Electric, adjustable seats

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Dave Taylor
I have always wanted seats like those readily available in ground vehicles these days. Maybe some exp guys have done them. Yes they would be heavier, what 30lbs more? And some wiring but I doubt they draw an enormous amount. I know many like the idea of designing a seat which fits them and riveting it in permanently, but I get fidgety after an hour in the same position and would love to be able to slink back more, or sit higher, or adjust the lumbar support; all those things we take for granted in our cars.
Just wondered if anyone had done it.
 
You're just begging for this checklist you know... LOL...

RUN AWAY ELECTRIC SEAT PROCEDURES


1. INITIAL ACTION: Determine which seat is running away. During the stress of routine operations it is possible to mistake which seat is running away. Example: If Captain's seat is out of control forward, it shall appear to the Captain that the First Officer's is running backwards. This is a common form of spatial disorientation and will only last until the Captain is emasculated on the control column. Do not disengage the autopilot at this time as a violent pitch down will result. In order to determine which seat is the run away, suggested procedure is to awaken the Flight Engineer for troubleshooting.


2. SILENCE AURAL WARNINGS: With the advent of a run away seat, crew members describe noises of a low rumbling nature followed by the words, "Jesus, my seat is out of control" followed by a piercing scream of increasing intensity and pitch, especially in cases of forward run aways. As in all emergencies and in order to comply with FAA standardization, the First Officer will silence the aural warning by clamping a hand over the Captain's mouth and advise, "Capt's mouth SHUT, SHUT". From this point on refer to the checklist, located on the underside of the Capt's seat cushion.


3. JAMMED BALLS: Should the seat run away in the forward mode, the ball bearings will interlock and jam the seat when it is 4 inches from control panel. The seat will then be stuck in the forward position and travel no further forward but begin traveling up in a vertical mode. The Capt. will advise crew, "I have jammed balls". The Engineer will immediately refer to the CAPT JAMMED BALLS Checklist located in the aft lavatory. It is imperative that the crew check for control column damage at this time. If the control column is broken. the crew will advise dispatch that the Capt. has a broken stick and jammed balls.


4. CIRCUIT BREAKER - PULL, PULL: The Engineer at this time will pull the appropriate C/B to prevent the seat from running up further in the vertical mode which could cause the bearings to overheat and possibly result in a Ball Burst. This would necessitate the use of the BROKEN BALLS Check List. Since the Engineer can rarely find the correct C/B it is suggested that any C/B be picked at random and pulled so as not to delay completion of the Check List. Example: Pull V.G #1. Capt's position will prevent him from cross checking this step.


5. FIRE CHECK - CHECK: When the seat bearings jam and stop forward seat travel, the electric motor may short out and start a fire under the Capts seat, resulting in a Capt's lower aft body overheat. The Engineer will advise the Capt. of the fire, to which the Capt will reply, "Fire my Ass".


6. SEAT UP- UP: Should the seat continue to run away in the vertical mode, the First Officer will advise "Seat UP, UP" to which the Captain will reply "Molxjrmne craxmby". Capt's reply will vary with height to which his seat has risen. It is suggested procedure to place a pillow on the Captain's head, and land at the nearest suitable airport.
 
Only places I've seen electric adjustable seats in aircraft were jet airliners. There may be some corporate jets that have them, but even in the Citation the seats are all manual.
 
I never got electrical seats.

I mean how often are you changing your seat around?? For me it's really a get it dialed in once and leave it, I like my power windows, even my power mirrors (so I can angle them if I'm parking tight with a curb), but I hate the complexity and weight and electrical drain of power seats, for the one time and adjust my seat, it's just not needed.
 
James331 said:
I never got electrical seats.

I mean how often are you changing your seat around?? For me it's really a get it dialed in once and leave it, I like my power windows, even my power mirrors (so I can angle them if I'm parking tight with a curb), but I hate the complexity and weight and electrical drain of power seats, for the one time and adjust my seat, it's just not needed.
Click to expand...

My wife and I sometimes take turns driving and we need to adjust the seat, and power seats do make it a little easier. Memory seats are great for that purpose but they're usually only in higher end cars.
 
