Q regarding Piper Cherokee Seats

[Pjsmith]

It's a long shot, and since I just bought, I don't have a mechanic (YET), so I thought I'd turn to the net for some answers:

I'd really like to replace the left seat in a 1967 Cherokee 180 C with a lower seat or an articulating seat. That's actually an understatement. I NEED to replace the seat as my long a$$ legs don't allow for much aeleron movement when pulling back on the yoke, say, oh, during landing).

I think I've been told that this process could be very easy, if the articulating seat was offered as an option in 1967.

I'm a true newbie, so I wonder, how do I find this out?

Also, for the Cherokee drivers out there.... is the articulating part just a seat assembly, onto which I would swap on the current seat, or is it all one piece? Certainly would appreciate any info/help/wisdom from the board.

 

[jesse]

don't allow for much aeleron movement when pulling back on the yoke, say, oh, during landing

Might not be a bad thing...

On a more serious note..I know of many planes that have been retrofitted to fit people of all sizes. I'm sure it can be done.

 

[mikea]

I was thinking of going with the full Oregon Aero seat, if possible. Mine needs the webbing to be rebuilt at a minimum.

At least I can get mine back far enough. As it is in my Mustang there's no room behind me for the passengers legs.

My biggest problem now is having my legs fall asleep. I have to strech as much as I can before landing to be ready for the rare case I just might need the rudder. (It IS a Piper.)

I will alos be interested in what you find. Maybe you can get a field approval for the newer seat.

 

[SCCutler]

The old, fixed seat has a different frame than the articulating seat and, hence, you'd have to replace the whole shebang.

I have read (but do not know with any authority) that the seats can be retrofitted from newer to older with ease, but that info's worth exactly what you paid me for it.

 

[Stache]

To answer the question, yes the seats can be changed. To do this required a field approval from your local FSDO.

To aid in the process find the seat you want. Copy all the data out of the aircraft manual for the seat you want to install. Next compare it to the aircraft you want to itstall it in. You can install a part 23 seat in a CAR-3 aircraft, but you can on install a CAR-3 seat in a part 23 aircraft.

So pick on a part 23 seat to install in your Cherokee 180. You may have to change the seat rails and this will be called out in the feild approval. Make sure and have the feild approval in hand and sign off by the local FSDO before making any changes.

Stache

 

[Pjsmith]

To answer the question, yes the seats can be changed. To do this required a field approval from your local FSDO.

To aid in the process find the seat you want. Copy all the data out of the aircraft manual for the seat you want to install. Next compare it to the aircraft you want to itstall it in. You can install a part 23 seat in a CAR-3 aircraft, but you can on install a CAR-3 seat in a part 23 aircraft.

So pick on a part 23 seat to install in your Cherokee 180. You may have to change the seat rails and this will be called out in the feild approval. Make sure and have the feild approval in hand and sign off by the local FSDO before making any changes.

Stache

OK, need remedial help here.....CAR-3? Part 23? Don't have the FARs here or I would try to decipher myself, but can anyone help clear this up?

 

[PoAdeleted5]

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[Pjsmith]

Larry:

Thanks for the tip. I'll start googling for the seat material and webbing. Any idea what this should cost, so I don't get ripped off? More importantly, since you've been through this, what size and thickness foam did you end up buying? Looks to me like it comes in 16x18 panels, either 1, 2 or 3 inches thick.

Patrick

Hey PJ,

Stache is talking about what particular rulebook that a plane is certified under.

Older planes were certified to the old Civil Aviation Regulations, part 3. Newer planes were certified to FAR (now called CFR 14) part 23.

Stache says you should be able to put seats certified to the newer FAR part 23 regulations into an older plane certified to the older, less stringent CAR-3.

The bad news is I don't think the newer seats will physically fit onto the older Cherokee 180. The seat rails are all the same part numbers. However, there is a fitment issue that either they won't go back all the way due to the shorter fuselage or that the rails in the newer models are riveted to the floor in a different spacing. I'd have to do some research on that particular question to remember what the issue is exactly.

It will probably be easier and cheaper to simply take the seats out and down to a good automotive upholstery place for re-webbing and re-foaming. Order the foam for them, so that you make sure to get something that meets the FAA standards for flammability. A good auto upholsterer will make very short work of it and sculpt the foam to your liking. Probably have them back in a day or two and all it needs is a logbook entry by you and the burn certificates of the material you used.

 

[PoAdeleted5]

deleted.