Patent ID: 7040575

Claim:
A method for insulating the fuselage of an aircraft, the fuselage having an outer skin, a plurality of stringers coupled to and extending latitudinally along said outer skin, and a plurality of frames coupled to said plurality of stringers and said outer skin and extending longitudinally along said outer skin, the method comprising: forming a hydrophobic, open-cell foam structure capable of being compressed between about 0.5 and 10 percent, wherein said hydrophobic, open-cell foam structure comprises a melamine-based, thermosetting open-cell foam structure; applying a moisture resistant compound to said melamine-based open-celled thermosetting foam; sizing said hydrophobic, open-celled foam structure to fit between an adjacent pair of said plurality of frames; compression fitting at least one layer of said hydrophobic, open-cell foam structure between said adjacent pair of frames such that said layer substantially covers at least one of the plurality of stringers; and coupling a trim piece over said layer such that said layer is sandwiched between said trim piece and said outer skin.