Roger Lee Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Here is a tip for dressing up and sealing your firewall blanket. Use aluminum tape around the edges. They make two types, a thick aluminum and a thinner aluminum with a paper backing to protect the adhesive. Use the thinner paper back. The thick aluminum doesn't stick for a darn. Tear the tape in about a 6" length and place it over the edge where the cowl top sets and then fold it over and down onto the firewall blanket edge. Do the all the way around. Then go back and add a second layer. Tear a 2" piece and place it under and on the firewall blanket meets the cowl camlocks. This method completely seals the entire edge of the blanket and protects it from any oil, fuel or water intrusion and if it ever gets damaged it can be replaced in a matter of minutes. It also prevents the cowl from chafing the fuselage edges.from vibration. It also makes for a nice clean installation. These pictures are from a work in progress so it isn't a finished job, but just a demo for edge sealing. p.s. The little streak down on the right hand corner of the fuselage is my blood. It's dangerous work. Seems there is a piece of me that goes out with every firewall blanket install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Lee Posted August 31, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 A lot of older firewall blankets are peeling or coming loose around the edges. May be time to think about re-sealing those edges. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anticept Posted August 31, 2016 Report Share Posted August 31, 2016 Use leather gloves for this work people. Seriously these aluminum firewalls are extremely sharp and dangerous. I switched mine to the new paint on protectant because I got tired of losing bits of my hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted September 1, 2016 Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 Use leather gloves for this work people. Seriously these aluminum firewalls are extremely sharp and dangerous. I switched mine to the new paint on protectant because I got tired of losing bits of my hands. You must have a early CTLS. Does yours have the heavy ailerons too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anticept Posted September 1, 2016 Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 You must have a early CTLS. Does yours have the heavy ailerons too? Maybe. Didn't know there was such a thing. Serial 08-03-06 (basically 6th of the batch completed March of 2008). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Lee Posted September 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 The first 6 months worth of LS's had different rigging and double springs which made controls heavy. They did it because people complained about the light controls in the SW's. Then the people complained about the heavy controls. These are usually identifiable by the horizontal vs vertical rigging in the baggage compartment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anticept Posted September 1, 2016 Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 Oooh that! 08-03-05 (crate buddy, became N565FD) and 08-03-06 (mine, N566FD) were two in the batch that didn't get the heavy controls. Everything before our two, and 08-03-07 through -11 still got them. Everything after got the lightweight. Not sure if there was any in the same batch that also got the lightweight controls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted September 1, 2016 Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 The first 6 months worth of LS's had different rigging and double springs which made controls heavy. They did it because people complained about the light controls in the SW's. Then the people complained about the heavy controls. These are usually identifiable by the horizontal vs vertical rigging in the baggage compartment. Some 2007 CTSWs have a similar setup, Sadly mine is one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted September 1, 2016 Report Share Posted September 1, 2016 Some 2007 CTSWs have a similar setup, Sadly mine is one of them. The aileron control system in the early LS's was completely different than what is in the SW's. The mixing was different as well as the placement of the flap actuator. The later LS's compare to what the SW has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted September 2, 2016 Report Share Posted September 2, 2016 Roger, that is a great tip to use the thinner aluminized tape. I have been using the thicker stuff and wondering why it was always peeling back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted September 2, 2016 Report Share Posted September 2, 2016 The aileron control system in the early LS's was completely different than what is in the SW's. The mixing was different as well as the placement of the flap actuator. The later LS's compare to what the SW has. I didn't mean the control system was the same, only that they added additional springs to make it feel heavier. Mine is actually quite stiff in flight. I asked FD USA about removing the additional pitch spring and they said no. I know some others have done it without FD's blessing, but I didn't want to go down that road. Maybe once my airplane is an ELSA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Baker Posted September 2, 2016 Report Share Posted September 2, 2016 I didn't mean the control system was the same, only that they added additional springs to make it feel heavier. Mine is actually quite stiff in flight. I asked FD USA about removing the additional pitch spring and they said no. I know some others have done it without FD's blessing, but I didn't want to go down that road. Maybe once my airplane is an ELSA. The spring you are talking about is on the elevator (stabilator if you want to be correct). The issue with the early CTLS's were the ailerons. I sold and worked on a SW that was built the month before yours. It had the spring on the pitch control, but the ailerons felt like any other SW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Lee Posted September 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2016 Roger, that is a great tip to use the thinner aluminized tape. I have been using the thicker stuff and wondering why it was always peeling back. Make sure you clean all the areas that the tape will stick to with lacquer thinner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted September 2, 2016 Report Share Posted September 2, 2016 Make sure you clean all the areas that the tape will stick to with lacquer thinner I have been using alcohol, will that work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Lee Posted September 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2016 No. It isn't strong enough. Use the lacquer thinner. Clean it once then clean it again. Once the tape is on then press it in place with something very firm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingMonkey Posted September 2, 2016 Report Share Posted September 2, 2016 Cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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