Insulation options

[Rodney]

Jiott. - Could you post some pictures and also talk about how you sealed the tail and aileron slots?

I need to do that on my airplane and try to stop that cold air coming from the back of the airplane

Thanks

Rodney

[Av8r3400]

IMO, The easiest way to combat the "tail draft" in these planes is to wear a hooded sweatshirt. Tuck the hood around you neck for the draft or if it gets too cold pull it up over your head/headset.

Chasing down all the air leaks would be a full time job.

[jiott]

Rodney, Hopefully Floog chimes in on the details and photos, because he is the one who showed me how to do it, but I am just now in process of getting material and hope to install it at my next annual in Feb. Floog flies back and forth over the Cascades every week or two and he has had these leak stoppers installed for several years now, and claims they are a big help, but nothing is perfect of course.

[kmach]

Being able to reduce the air coming up from the tail with a seal around the stabilizer jackscrew trim slot would help allot. I too am looking forward to the pictures of that.

[Floog]

The first thing I did was blocked the airflow through the oil cooler/radiator with a pilot adjustable cowl flap. Keeping the engine temperature at a minimum of 180F translates into more heat in the cabin. Then I installed 3/8" foam rubber seals over the flaperon shaft and stab slots. The right flaperon slot was the source of the greatest draft on my neck (p-factor). Unlike others, I have zero air flow coming from the spar ends. I applied the foam rubber with contact cement. (Sticky Stuff spray). When I expect temperatures below say 20F, I wear a hoodie over the headset. There just isn't any heat coming from the back of a Kitfox 😁

[jiott]

Great photos, thanks Doug.