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Passenger Compartment walls, ceilings and blinds
The passenger cabin wall lining provides not only the thermal insulation to the passenger cabin, but also sound proofing and forms the interior wall furnishing trim above the floor level. The lining trim actually consists of ceiling panels, service panels, and side-wall panels with incorporated window blinds, clamping strips and capping strips. The side wall panels are manufactured from Nomex/ Phenolic resin impregnated fibreglass and the inboard surface is covered by Tedlar decorative film. The panels form the interior furnishing trim and, and when removed, allow access to the insulation blankets. They are generally two frame bays in length and incorporate the windows and follow the contours of the aircraft structure. All the materials used in the lining are manufactured are fire-resistant and have been selected to ensure the lowest possible smoke emission. The decorative finish of the panels has been applied by using a silk screen process.
There is insulation material fitted to the aircraft, which is contained between the fuselage skin and these wall lining furnishing trims, this has been attached to support structure members which are sandwiched between the fuselage frames and the lining furnishing trim. This insulation material helps protect the passengers from the heat build up on the exterior of the fuselage during supersonic cruise.
The insulation which provides thermal protection and sound proofs the cabin is made from glass wool insulation blankets and frame wrappings which follow the contour of the aircraft structure. Each insulated blanket consists of layers of glass wool contained in fire-resistant Nomex paper fabricated with waterproof adhesive, stitching and self attaching tape. The blankets are generally two frame bays in length and extend in height from a joint with the under floor blankets just above floor level to the centre Line of the fuselage at the top of the aircraft. They incorporate drain holes and apertures for the windows and in the region of the forward cabin and toilets are made integral with air extraction ducts.
There is a resin impregnated glass fibre structure, which provides support for this insulation and a mounting for the furnishing panels. It consists of U-section channel members joined to form an arch within the aircraft structure.
Support channel members are provided at every fourth frame, and at door cut-outs. Because the sidewall panels extend over only two frame bays an intermediate support structure is provided, and these extend from the floor beams to the luggage bin Lower attachment Lug. Quick-release fastener receptacles are fitted to the support structure approximately every eight inches a long its length, matching the quick release studs and cups on the clamping strips
A sealing strip is positioned over the expansion gap between these lining panels, by a clamping strip which is fastened to the support structure of the aircraft with quick release studs and cups. The clamping strip between the panels on the vertical joints allows for linear expansion to take place, which is due to heating and flexing of the aircraft structure during supersonic cruise. These clamping strips and fasteners are concealed from the passengers behind push fit capping strips.
The sidewall panels, which also incorporate the window blinds, are generally two frame bays in length, and they follow the contour of the aircraft structure, and extend from the floor to the air flow fairing. The cabin window blinds are manually operated and are built into the side wall panels. Each blind is made of a plasticized glass woven fabric attached to a spring loaded roller, which is mounted on brackets and contained within a blind cover; the whole assembly is bolted to the front of the side-wall panel.
In the window aperture, the bottom edge of the blind is made rigid with an edge stiffener, which also provides a mounting for the blind handle. The blind has an up-down movement, and is retained in any position by friction pads which are attached to the ends of the stiffener, and spring loaded into guide tracks on both sides of the window aperture. Removable window inserts permit access to the windows and the window blind mechanism for maintenance by ground crews.
There is a dado panel assembly, which incorporates the air extraction louvers and passenger entertainment plug boxes, this is manufactured from a thicker material and is painted a different colours from the upper part of the sidewall panel.
The ceiling panels are fitted between the light shades on each side of the fuselage and comprise of inner and outer panels, they are generally four frame bays in length. These are removable which allows access to aerial cable conduits which are clamped to the main support structure of the aircraft. The transverse joints of the ceiling panels are concealed by decorative cross-over strips made from aluminium alloy, which are covered in Tedlar decorative film. The panels themselves are of fibreglass-honeycomb construction with a plastic film on the outboard face of the panel; this is to avoid the collection of moisture from condensation.
Located behind the luggage stowage bins (Overhead lockers) are the systems panels which allow access to the various passenger services of the aircraft passenger cabin. Apertures and mountings for the passenger compartment air distribution, oxygen and electrics are built into the systems panels which are of fibreglass-honeycomb construction. The airflow fairing screens the bottom of the Luggage stowage bin support structure and directs airflow into the passenger cabin.
