David Crouch:
Which soundproofing materials and techniques have you Beechers used? What about upholstery materials, fabrics, and foams, and fire ratings or certifications?
Bob Swaim, A&P:
Try a Google search on “FAR 25.853 aircraft interior foam”. Most of the responses will be interior shops or places that cater to airlines, but some other resources will pop up, too. FAR 25.853 is the regulation that transport interior materials need to meet; and it exceeds FAR
23.853, which was written for the general aviation aircraft. Nobody advertises to meet Part 23, but they do for Part 25.
Airtex has a horrendous mark-up and while not as bad, Aircraft Spruce & most others do, too. While Pyramid Trim (pyramidtrim.com) makes the aircraft material,s and are nice folks, they are strange to deal with (constantly changing patterns and pulling products); and they don’t sell
retail. For a retail source on their products and all sorts of foam, try calling Redrum Fabrics at 800-446-3925 in Richmond, VA.
Here’s a surprise for the crowd working with their interiors. Most Naugahyde products (Naugahyde.com) meet 25.853! They have a great website, and you’ll be surprised how many textures, colors, and patterns they now have. The site has a selector chart that shows
which materials comply with the FAR. Make sure to get an invoice that shows the material meets the certification requirements.
For those wanting to work in leather, be aware that NOT all leather meets the FAR. It turns out that leather from many sources has too much oil. Search the BAC archive; there are sources for labs who will provide test certs, if you send them samples.
A lab I’ve not seen previously mentioned for you west coast guys is Redbrooks Fire Lab (http://www.pyrogen.com/IAIfireLab.htm). John Brooks is a font of knowledge about fire protection.
Oz:
Look in the Classifieds section of the BAC website. Aviation grade FAR 25.853 compliant Melamine foam insulation with foil facing is listed there. If you need a data sheet, e-mail me directly (osman.iftikhar@delta.com). I periodically list it on eBay if I am overstocked. This is the same insulation that is used on part 121/135 aircraft.
Technical Editor:
There is a lot of info on this available on the Internet, including some excellent articles. I’ll try to post some of them when I get time. One key thing, that most folks don’t think of, is that in our planes the majority of the noise is prop noise. It comes straight through the windshield. You can reduce it a bit by installing a .250″ thick windshield in place of the .187″ original, but it will remain quite loud. For this reason, adding side and firewall insulation primarily adds to cold weather comfort; it is only of marginal benefit in reducing noise. A highly rated ANR headset is by far the best choice for engine and prop noise reduction.