aircraft upholstery

[buzz]

Has anyone replaced a headliner in a small airplane such as a 172 Cessna? Iknow the material must be rated for aircraft. The toughest hurdle appears to be al the plastic trim. Any suggestions/input would be great. Buzz

[NDAV8R]

Hey there Buzz:
  Yes, you must use material that has Burn Certifcation that must be logged into it's log books.  It all depends on the year and style of the aircraft. The older ones uses bows like old cars and the new aircraft are glued up. I always use Dap Weldwood HHR (High Heat Resistance) Landau top and Trim contact adhesive.  Be VERY careful when dealing with any plastic at all in an airplane. It gets soooo brittle from exposure to UV, sun and heat. And I found that replacement plastic are never the same and have to be special fitted. Once the headliner is out, you are obligated to notify if any corrosion, faulty wiring, or vent tubing issues are present.
  Work with an A&P or IA airplane mechanic during your project so he can "sign off" your work in the logs. I suggest taking digital photos as you go (I take many!) to cover your butt or for future reference. You'll do fine. ;)

NDAV8R

[buzz]

Thanks for the reply the plane is maintained by an A&P/AI so the project should go well except as you mentioned the plastic trim. The A&P mentioned about doing a composite of the materials being used and having a burn test as well as many photos.  So once again Thank-You  BUZZ

[NDAV8R]

Sounds Good, Buzz.  
  If you have any cracking or breakage issues on the plastic, I do use a 2 part plastic adhesive that works good on the PVC interior parts. Get ahold of me for the info if you need.
   As far as making a composite of materials and making a burn test, that falls under FAA Form 8110-3.  I don't this you need this for that aircraft or for just a headliner, since the aircraft is not licensed in a commercial or air taxi category(FAA Part 91 or FAA Part 135)...he would know. As long as you have factory Burn Certs for the headliner material, I think that is OK.
   Burn tests are usually about $40 each and requires three 3x12 inch samples that the testing facility will put into an environmental chamber for about 72hrs to stabilize the temp and humidity of the sample. Then they do either a horizontal or vertical burn test FAR 25.853, 25.856(a, b, b2, b3), 25.855 and 25.1359(depends on the takeoff weight or the seating capacity of the aircraft). They are exposed to a flame for a certain period of time(60 sec), then to see if it self extinquishes or not.
   This aviation upholstery can get confusing at times, since the Feds changes the ruling from time to time, so DON'T cut any corners like you can on automotive or household projects.  It's all about liability, cause the lawers are always looking for the weakest link. When an airplane goes down, everyone who touches it gets sued. (20 years from now you will be getting a phone call)

Gale.

[NDAV8R]

Hey there Buzz:
I forgot to mention if you have to do a 8110-3 composite burn test, just use the very least amount of adhesive when gluing together. I know in larger Lear Jet or commercial liners, you need fire blocking materials. Dap Weldwood does have a nonflammable adhesives for this category.

Gale.