Fasten seat belt on empty seats?

[mikea]

The baggage door discussion fired off a nuron of realization.

I was thinking I might need to bungee the empty right seat back because I know for a fact (luckily on the ground) that the seat back can jam the yoke if it tilts forward.

Is THAT why some planes (Bruce!) are placarded to fasten the seat belt on unused seats? Does that keep the seat back down? I gotta try it.

I'll have Pancho belted in the back seat. If she decides she wants my attention because she wants to go out....

 

[DGlaeser]

Not on newer Cessnas with the airbags on the seat belts. Buckling the seatbelt arms the airbag - so they explicitly state not to buckle an empty front seat.

 

[Ted]

I keep the seat belts fastened on unused seats to keep them secure and because it looks neater, but those are the only reasons.

 

[KennyFlys]

Not on newer Cessnas with the airbags on the seat belts. Buckling the seatbelt arms the airbag - so they explicitly state not to buckle an empty front seat.

I buckle them on the ground to keep the airbag portions of the belts up on top of the seat and lessen the chance of it binding up in the undercarriage of a seat. But, they should be unfastened during flight.