Today I spent an additional 1.5 hours on the wingtip, but the more exciting news is that an order came in from Wicks.
I ordered some 5052 Aluminum to make fuel lines out of, along with some foam for the seats. My plan for the seats is to use tempur foam for the bottom layer for its shock absorption, then to use regular seat foam for the rest. Wicks had the best price that I could find on a 1″ thick green cushion that was big enough for the seats.
I also got some rivets for the doors. They are made of aluminum and have a nice large head to help spread the load evenly. I’m planning to use these AN fittings for the fuel quantity gauges. They have Flared ends on both sides, and one side has a bulkhead attachment. My plan (for now at least) is to set up the fuel quantity sight gauges outboard of the fuselage frame, on the inboard side of the root rib. This will eliminate the need for any flexible tubing.
I didn’t want to use tempur foam for the entire seat cushions for a couple of reasons. Cost and weight were two factors, since the tempur foam had more of each. Another reason was the recommendation of a professional interior guy that gave a presentation about how to build seats. Another Bearhawk builder named Dave Lenart recommended Rochford Supply for the foam. The higher density option is 4526, with the softer 3319. The 1″ thick harder stuff goes over the tempur foam, then the softer 2″ thick stuff goes on top of that. The seat back is 2″ 3319 by itself.
