breath in that kind of smoke, so out it came. I've been blown up a couple times and have cheated death so far.
Go buy some Bose A20 ANR head sets and the perceived noise problem is no more.
Enjoy the ride Art
 
There will be lots of opinions here and it will be up to you to decide what trade offs you are willing to accept.

I waited until after my phase 1, but will be putting down a layer of cork on the floor. If you have the rubber on the firewall, do some research and consider removing at least the stuff on the firewall.
 
New-to-me RV-7A - The builder put 3/4" neoprene-like black foam along the sides, floor under the carpet, and on the inside of the firewall. I pulled a small piece off and it will not sustain fire once a flame is removed but it does put off some black sooty smoke when the flame is applied

"Will not sustain flame when heat source is removed" is the basic standard for seat cushions and sidewall materials. The test uses a bunsen burner, which is nowhere near the heat flux standard for a firewall. Given a 5"x5" hot spot (no flame contact, just contact with hot metal) at 2000F, the firewall standard, the black foam is pretty horrible. Do remove it from the cabin side of the firewall, at minimum.

This is Soundex foam "firewall mat", less than a minute after the burner when on. Again, no direct flame contact. Stainless steel firewall material, with the burner on one side, and the foam on the other.
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Exactly a year ago I attempted rescuing three occupants from a burning aircraft that was on its back. They perished. This was an FAA-certified aircraft with FAR23 burn tested interior materials. When the fuel tanks rupture and fuel is spilled everywhere not much matters when it comes to using flame-resistant materials. Obviously we don't want any materials that are combustible but the vast majority of airplanes have carpet and foam seat materials and I haven't seen either that wont burn. When fuel spills into the interior and ignites in a crash it simply does not matter what materials are used.
 
Here's to hoping I'm never upside down and on fire ...

I used 1/2" wool felt, like horse pads are made of (got mine at the Coastal Coop supply nearby). Serious sound damping and pretty inert when burned (might smell like a burning sheep, don't know).

Read that the ignition temperature of wool is above 1050 degrees F.
 
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