How big of a pain in the rear is it to take out the rear seats in a 172?

stagecoachco

stagecoachco

Line Up and Wait
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Tony B
1972 R172K. It looks like there are only four bolts securing the rear seats, seat belts have quick connects to anchors in the floor. The seat frame is one big bench, but there are separate cushions/backrests for each side. It appears that there is some sort of mechanism to pivot the backrests, but it isn't readily apparent how to trigger the mechanism.

My questions is, how hard is it to actually get the seat out of the plane. Do you have to remove one of the front seats first? I know that I would have to figure out the weight of the seat, and subtract that weight from its station for weight and balance. Does this require an A&P sign off?

Thanks,

Tony
 
Weight removed from total weight.
Weight times arm for moment, remove from total moments.
Divide new moment by new weight for new Empty Wt and CG.
Yes, an A&P or IA, need to endorse the logbook entry changing the CG data.
 
BillTIZ said:
Weight removed from total weight.
Weight times arm for moment, remove from total moments.
Divide new moment by new weight for new Empty Wt and CG.
Yes, an A&P or IA, need to endorse the logbook entry changing the CG data.
Click to expand...


Is the sign off required if it is just a temporary change. The seats would be out for only two flights. Of course the weight and balance calcs are moot if I can't get the seats out easily :)
 
Do it once and you'll be good everytime you need to take the seats out. I had two W&Bs for the Mooney, one with and one without the rear seats.
 
stagecoachco said:
Is the sign off required if it is just a temporary change. The seats would be out for only two flights. Of course the weight and balance calcs are moot if I can't get the seats out easily :)
Click to expand...

Yes, but keep the data. If you are going to do this often, the W&B can be computed without the rear seat, with provisions to add the seat much as you would a pax in that seat for when you have the seat installed. All of this should be on the A&P W&B statement that he endorses.
 
ejensen said:
Do it once and you'll be good everytime you need to take the seats out. I had two W&Bs for the Mooney, one with and one without the rear seats.
Click to expand...

That's what I do also for my 182. I carry two W&B's. One for when the seat's in, one for when it's out.

Regarding your question
How big of a pain in the rear is it to take out the rear seats in a 172?
Click to expand...
all I can say is that, on my 182 at least, it's a walk in the park compared to putting it back in! Taking it out is easy...installing is a royal PITA!
 
I leave the bench bolted to the floor (with belts attached) and just remove the seatback. 2 minutes or less.
 
It's a Chinese puzzle to get the seat out. Remove the four bolts, fold the seat back forward, figure out how to wiggle it out. The rear armrests are in the way, too, but way too much hassle to remove.


One front seat out might work; I removed both.

The seat back folds when the little latch under the front center is released.

Dan
 
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