206 roll-up door info needed

[davelepka 4]

I'm interested in any pics/info on fabric roll-up doors as used on the rear cargo doors of the 206.

These are the doors that have some sort of solid cross beams that are wider than the door opening, and then roll up vertically like a sleeping bag for exits.

Any info or pics regarding their construction, attachment to the aircraft, or use would be a big help. You can reply to the thread or PM me. Thanks to anyone who can help.

[PhreeZone 15]

If you'd prefer a lexan door I'm pretty sure that Fayard's old shop has an STC to install those.

Yesterday is history
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Parachutemanuals.com

[howardwhite 5]

Van Pray Jr., who's on here as vpjr, has made several.
You can reach him at www.aerialtransport.com/
HW

[pilotdave 0]

I have tons of shots with little glimpses of Van's 206 doors in the background. Here's one that shows the windows, cutaway, and the seatbelt that holds the door open when it's rolled up. I'm sure there are better ones on my site...

Dave

[totter 2]

There are no STCs out there for a jump door, canvas or lexan, on the 206 or 207.
Fayard never had an STC either. He just did so many jump door mods that Greensboro FSDO just gave him prior approval to do the work. He still had to go through the 337 process, but being that he had prior approvals the FSDO basically just stamped the 337 when the work was done.
If you have access to a rigger with their own loft they will probably be able to build a canvas door for you. You would still have to get a 337 Field Approval for it, but that is actually not that difficult. Contact Van. If he would be willing to send you a copy of one of his appoved 337s, that is your Approved Data for the install. A good IA can figure out how to do the rest.
Lexan doors are more difficult to fabricate and install. It involves doing some modifications to the fuselage frames to hold the rails.
The hardest part of a lexan door is getting it to fit tight against the fuselage, but still have it move freely.
I've never installed a canvas door, but I have done a few lexan ones. If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

[vpjr 1]

The fabric door construction can be done a hundred ways. Ive done it too many times and each different. The lexan door, I havent found an STC, Fayard wanted $6-7,000 for the install and field approval. Always wanted to do the lexan myself but there would be a loss of space and six jumpers would be tight in a slow 206. The down side to the fabric door is sometimes it can get outside the plane and can cause a lot of damadge.

[totter 2]

Quote

loss of space

You can do the lexan door so that it fits very tight to the contour of the fuselage. The rails are actually the easy part.
With the narrow fuselage that tapers even more as it goes aft the extremely difficult part is cutting the lexan panels just right so that the door does not bind up. I have never been able to figure out how to do it with one sold piece. I've done it with a King Air and Otter, but the 206 is just to tight of a radius.
I don't know if Fayard ever did a 206. I know his big thing was the 182 lexan door. Skydive Long Island had a 207 with a lexan door, but I don't think Fayard did that.