MassPilot said:
My wife and I sometimes take turns driving and we need to adjust the seat, and power seats do make it a little easier. Memory seats are great for that purpose but they're usually only in higher end cars.
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We bought a Volvo a couple of years ago. The first car we've ever owned with memory seats. It's nice in some ways (my wife is 5'3" tall and I'm 5'11") but it's not as fast as a mechanical adjustment so if I'm trying to get in while it's raining I have to wait until the seat moves far enough back while standing with the door open.

Also, the Volvo has a "feature" where each key fob has an associated collection of setting for the mirrors and seat. Sounded really good. Except it can never figure out which key fob to set to. That coupled with the slowness of the power seat adjustment means I get in, and then the seat starts moving forward and crushing me. I learned how to get it to stop pretty quickly. Or my wife gets in and as she's getting the car started her seat starts moving back and back ...

We turned that feature off.

John
 
My vette has the memory seats, but snowballs chance in hell I'd let anyone drive it, in longer term relationships, it's a his and hers car, women may keep their hair and personal nice, keep a house clean, but in my experience all that takes a sudden halt when it comes to vehicles, last girl I was in a long relationship started to slide on some ice, laid into the brakes, after that we were just along for the ride... Luckily that was in a "hers" car.

I'll share a toothbrush, home, food, but not cars, at least not with any woman I've ever dated.
 
James331 said:
My vette has the memory seats, but snowballs chance in hell I'd let anyone drive it, in longer term relationships, it's a his and hers car, women may keep their hair and personal nice, keep a house clean, but in my experience all that takes a sudden halt when it comes to vehicles, last girl I was in a long relationship started to slide on some ice, laid into the brakes, after that we were just along for the ride... Luckily that was in a "hers" car.

I'll share a toothbrush, home, food, but not cars, at least not with any woman I've ever dated.
Click to expand...

In my case my wife is an excellent driver and enjoys pushing a sports car almost as much as I do. Her short list from car shopping last time: Subaru BRZ (standard), Subaru WRX (standard). The only reason we got the Volvo was we still have one child at home to transport and teach to drive.

John
 
James331 said:
I never got electrical seats.

I mean how often are you changing your seat around?? For me it's really a get it dialed in once and leave it, I like my power windows, even my power mirrors (so I can angle them if I'm parking tight with a curb), but I hate the complexity and weight and electrical drain of power seats, for the one time and adjust my seat, it's just not needed.
Click to expand...
True, although in the bigger jets, the seats have a much greater travel and are usually moving back and then sideways to allow you to enter.
 
There's an old saying among airplane builders and owners. If you're considering optional equipment for an airplane its easy to test. Hold it in your hand. Toss it in the air. If it comes back down you don't want it in your airplane.

Wasting useful load on electric seats is one of the worst ideas I've heard in a long time. Heavy. Dangerous when you need to slide the seat back quickly to exit in an emergency.
 
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jsstevens said:
In my case my wife is an excellent driver and enjoys pushing a sports car almost as much as I do. Her short list from car shopping last time: Subaru BRZ (standard), Subaru WRX (standard). The only reason we got the Volvo was we still have one child at home to transport and teach to drive.

John
Click to expand...

Now if you would have said STI, C1/2/3/5/6/7, 911, or something you might have got me ;)

Also gots to be stick, I can't drive automatic.
 
jsstevens said:
We bought a Volvo a couple of years ago. The first car we've ever owned with memory seats. It's nice in some ways (my wife is 5'3" tall and I'm 5'11") but it's not as fast as a mechanical adjustment so if I'm trying to get in while it's raining I have to wait until the seat moves far enough back while standing with the door open.

Also, the Volvo has a "feature" where each key fob has an associated collection of setting for the mirrors and seat. Sounded really good. Except it can never figure out which key fob to set to. That coupled with the slowness of the power seat adjustment means I get in, and then the seat starts moving forward and crushing me. I learned how to get it to stop pretty quickly. Or my wife gets in and as she's getting the car started her seat starts moving back and back ...

We turned that feature off.

John
Click to expand...

Sounds like you and your wife switched your key fobs with each other...:D

My wife and I finally fixed that problem...separate pick-up trucks. Marriage salvaged, divorce avoided ;)
 
Dave, is it too much to move the seat manually in flight? If the flight is smooth, once I level off at altitude and verify George is doing a good job, I rack the seat all the way back. Instant limousine leg room, and it only takes a second or two to put it back up.
 
