What Types of Insulation Are Used for Aircraft?

Insulation is a crucial aspect of aircraft construction, serving to protect various sections and components from the detrimental effects of extreme temperatures. Whether guarding a cabin and its passengers from the freezing atmospheric air or preventing the spread of exhaust heat for the wellbeing of engine components, insulation can be used in numerous ways. When implementing insulating materials, it is important to consider the area that they will be installed and whether such materials have the optimal weight, strength, and resistance for the application. To help you best understand the use of aircraft insulation, we will discuss the main areas in which it is implemented.

In order to provide thermal insulation to the cabin of an aircraft, a flame retardant material known as mica is often used. As a lightweight material, mica often is relied on for the lamination of tubing and ducting. Additionally, the panels of walls, overhead storage, and galleys all must be specifically designed with heat resistance in mind. Generally, the mica used for the cabin of an aircraft may be produced through a variety of molding techniques, and the use of resin-impregnated mica is typical. Through molding, aircraft manufacturers can ensure that cabin insulation can be created in any needed shape to accommodate a build.

As modern aircraft rely on a number of electrical systems and components for their standard functionality, such parts require ample protection due to their sensitivity. Electrical components are often at risk of becoming damaged from interference and heat, the latter presenting the hazard of an electrical system fire. To prevent such dangers, mica may be used to form low voltage insulation. These elements may come in the form of laminates, winding wires, back-plates, switch gears, and other components. As the manufacturing of thermal insulation has improved over the years, manufacturers have been able to produce increasingly complex shapes and assemblies to better protect electrical equipment.

The aircraft battery is also a crucial element of the electrical system, commonly used for starting engines and APUs while also acting as an emergency back-up power system. Batteries are often sensitive to high heat temperatures and extreme colds, both of which can affect their health and performance. As such, high temperature insulation is achieved with mica due to its thermal insulation, stability, and strength.

If an aircraft has a thrust reversal system that is operated to reduce speed, there needs to be ample protection from the blast of heat that will be ejected forward. This is especially crucial when touching down on a runway as such systems pose the risk of fatal accidents if uncontrolled or improperly used. Similar to many other systems and areas of the aircraft, mica proves to be the most beneficial and common aircraft insulation material that can be installed for thrust reversal systems.

The black box, or data recorder, is an important device that can assist accident investigators with details of an incident when a crash or event occurs. As black boxes will record flight data and cockpit voices that are crucial for determining a reason for an accident or incident, it is paramount that such devices are designed to be intensely robust. In order to survive extreme conditions and intense temperatures, highly thermally resistant materials such as mica must be used to create insulation optimal enough for protecting integrated circuits and sensitive components.

Beyond such insulation types, one may also acquire fiberglass insulation or an acoustic insulation kit to best protect their aircraft and its various sections and components. Fulfillment 3sixty is an online distributor of aircraft parts, offering customers access to an unrivaled inventory of new, used, and obsolete items. With team members readily available for customers 24/7x365, we can assist you through the purchasing process with competitive quotes, pricing, and lead-times with ease. Get started today and see why customers choose to steadily rely on Fulfillment 3sixty for all their operational requirements.