REFLECTOR: firewall protection

[Douglas Holub]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I did a little digging and found that RAF allows aluminum and fiberfrax in the long ez's. Apparently the fiberfrax provides all of the protection; the aluminum just protects the fiberfrax from getting beat up. From CP # 25:

FIREWALL - LONG-EZ AND VARIEZE
We now approve the use of fiberfrax (a space age ceramic material) as a 
replacement for asbestos. Since fiberfrax is as good a fire barrier as 
stainless steel, we approve substituting .016 2024 T-3 aluminum for the 
stainless. This saves almost 2 lb at the firewall. Both Wicks and 
Aircraft Spruce are now shipping kits with fiberfrax and aluminum.

Installation of fiberfrax is as follows: Complete airframe 
construction through cowling installation, then remove everything from 
the firewall bulkhead, and install fiberfrax with a bead of silicone 
around the edge of the bulkhead. Do not wet out fiberfrax with epoxy. 
Now install the .016 2024 T-3 aluminum which is required to protect the 
fragile fiberfrax, from local damage, abrasion etc. See plans changes 
section of this newsletter. 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Laurence Coen 
  To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 
  Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 12:09 PM
  Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: firewall protection


  In the "old days", it was galvinized mild steel, never aluminum.

  Larry Coen
  N136LC
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Alex Balic 
    To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list' 
    Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 9:06 AM
    Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: firewall protection


    Stainless steel for the most part- I got mine from Wicks- pretty reasonable- not sure why the kit does not come with it really.

    We do have a slight advantage, in that the flames would tend to flow away from our firewalls, but that aluminum will soften and dislodge pretty fast I would think-  stainless is the way to go Doug- I have a good  air powered nibbler you can borrow to cut the stuff- pretty difficult with snips- until you get down to just trimming off thin slivers- just let me know.- I would like to come by and visit your project anyway!

     

    Alex

     


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    From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On Behalf Of Douglas Holub
    Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2008 10:34 PM
    To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
    Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: firewall protection

     

    What do they use in aluminum airplanes?

      ----- Original Message ----- 

      From: Matt Bucko 

      To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list 

      Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2008 10:13 PM

      Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: firewall protection

       

      Lighter... and it melts almost instantly in a fire.  I saw some info on an aluminum air box and one made out of SS. In a fire, the aluminum box melted completely, the SS box held together fine. The box was a hot air diverter for cabin heat. Good demo on why a  heat shield should not be aluminum.  Fire could be from burning fuel or oil, electrical, or an exhaust leak spewing hot gas onto the shield. 

      Matt

        -----Original Message-----
        From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org]On Behalf Of Douglas Holub
        Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2008 9:03 PM
        To: reflector at tvbf.org
        Subject: REFLECTOR: firewall protection

        Why wouldn't I use 1/16" aluminum instead of 1/16" stainless steel to cover the fiberfrax on my firewall? It's lighter.

         

        Doug Holub


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