Hi Todd,
Certainly the horror of in-flight
fire is something aviators have faced since WWI. I commend you on your
effort to minimize any FWF combustion event (other than inside the
engine). However, I must tell you I have some doubts about the protection
you may think you are getting. This comes across to me more of a heat
shield kit than a fire shield kit. Here are some of my reasons for why
I believe you may not be getting the protection you think:
While
the ceramic blanket would probably withstand up to approx 2000F, I doubt
seriously it would remain on the firewall for long in case of such a horrid
event as fire. The aluminum facing and aluminum foil tape would quickly succumb
to flames leaving the airflow to blow the ceramic material away from the
firewall. I would feel much better if the facing was stainless steel as
well as the tape holding it together. I know you can get stainless steel
tape, but not certain about ceramic blanket faced with stainless.
Now, I
do believe that material can probably delay the worst and perhaps buy you some
additional time – and it may be well worth it from that stand point –2-
3 minutes might make a difference. But, just felt I needed to point out
that this “protection” may not be what you think.
Best
Regards
Ed
From: Rotary motors in aircraft
[mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On
Behalf Of Todd Bartrim
Sent: Thursday, July 02, 2009 5:27
PM
To: Rotary
motors in aircraft
Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: P M
Alternator Project
Hi Kelly;
I've finished the first phase of getting the darned thing in
there. Second phase will be actually running it to test it. I haven't yet
bought a voltage regulator or even given any thought as to tying it into the
electrical system, though I don't expect any problems here. I just finished
writing a full report on how to do this installation, just need to proof read
it and export it into a PDF or something small enough to post. It's currently
in .odt and 24Mb. Maybe I'll see if I can just put it on the Rotary Wiki. You
can probably expect it late tonight (pacific time).
Second phase will likely be late summer or early fall, as
I'm about to completely remove the entire FWF in order to install a ceramic
blanket heat shield in one piece. Some of you may remember the Von Alexander
story about an RV8 pilot that jumped to his death in order to avoid flames in
the cockpit. Well my boy wants to go flying real bad, but that's something I
always think about. So while it's not something I plan to happen, It's one more
base I'd like to cover as best I can. I wish I'd done something like this while
building initially, but there wasn't much available back then.
A builder by the name of Vince Frazier has started FlyBoy accessories and
offers a firewall insulation kit that is ideal and affordable. Ironically,
Vince bought his initial tool set from Von Alexander's widow. So I've ordered
this kit http://www.flyboyaccessories.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=204
I will completely strip the firewall in order to install it in one piece with
as few penetrations as possible.
While it's off I plan to change some things on my cooling system, based on some
of the recent successes I've seen here on the list in the last few years since
I first completed my plane (it's never really completed). But even these
projects will be delayed by other non-aircraft projects that I have to get
done.
Todd
C-FSTB
RV9 13B
On Thu, 2009-07-02 at 17:52 +0000, Kelly
Troyer wrote:
Todd,
Just How is Your PM Alternator Project going
??.......We are all hopeful that it will lessen a possible alternator
fail point by virtue of being direct drive and eliminating the drive
belt......
--
Kelly Troyer
"Dyke Delta"_13B ROTARY Engine
"RWS"_RD1C/EC2/EM2
"Mistral"_Backplate/Oil Manifold
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