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Furnishings Question...

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rsrandazzo(at)precisionma
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:11 am Post subject: Furnishings Question...

Commanders-  

   

I was doing some in-depth cabin cleanup this past weekend and noticed that  the cockpit seats in N414C provide very little protection from head injury.  The seat backs flip forward without any restraint catch, and there are no headrests…  I have shoulder harnesses, but they wouldn’t appear to serve much purpose in a deceleration incident because the whole seat back leans forward- thus they don’t offer much protection from smacking the noggin’ on the coaming panel or yoke.  

   

I realize that these are original equipment- but it got me to wondering if there are more modern seats that don’t fold forward like the older seats?  Anyone know?  

   

   

Second item:  I’m wondering if anyone can point me toward a good source for purchasing replacement plastic liners for the cockpit?  Mine are in mostly good shape- but since we’ve re-done everything else in the airplane- they are looking a bit ratty in comparison to the rest of the airplane..  Specifically I’m thinking of the side panels for the pilot/copilot side windows, and the three or four pieces that make up the portion directly over head…  

   

Third Item: Anyone know where I can pick up a good new lens cover for the tail position lights on a 685?  Mine is serviceable, but cloudy and yellowed- so it looks bad…  Thought it might be a nice touch to replace it with a good clean one.  

   

All suggestions welcome!  Thanks everyone!  

   

Robert S. Randazzo  

N414C  

   

        [quote][b]

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moe-rosspistons(at)hotmai
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 3:54 am Post subject: Furnishings Question...

Robert,

  

 The interior plastic is not to my knowledge  available new, and unfortunately, most of the used pieces that can be found are  in pretty sad shape.  Most of us have repaired the plastic and then covered  it with leather or some type of FAA approved fabric.  Aircraft leather can  be purchased from Mayfield or a few other sources.  That is the reason that  so many older planes have the 'total leather interior look' on the  inside. 

  

 Although headrests really look cool they may be of  dubious help in a crash, as few airplanes back into the ground, or get  rear-ended.  It is not legal to drill holes in the seats to mount  headrests, I have been told that if you remove the upholstery on the seat backs  you can find the original holes from the factory, in case the seats were to  be installed in a Shrike with head rests.

  

 Do your shoulder harnesses mount to the seat only,  or do they mount to the cabin, and are they factory original or after  market?  

  

 Regards,

  

  

 Moe Mills

 N680RR

 680Fp  

  



  From: Robert S. Randazzo (rsrandazzo(at)precisionmanuals.com) 

 Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2008 4:10 AM

 To: commander-list(at)matronics.com (commander-list(at)matronics.com)  

 Subject: Furnishings Question...

 



  

Commanders- 

  

I was doing some in-depth cabin cleanup this past weekend and  noticed that  the cockpit seats in N414C provide very little protection  from head injury.  The seat backs flip forward without any restraint catch,  and there are no headrests…  I have shoulder harnesses, but they wouldn’t  appear to serve much purpose in a deceleration incident because the whole seat  back leans forward- thus they don’t offer much protection from smacking the  noggin’ on the coaming panel or yoke. 

  

I realize that these are original equipment- but it got me to  wondering if there are more modern seats that don’t fold forward like the older  seats?  Anyone know? 

  

  

Second item:  I’m wondering if anyone can point me  toward a good source for purchasing replacement plastic liners for the  cockpit?  Mine are in mostly good shape- but since we’ve re-done everything  else in the airplane- they are looking a bit ratty in comparison to the rest of  the airplane..  Specifically I’m thinking of the side panels for the  pilot/copilot side windows, and the three or four pieces that make up the  portion directly over head… 

  

Third Item: Anyone know where I can pick up a good new lens  cover for the tail position lights on a 685?  Mine is serviceable, but  cloudy and yellowed- so it looks bad…  Thought it might be a nice touch to  replace it with a good clean one. 

  

All suggestions welcome!  Thanks  everyone! 

  

Robert S. Randazzo 

N414C 

 

[quote]



href="http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Commander-List">http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Commander-List

href="http://forums.matronics.com">http://forums.matronics.com

href="http://www.matronics.com/contribution">http://www.matronics.com/c

[b]

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rsrandazzo(at)precisionma
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 9:00 am Post subject: Furnishings Question...

Moe-  

   

Thanks- I suspected this might be the case with the plastics…  

   

Few airplanes back into the ground?  You obviously aren’t giving me enough creativity for my flying.  :-p  

   

I was thinking of the headrests more in terms of my own comfort while flying when it comes to headrests… I didn’t make that clear.  

