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<< Lancair Builders' Mail List >>
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Several years ago I orchestrated a "buy" of Confor foam (aka Temperfoam) for
several Lancair 360 and Glasair builders. Because of my contacts in the
foam industry (I'm in foam cushion packaging) I was able to put together a
quantity purchase of the Blue, Pink, and Green Confor foam and saved those
builders including myself considerable money.
I'm just starting a IV-P project, and even though I'm years away from
needing "seat foam", I'd be willing to put together another bulk purchase.
The Confor foam comes in 3 stiffness ranges that commonly get used in
aircraft seating. These are:
Desc Color Density IFD*
CF 47 Green 5.8 43 Stiff
CF 45 Blue 6.0 34 Moderate
CF 42 Pink 5.7 26 Soft
* IFD - Indentation Force Deflection is a measure of resistance to
compression - generically, is the stiffness rating.
I used 1" thick sheet of each material in my LC20. The green foam I would
recommend for the very bottom layer in the seat bottom - its too stiff to
use close to the body. I used the green to give a maximum of protection in
case of sudden stop in the vertical direction. Next is a layer of the blue
foam and then a layer of the pink (closest to the body). This arrangement
makes for a very comfortable Lancair 360 in which I can fly for 3-3.5 hours
without moving (my range of motion is limited by the stick and instrument
panel).
I would be able to buy the foam at approx. 50% of the Aircraft Spruce cost
and approx. 60% of the McMaster Carr cost. Additionally, since I need to
buy in bun quantities it probably doesn't make any sense to bulk buy the
green foam - not enough of it is used. The green can be purchased from
McMaster-Carr. What needs to be determined is a schedule of sheet sizes that are required
for four IV seats and/or two 360 seats. The bun size is 12 x 36 x 80. A
practical size is probably 1 x 18 x 40 of each color (blue, pink) per seat.
So potentially a bun of each material could make three sets of four seats
for the LC4's, or six sets of two seats for the LC2's. Anybody keep records
of how much foam it really takes?
Anybody interested? Maybe we could get something going here to save some
bucks.
Hal Woodruff
LML website: http://www.olsusa.com/Users/Mkaye/maillist.html
Builders' Bookstore: http://www.buildersbooks.com/lancair
Please send your photos and drawings to marvkaye@olsusa.com.
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