Pirep - Gee Bee Aeroproducts Baggage Door Seal

[Z W]

Background - it came up in another thread last year that new factory-style Mooney baggage door seals were hard to source. The Knots 2 U ones sold on Spruce and other places are made of cheap weatherstripping foam, are not factory style, and instead of attaching to the door, they go on the airframe, and therefore get scraped/damaged easily as you load and unload baggage from the plane. I'd been through several of those, with the last one not even lasting two years, when I complained here.

@Gee Bee Aeroproducts stepped up, I believe bought a salvage baggage door, and manufactured a new factory-style seal out of modern high-quality silicone. I think I bought the first one. Shame on me, it took me a few months to get around to getting it on the plane, and a couple more months to post this, but it's there now.

Report: The seal is great. Arrived with enough seal material to make a little more than two of them and a nice clear 2-part epoxy to glue it on. It makes a much tighter fit than the foam seal did, such that I had to lubricate the lock pins to get it to close. At first I was worried it was too tight, but after a little grease on the pins, it closes smoothly and is very snug.

Before, the latch felt like it could pop open in flight if not locked. Now, I still lock it, but there's no way it's coming open unintentionally if I were to forget. I've never had a factory style seal, so I'm not sure, but suspect it's working as intended now. I also never had problems with water intrusion before, but I'm certain it seals better and tighter now. It's been on for a couple of months and has not compressed or loosened much, which is perfect. It's safe and out of the way on the door and I don't expect it to get damaged or need replacing any time soon.

Thanks Guy for making a great new product for our Mooneys.  A few pics below.

 

[Slick Nick]

Nice review. Is it “P” shaped like the stock one? Almost looks like you have it on backwards, with the flat part facing outwards instead of being tucked flush under the trim panel. 

[Z W]

The seal is P-shaped.  The flat part would definitely not fit under my trim panel, which is trimmed way above the seal surface, though I believe my trim panel has been replaced, so I'm not sure how it came from the factory. The way it's in there fits and seals very well. I don't think the door would close if it were reversed - the thick part of the seal would be pushed out into the thinnest parts of the gap between the door and the fuselage.

My parts catalog doesn't show the orientation of the seal. Anybody have a picture of a factory seal installation?

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

We reduced the seal in overall dimensions and reduced the duro to the softest spec .

 

The first article copy of the original was the same dimensions as the B727 nose gear door seals , who copied who ?

 

GB

Thanx for the feedback 

 

I stock mu2 / and tbm door seals 

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Cabin and Baggage same seal

Need something made , just ask

[Marc_B]

@Z W and @Gee Bee Aeroproducts, is this the newer profile of the seal or the older profile...I can't remember but think one was smaller and thicker and one was larger and thinner walled??  Which is the newer/improved?

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

The larger thicker P seal was the same dimensions of the nose gear door seals.

I then reduced the seal size by 25% and thinner wall thickness for a revised seal -1 .

GB

 

Edited January 4 by Gee Bee Aeroproducts

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Here is a oem picture 

Bulb outward

The bulb is flattened as its rubber after age, this will not happen in the silicone version.

 

Edited January 4 by Gee Bee Aeroproducts

[Z W]

OK then. Mine seals very well installed backwards, and looks like it was meant to go that way to fit into the shape of the fuselage frame. But you should probably install it like the factory did.

Thanks for the photos Guy.

[Slick Nick]

The little lip on the inside i think is designed to keep water out, since it makes a bit of a bend where the door does. The way your seal is installed might allow moisture in behind it. You ssid you had extra seal left over? Might be worth redoing it the proper direction. 

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

I have plenty of seal in stock

Remove all old cement with toluene 

mask both edges of seal

apply clear silicone cement , let dry 

apply clear silicone cement to seal in 3/5 inch increments and dry with hairdryer.

cure 18/24 hours before closure.

Pressuried / inflatable seals always have a rain seal for when the aircraft is static and the seal is not inflated.

This small rain seal 13ft long is over 3k dollars now .

Next time you step into a Boeing or airbus you will notice the rain seal if you are looking.

 

[Andy95W]

@Z W- thanks for the pirep.  How much was the baggage door seal?  Do you intend to do your door as well?

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Cabin

Baggage

325.00 pair with 4oz clear silicone cement 

option

1 Qt toluene 20.00

shipping to be determined 

n77gb@msn.com

[Andy95W]

Thanks Guy.

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Anything, anytime

Transducer bracket 

one week start to finish 

 

[67 m20F chump]

I have used his products on all 3 planes I have owned.  Always excellent quality and by aviation standards great prices too.  

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Need something made , let me know 

 

Caliper Bleed Cap silicone 

We molded 1000 each in Porsche atomic Green 

Red is the basic, similar to the Brembo bleed cap .

I have a new three piston tso caliper coming soon and this is a subassembly 

 

 

[Danb]

On 1/3/2025 at 5:55 PM, Z W said:

closes smoothly and is very snug.

Before, the latch felt like it could pop open in flight if not locked. Now

 

On 1/3/2025 at 8:53 PM, Gee Bee Aeroproducts said:

Cabin and Baggage same seal

Need something made , just ask

Geebee, I’ve had continuous issues with door seals on my Bravo and Acclaim didn’t have any issues on my two J models? I don’t like the fit on my Acclaim, only wish Mooney had made our frames properly no two seem alike nevertheless I had a popular MSC replace my seal and still don’t like the fit. The air seal on my Bravo was good but I’d rather not go that route on the Acclaim. How have your clients liked the passenger door seal you manufacture? On another front I wanted Rosen shades but there not available for the Acclaim? The knock offs I got from Don won’t stay put even though I’ve tried numerous screws. Thanks

D 

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

I made this seal twice , the second time reduced profile and durometer.

