Upgrading my seat

1600vw

1600vw

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Joined
Nov 12, 2012
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Central IL
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H.A.S.
For those whom do not know me, I guess that would be everyone. I fly a Fisher Avenger single seater. I am 6' tall around 180-190 lbs. My problem is I am a bit big for this airplane.
Charles Lovett the gentleman whom built this airplane is 5'4 at 150lbs. Now I fit in this bird but its tight. So I was going to upgrade the seat mount on this airplane. Now please understand I do not build so I might not know what everything is called. Or I should say I have no idea what some of these parts are called but I will try.

My airplane has a piece of wood that is mounted to the "spar". Its the brace that the wings are bolted to. This wooden brace is the width of the plane and both wings are bolted to it inside the cockpit. The back seat mount is mounted on another brace that runs the width of the plane at my seatback.

I was going to take and mount to pieces of Aluminum to these braces. Take a piece of wood and hang from the bottom of these aluminum braces.
I have between 4 inches between the top of these braces and the bottom of the plane. I do not want to sit on the bottom of my plane so I thought suspending my seat from these braces.

Questions.
Does it matter what hardware or bolts I use. Should they be grade 5 or grade 8 or does it matter?

I am going to make this seat hang about 2 1/2 inches below these alumimin braces or 2 1/2 inches lower then I sit know.

H.A.S.
 
lets see some pics, I'm not that familiar with that design
 
If you don't use A/N hardware for everything you will die.

Or not.

There is sure to be an internet expert coming along to tell you that you will - so I thought I would get it out of the way.

It sounds like you are mounting to the spar carrythrough? I would be more concerned about drilling holes than the hardware used to mount it - or can you use existing holes?
 
Don't be ridiculous Capt Jeff, You will still die but it will be slower with the A/N hardware.
 
The seat turned out great. I made a classic Web style seat out of Alluminum strap. My legal eagle used .60 strapping for the seat. But for this seat I went with 1/16th strap. I then took Alluminum channel and mounted this strap to the channel.

I made the seat on the work bench then mounted this in the plane.

It is like a sling style seat but very rigid or stiff. very simple. I was able to lower myslef by about 3 inches doing this.

I will take pics today and post them. I never saw anyone post to this thread so I thought no one cared what I was doing or I would have taken pics.
 
Pics of my seat upgrade what I had before and my upgrade I made.
More comfortable then you would think. I fit really good now with my helmet on.
 

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I like it.

I have the traditional plywood slab with foam on top that really sucks after a couple hours. This may be a better solution.
 
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