GRG55 said:
Sounds like you and your wife switched your key fobs with each other...:D

My wife and I finally fixed that problem...separate pick-up trucks. Marriage salvaged, divorce avoided ;)
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Nope. The key fobs are identifiable. We didn't switch. But we are often both in the car with both key fobs. And when not, there's one hanging inside the garage door where the car can "see" it. I think it often got confused as to which fob to associate with the current settings when we shut the car off. There is no way we could find to give it a priority.

John
 
jsstevens said:
Nope. The key fobs are identifiable. We didn't switch. But we are often both in the car with both key fobs. And when not, there's one hanging inside the garage door where the car can "see" it. I think it often got confused as to which fob to associate with the current settings when we shut the car off. There is no way we could find to give it a priority.

John
Click to expand...

LOL. Technology gone rampant :eek:

Just wait until they bring us "self driving" cars...:D
 
GRG55 said:
LOL. Technology gone rampant :eek:

Just wait until they bring us "self driving" cars...:D
Click to expand...

Oh yeah. Can't wait for those. A whole new meaning for BSOD.
 
James331 said:
I never got electrical seats.
I mean how often are you changing your seat around?? For me it's really a get it dialed in once and leave it
Click to expand...

James, I think people are different. Or I am different. I am no good at sitting still anyplace. Church, theater, sofa, car, airplane - after an hour my legs and butt get crampy and restless and need a new position. I fidget to get more comfortable. I am no good at being locked into a fixed position.
I'd like to be higher, to move the weight from my feet to my legs; then, I'd like to be more upright; then closer or further from the panel - all to relieve the strain on the joints or muscles by getting in new position.
 
What I don't understand is Karen's truck. Lincoln LT. Power seats EXCEPT for the seat tilt. It'll move the seats with the fobs too, but Ford half-assed it.

f47eb0575f5723d0ec10b8ed4ce8470a.jpg
 
If you own it..... why do you need to keep adjusting the seats? Mine never move. o_O
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
James, I think people are different. Or I am different. I am no good at sitting still anyplace. Church, theater, sofa, car, airplane - after an hour my legs and butt get crampy and restless and need a new position. I fidget to get more comfortable. I am no good at being locked into a fixed position.
I'd like to be higher, to move the weight from my feet to my legs; then, I'd like to be more upright; then closer or further from the panel - all to relieve the strain on the joints or muscles by getting in new position.
Click to expand...

True, everyone is different.

Guessing you wouldn't be seeing "eye to eye" with these things

seat-position-sight-gauge.jpg
 
coloradobluesky said:
The old Piper Super Cubs had keyless entry. Keyless starts too!
Click to expand...

The a Super Cubs had those features all the way to the end of the road!


Back to the seat topic though, I'm not sure why an airplane owner would want an electric seat. They're heavy and problematic enough in cars, I can only imagine how much more they would be to take care of in an airplane. Then we'd need to find a repair station to overhaul the motor 30 or 40 years from now, for the fifth time. That's getting hard enough to do with some required pieces like landing gear or flap motors, I can only imagine it would be worse on something like a seat actuator.

One thing I could see the OEMs and possibly aftermarket companies getting into is newer, more ergonomic seat options. Some of the light airplane seats are flat out uncomfortable after a couple hours of flying, and that could be improved upon.
 
As a 40 hour a week working triple amputee, I can easily say that power seats in an airplane would be really sweet.

As an aircraft mechanic, yeah they do exist in aviation, no they aren't really aren't that much different in weight (electronics are small, jackscrews, latches etc exist in both manual and power chairs). No they don't seem practical in light aircraft.

Pretty much all business aircraft use hydrolock adjusters which are ton nicer than the latch type seats in my airplane.
 
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jsstevens said:
In my case my wife is an excellent driver and enjoys pushing a sports car almost as much as I do. Her short list from car shopping last time: Subaru BRZ (standard), Subaru WRX (standard).
Click to expand...

I was just about ready to write a check for an FR-S/BRZ...until I drove one. Lack of mid-range torque was ultra disappointing. Too bad, because the chassis dynamics are excellent.
 
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