Re: REFLECTOR: Firewall Triax

[Alan Shaw <wingco@iu.net>]

Rene' Dugas wrote:

> Dear Builders,
> I was about to apply the Triax to the forward side of the firewall to
> the sides and top of fuselage.  The manual says side pieces at 45
> degrees BUT that put my layup into the widow if one extendes 12" forward
> as directed.  Suggestions and solutions?  Shorter, different angle,
> wider, etc.  I plan to cut out the doors this week.  Suggestions?

Different angle.   If anything all these layups faning out onto the fuselage
walls could thin out and get a little longer out into the fuselage to spread
and distribute the load.  The gear bed/fire wall area is so heavy compaired
to the fuselage the resulting structure has a "stress riser" just in front
of the gear bulk head if we are not careful.

On the other hand you don't want to make your plane heavy where it doesn't
need it.  The layups in the plans are good enough to handle bad thunderstorm
turbulance or a bad end over end tumble on the ground.  In either case I
have found the plane tougher than I.

Alan Shaw