When sitting in the front, are your feet really just sitting on the bottom skin? I know airplane skin dents pretty easily, how are people's feet not making dents on the bottom? Is that area thicker?
I dont have the plans in front of me but it is quite a heavy grade. It is also well supported by the fore/aft bulkhead. I do have some cheap carpet to give it an easy time, also I thought my feet might get cold.
...it's hard to put much downward pressure on the forward skin because your legs are stretched out and your feet really only "rest' on the forward floor.
When sitting in the front, are your feet really just sitting on the bottom skin? I know airplane skin dents pretty easily, how are people's feet not making dents on the bottom? Is that area thicker?
As I was building my -4, I, too, was concerned about resting my feet on the 0.040 belly skin. During construction, I riveted some Z-stringers to the floor and mounted "floorboards" about 6" x 12". I don't worry about damaging the belly skin, but I did lose about 3/4" of height. This reduces the height difference between the seat pan and the floor which is important for comfort. It works for me, but tall pilots would probably find it uncomfortable.
Tony,
You might want to make yourself some scuff plates to go on the floorboard, glue them in place w/ contact cement so you can remove them easily...works well in my -4.
Not a 4 or 3, but in my 9A I put a piece of thick insulation (3/4" black stuff from ACS) on the floor and then covered it with another piece of Al. Helps deaden the sound, and alleviates the pressure points.
