fabric covering inside

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Includes: Highlander, Escapade, Summit and SuperSTOL.
av8rps
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Posts: 480
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:01 pm

Re: fabric covering inside

Post by av8rps »

My current Highlander is kydex covered with light upholstery fabric. It looks really nice, it stops damage to exterior fabric, and is easy to install and remove.

But on my next Highlander I will use thin pink or blue foam with fabric attached. It will be the same weight or maybe lighter than the kydex, will work to absorb impacts, will be easy to install and remove, and will have the benefit of insulating the cabin from noise and excessive temps hot or cold.

The baggage floor on my current Highlander has 2 inch pink foam over the wood so the pushrod is slightly below floor, making it a totally flat floor that is rigid enough to crawl around on. I'd do that again. It also is an easy remove. And my plane only weighs 680 lbs empty.
Last edited by av8rps on Wed Jun 15, 2016 8:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
av8rps
Veteran Member
Posts: 480
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:01 pm

Re: fabric covering inside

Post by av8rps »

My current Highlander is kydex covered with fabfic. It looks really nice, it stops damage to exterior fabric, and is easy to install and remove.

But on my next Highlander I will use 3/8 or 1/2 inch foam with fabric attached. It will be the same weight or maybe lighter, will work to absorb impacts, will be easy to install and remove, and will have the benefit of insulating the cabin from noise and excessive temps.

My current highlander has 2 inch pink foam on the baggage floor over the wood so the pushrod is slightly below floor, making it a totally flat floor that is rigid enough to crawl around on. I'd do that again. It also is an easy remove. And my plane only weighs 680 lbs empty.
FredHoffman
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Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:57 pm

Re: fabric covering inside

Post by FredHoffman »

Any pictures of the foam covered panels and the foam baggage floor. I think both are a very good idea, and will probably do the same.
av8rps
Veteran Member
Posts: 480
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:01 pm

Re: fabric covering inside

Post by av8rps »

The 1.5 inch thick pink foam used on the floor of my baggage compartment is from a home depot in the area. My sidewalls are Kydex covered in fabric, but on my next plane I'm thinking about using half inch pink foam in an effort to save some weight. While I like the Kydex, the foam would be lighter. Downside is that the foam can break if bent sharp or impacted hard. A sandwhiched composite panel would be best, but thats gonna be time consuming and/or expensive.

I tried to attach pics of my foam floor, but I can't seem to be able to get pics from my notepad.
av8rps
Veteran Member
Posts: 480
Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 5:01 pm

Re: fabric covering inside

Post by av8rps »

The 1.5 inch thick pink foam used on the floor of my baggage compartment is from a home depot in the area. My sidewalls are Kydex covered in fabric, but on my next plane I'm thinking about using half inch pink foam in an effort to save some weight. While I like the Kydex, the foam would be lighter. Downside is that the foam can break if bent sharp or impacted hard. A sandwhiched composite panel would be best, but thats gonna be time consuming and/or expensive.

I tried to attach pics of my foam floor, but I can't seem to be able to get pics from my notepad.
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john2
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Posts: 191
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 11:42 am
Location: Lucedale, Ms.

Re: fabric covering inside

Post by john2 »

Hi Gang,
Someone had asked about what foam to use for the foam panels that are cutout and fit between the frame structure. I had first seen this on a plane at the factory and was told that they got the foam from Aircraft Spruce. I never could find anything that was stiff enough and then Ben Schneider turned me on to this..... 220 Poly Closed Cell Foam Sheet, .5"THK, 24"W, L 54", Charcoal, Plain Backing from ebay or zorotools.com. It works very well and is very light. It's not to difficult to install, you just have to cut it to size, bevel the edges and glue the fabric to it. It then kind of snaps in and wedges up against the frame tubing Very easy to remove also if you need too.
Take Care,
John Cooley
Kit #265 converted to SuperSTOL
N265JC reserved
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