There are two ways to install the same seal :

apply with no stretch

apply with a little pull 

This will change the dimension of the seal .

There are no other manufacturers of door seals that will invest in perfection of a Seal .

 

Would you tool for a molded seal with fabric per AMS3345 for 46k mold cost ?

I did , 54 weeks later and all six molds were completed to mfg one seal .

The reason for fabric is the seal is bolted to the airframe.

I changed the color to a warmer gray vs bone white.

Iam currently doing two sets of airstar seals for a B727-100Q to the customer color spec .

please call if you have technical questions 

[LANCECASPER]

3 minutes ago, Gee Bee Aeroproducts said:

There are two ways to install the same seal :

apply with no stretch

apply with a little pull 

This will change the dimension of the seal .

Which is the correct way?  I am guessing no stretch.

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

36 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

Which is the correct way?  I am guessing no stretch.

Thats depends on the tolerance in the door .

Ref Beechcraft 

large gap, bulb on edge of door

close tolerance, bulb on inside edge 

I hope this helps you understand how the seal and tolerance fit together.

You can thin the Mooney seal by pulling it taunt during installation.

Cement a small section first and let cure before installing the rest of the seal.

start at the bottom and buttthe ends together.

Silicone will not shrink with temperature or age .

GB

[Marc_B]

@Z W  Couple of questions about install with the silicone cement...

What is the “usable” life of the glue once mixed?  Long enough that I can mix vial into bottle, glue the frame, let dry then come back and glue the seal?  Is this correct process??

1. Mix small vial into large tube and mix well.
2. Apply thin layer of cement to door frame where seal will be applied and dry with hair dryer
   1. Not sure how long it takes to dry?
   2. Do you also apply thin layer to silicone seal and let dry as well or just to door?
3. Apply thin layer of cement to door seal in 3-5” section and apply to door…let dry
   1. Is it better to just go 3-5” at a time and let dry holding in place?  Vs would clothes pins put enough pressure to hold seal in place to keep moving around the door?
   2. How long do I have with the cement to dry enough to keep it in position without holding it?
   3. Will this hold in position at this point or would it be better to use clothes pins help hold in place?
4. GeeBee's instructions sounded like keeping the door OPEN?? to cure rather than I’ve read others seal install suggested closed the door in position to hold pressure to set the glue?
5. If I need to adjust a section after gluing, how long do I have to adjust and can I just peel up a small section and move and re-glue?  Similarly, if I need to “shim” a section of seal using a small tail of the “P”, how long do I have to do this and can I just peel up, glue and slide in?

I was originally considering using the yellow 3M 8001 adhesive others have discussed, but that won't work for silicone.  Confirmed with 3M that 8001 does NOT work with silicone.  So was just going to use the 2 part silicone adhesive that GeeBee included with the seals.  @PT20J I think in another thread you mentioned RTV 108?

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

Door remains open 12/18 hours to cure

Cement is good for a few hours 

mix what you need , we now send 1oz bottles with catalyst.

It doesn't matter what door is is or seal .

mask both sides of the door where the seal is going to be installed.

Apply cement to door, let dry

Apply cement to the seal in 3-5 inch increments and attach to the door and dry in sections until your seal is completely installed and dryed .

Let the seal cure.

i stock various inflatable door seals and static seals with fabric that are attached via hardware to the airframe.

We will be producing a new BST foam seal that is extremely soft .

 

The seal is used on the utility doors on A36/58 models and MU2 .

i will extrude and try it on the TBM model , the easiest aircraft to fly.

Note: Material cost based on 12500 inches will be around 977.50 dollars in various shapes .

Gee Bee

 

 

 

[Gee Bee Aeroproducts]

47 minutes ago, Marc_B said:

@Z W  Couple of questions about install with the silicone cement...

What is the “usable” life of the glue once mixed?  Long enough that I can mix vial into bottle, glue the frame, let dry then come back and glue the seal?  Is this correct process??

1. Mix small vial into large tube and mix well.
2. Apply thin layer of cement to door frame where seal will be applied and dry with hair dryer
   1. Not sure how long it takes to dry?
   2. Do you also apply thin layer to silicone seal and let dry as well or just to door?
3. Apply thin layer of cement to door seal in 3-5” section and apply to door…let dry
   1. Is it better to just go 3-5” at a time and let dry holding in place?  Vs would clothes pins put enough pressure to hold seal in place to keep moving around the door?
   2. How long do I have with the cement to dry enough to keep it in position without holding it?
   3. Will this hold in position at this point or would it be better to use clothes pins help hold in place?
4. GeeBee's instructions sounded like keeping the door OPEN?? to cure rather than I’ve read others seal install suggested closed the door in position to hold pressure to set the glue?
5. If I need to adjust a section after gluing, how long do I have to adjust and can I just peel up a small section and move and re-glue?  Similarly, if I need to “shim” a section of seal using a small tail of the “P”, how long do I have to do this and can I just peel up, glue and slide in?

I was originally considering using the yellow 3M 8001 adhesive others have discussed, but that won't work for silicone.  Confirmed with 3M that 8001 does NOT work with silicone.  So was just going to use the 2 part silicone adhesive that GeeBee included with the seals.  @PT20J I think in another thread you mentioned RTV 108?

Can't use rubber cement on silicone, rtv 806 will work, too thick , takes to long too setup.

I sell sell thousands of cases of this silicone to government agencies and aircraft mfgs with canopies.

2.0 oz 57.50

4 oz 72.50

both with catalyst.

[MB65E]

Hi GeeBee!!

Have you made the cowling rub strips for KingAir and Pilatus? 
This is a silicon looking/rubber seal that is bonded to the nose cowls on the PC-7. 
I need about 23ft of the material. Est 3/16” thick, by 5/8” wide.

Any recommendations?

-Matt