I'm looking for input from anyone who carpeted their RV. I have a 7, and recently added the front carpet which significantly reduced the noise. Will a Baggage carpet reduce noise much further? Don't want to add weight unless its effective! Cheers!
I'm looking for input from anyone who carpeted their RV. I have a 7, and recently added the front carpet which significantly reduced the noise. Will a Baggage carpet reduce noise much further? Don't want to add weight unless its effective! Cheers!
My RV-7A isn't quite flying yet, so I can't give a report on effectiveness, but I installed some soundproofing from Aircraft Spruce. I will also install carpet, so I hope to get a double benefit. I found this on someone else's website, and it really impressed me. This guy was installing some soundproofing in his RV. The benefits not only go toward reducing some of the noise inside an airplane, but provide some insulation and vibration reduction, too.
I did some research and some reading, and finally ended up ordering some of this material from Aircraft spruce.
There's a 12-page booklet called "Soundproofing an Aircraft" that you can read online, available for free. You can also read some of the archived forum discussions by searching using key words like sound deadening, etc. There are mixed opinions, of course, but there's at least some consensus that much of the noise in an RV comes primarily through two places; the floor and the firewall. It seems obvious to me, if you think about it. An airplane is like a big aluminum drum. And you're sitting inside while the propwash, exhaust, and airstream are beating on the drum. There's lots of vibration going on.
I decided that for a very minimal weight penalty, I could install this material on the floor under the seats, baggage area, and forward floor. It's one of those creature comforts that I think will be an improvement. I would NOT, by the way, install this on the firewall!
This material comes in various thicknesses. It's a closed-cell vinyl-nitride foam with self-adhesive backing. It's FAA approved for fire safety, too! You can go crazy if you wish and put in 2" thick layers and really deaden the sound. I ordered the 1/4" material for minimal weight while still gaining a lot of benefit (I hope!). I can always pull the stuff out later if I don't like it. I carefully weighed each piece as I installed it. The total weight for everything I installed amounted to only 43 ounces.
Here are a few pics, installing it under my baggage floor, up the sides of the fuselage, and under the seats:
Finally, here's a link to the page on my website that shows more, and more discussion:
http://www.europa.com/~swayze/RV-7A/Fuselage/20091104.html
My website in general, home page:
http://www.BrucesRV7A.com
Ben,My RV-7A isn't quite flying yet, so I can't give a report on effectiveness, but I installed some soundproofing from Aircraft Spruce. I will also install carpet, so I hope to get a double benefit. I found this on someone else's website, and it really impressed me. This guy was installing some soundproofing in his RV. The benefits not only go toward reducing some of the noise inside an airplane, but provide some insulation and vibration reduction, too.
I did some research and some reading, and finally ended up ordering some of this material from Aircraft spruce.
There's a 12-page booklet called "Soundproofing an Aircraft" that you can read online, available for free. You can also read some of the archived forum discussions by searching using key words like sound deadening, etc. There are mixed opinions, of course, but there's at least some consensus that much of the noise in an RV comes primarily through two places; the floor and the firewall. It seems obvious to me, if you think about it. An airplane is like a big aluminum drum. And you're sitting inside while the propwash, exhaust, and airstream are beating on the drum. There's lots of vibration going on.
I decided that for a very minimal weight penalty, I could install this material on the floor under the seats, baggage area, and forward floor. It's one of those creature comforts that I think will be an improvement. I would NOT, by the way, install this on the firewall!
This material comes in various thicknesses. It's a closed-cell vinyl-nitride foam with self-adhesive backing. It's FAA approved for fire safety, too! You can go crazy if you wish and put in 2" thick layers and really deaden the sound. I ordered the 1/4" material for minimal weight while still gaining a lot of benefit (I hope!). I can always pull the stuff out later if I don't like it. I carefully weighed each piece as I installed it. The total weight for everything I installed amounted to only 43 ounces.
Here are a few pics, installing it under my baggage floor, up the sides of the fuselage, and under the seats:
Finally, here's a link to the page on my website that shows more, and more discussion:
http://www.europa.com/~swayze/RV-7A/Fuselage/20091104.html
My website in general, home page:
http://www.BrucesRV7A.com
We did a lot of homework on this subject and found the best answers from a company up in Washington State. Pegasus Aeromarine Inc., a mister Dan Newland 360-437-9360. They have a very good catalog of some of the best sound abating, absorbing and vibration & damping supplies.
The Aeromarine kits include plastic, vinyl, and foam FAR25.853 materials on a firewall. Really stupid.
Keep in mind putting insulation on the floor skins may promote corrosion if ventilation and drainage is inhibited.
Moisture and other 'stuff' will find its way in regardless on how hard you try to prevent it.
The Aeromarine kits include plastic, vinyl, and foam FAR25.853 materials on a firewall. Really stupid.