Draker
Well Known Member
The instructions only mention this once, and say only "Seal all [firewall] openings with fuel tank sealant after skinning the fuselage." No guidance on whether to fully fay seal by sandwiching a layer of sealant between the skins and firewall, or whether to apply a fillet seal to the junction after the surfaces are mated.
Van's builder support recommendation is to not do it while installing the side skins, but to do it later and "run a bead around the inside."
Far be it from me to question the all-knowing mothership, but the number of builders who chose to fay seal their firewalls gives me pause. Are these builders making a mistake, is there a trade-off here or is this something that's truly builder-preference?
I understand that the firewall does not get riveted with the skin install due to the cowling hinge that goes on later.
Also, I'm not trying to start a debate on which sealant to use. I've read the superb "Firewall sealant and Fire Safety" thread. Only looking for pros and cons of sealing it between the surfaces vs. putting a bead around the firewall later when everything is already mated.
Van's builder support recommendation is to not do it while installing the side skins, but to do it later and "run a bead around the inside."
Far be it from me to question the all-knowing mothership, but the number of builders who chose to fay seal their firewalls gives me pause. Are these builders making a mistake, is there a trade-off here or is this something that's truly builder-preference?
I understand that the firewall does not get riveted with the skin install due to the cowling hinge that goes on later.
Also, I'm not trying to start a debate on which sealant to use. I've read the superb "Firewall sealant and Fire Safety" thread. Only looking for pros and cons of sealing it between the surfaces vs. putting a bead around the firewall later when everything is already mated.