   

The shoulder harnesses appear to be original factory.  I read this week on the TCAC website that they have new harnesses available and they are about $2500/set- but mine work fine in operation.  It is the way the seat folds forward that I thought was strange for the cockpit of an airplane…  

   

Rob  

   

       

From: owner-commander-list-server(at)matronics.com [mailto:owner-commander-list-server(at)matronics.com] On Behalf Of Moe-rosspistons

 Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2008 4:54 AM

 To: commander-list(at)matronics.com

 Subject: Re: Furnishings Question...  

  

  

     

Robert,  

    

   

    

The interior plastic is not to my knowledge available new, and unfortunately, most of the used pieces that can be found are in pretty sad shape.  Most of us have repaired the plastic and then covered it with leather or some type of FAA approved fabric.  Aircraft leather can be purchased from Mayfield or a few other sources.  That is the reason that so many older planes have the 'total leather interior look' on the inside.   

    

   

    

Although headrests really look cool they may be of dubious help in a crash, as few airplanes back into the ground, or get rear-ended.  It is not legal to drill holes in the seats to mount headrests, I have been told that if you remove the upholstery on the seat backs you can find the original holes from the factory, in case the seats were to be installed in a Shrike with head rests.  

    

   

    

Do your shoulder harnesses mount to the seat only, or do they mount to the cabin, and are they factory original or after market?    

    

   

    

Regards,  

    

   

    

   

    

Moe Mills  

    

N680RR  

    

680Fp    

      

   

      

From: Robert S. Randazzo (rsrandazzo(at)precisionmanuals.com)   

    

Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2008 4:10 AM  

    

To: commander-list(at)matronics.com (commander-list(at)matronics.com)   

    

Subject: Commander-List: Furnishings Question...  

  

  

    

   

  

Commanders-  

   

I was doing some in-depth cabin cleanup this past weekend and noticed that  the cockpit seats in N414C provide very little protection from head injury.  The seat backs flip forward without any restraint catch, and there are no headrests…  I have shoulder harnesses, but they wouldn’t appear to serve much purpose in a deceleration incident because the whole seat back leans forward- thus they don’t offer much protection from smacking the noggin’ on the coaming panel or yoke.  

   

I realize that these are original equipment- but it got me to wondering if there are more modern seats that don’t fold forward like the older seats?  Anyone know?  

   

   

Second item:  I’m wondering if anyone can point me toward a good source for purchasing replacement plastic liners for the cockpit?  Mine are in mostly good shape- but since we’ve re-done everything else in the airplane- they are looking a bit ratty in comparison to the rest of the airplane..  Specifically I’m thinking of the side panels for the pilot/copilot side windows, and the three or four pieces that make up the portion directly over head…  

   

Third Item: Anyone know where I can pick up a good new lens cover for the tail position lights on a 685?  Mine is serviceable, but cloudy and yellowed- so it looks bad…  Thought it might be a nice touch to replace it with a good clean one.  

   

All suggestions welcome!  Thanks everyone!  

   

Robert S. Randazzo  

N414C  

    	  Quote: 	
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BobsV35B(at)aol.com
Guest

Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 11:05 am Post subject: Furnishings Question...

Good Afternoon Rob,

  

 My knowledge of the Commander structure is somewhere between nil and zilch,  but the FAA has been very friendly toward adding shoulder harnesses where there  are none or where the current arrangement is flawed. 

  

 I imagine installing an improved shoulder harness would be something they  would encourage as well. If the current shoulder harness serves only to hold you  in that seat which will fold forward during a deceleration, I wonder if it might  not be a good idea to install new seat belts which fasten to the primary  structure? 

  

 Many Bonanzas built during the same time as the Commanders were built have  rather poor shoulder harness arrangements There are aftermarket devices that are  much better. A company called BAS (http://www.basinc-aeromod.com/) makes  a very nice inertial reel based set that attaches to the primary overhead  structure. If I had a Commander, I think I would see if the BAS units might not  provide much greater safety. It is my completely non expert understanding that  shoulder harnesses that are attached to a point at or below one's shoulder tend  to cause compression fractures in our spines during rapid deceleration events.  Having the harness secured to the top of the cabin alleviates that force.

  

 Worth a look?

  

 Happy  Skies



Old Bob

AKA

Bob Siegfried

Ancient Aviator

628 West 86th  Street

Downers Grove, IL 60516

630 985-8502 

Stearman  N3977A

Brookeridge Air Park LL22   

  In a message dated 10/4/2008 12:01:38 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  rsrandazzo(at)precisionmanuals.com writes:

  	  Quote: 	
		     

The shoulder harnesses appear    to be original factory.  I read this week on the TCAC website that they    have new harnesses available and they are about $2500/set- but mine work fine    in operation.  It is the way the seat folds forward that I thought was    strange for the cockpit of an airplaneâ€¦   

    

Rob 	




New MapQuest Local shows what's happening at your destination.  Dining, Movies, Events, News & more. Try it out!  [quote][b]

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