KR> Canopy/Seat

[laser147 at juno.com]

However you builders do it - sling, fiberglass, wood, aluminum,
combination of these, whatever - do a good job making it in such a way
that there will never be any possibility of something tearing loose or
breaking.  There's been several instances of seats breaking during high-G
pull-outs - showing off in front of a crowd at a fly-in or just doing one
down the runway on a Saturday afternoon.  Taking a passenger for a ride
and giving them a little thrill with the speed and unusual sensation of
feeling gravity tugging at you as the pilot pulls some G's on climb-out
after the pass.   If the seat is not strong enough to withstand the G's
it can break or tear loose from it's attachment point and the weight
comes down on the control wires.  

Sparky witnessed this happening at one of the early fly-in's.  I want to
say "Pope Valley" as the location but Sparky would know for sure.  
Somebody (Sparky remembers their names and was there and has a better
memory than me in any case) . . . somebody was giving somebody else a
thrill ride and they both ended up dead, right in front of everyone. 
I've heard of KR seat failure causing this type of accident on several
other occasions.  It's only thanks to the good luck I've always had with
flying that it didn't happen to me when retrieving my new plane from
Omaha.  I have an aluminum seat that was originally attached to the front
spar with eight screws.  After getting the plane back to SEE from MLE, I
was horrified to discover the seat bottom was hanging by two remaining
screws with very elongated holes.  Over the years preceeding this flight,
the seat had pulled loose from the other six screws and was barely
hanging with the remaining two.  Had I encountered just one good solid
thump when flying over those mountains of Wyoming and Utah I wouldn't be
writing this now.  I used up a trememdous amount of luck on that trip.  

However you design your seats, it's extremely important that it be built
so strongly that what has happened to others and almost happened to me,
can never happen.  It might take many years down the road for it to
surprise someone but if the seat is built with this possibility in mind
it should never happen.  

I not only have re-attached my aluminum seat bottom as Ken Cottle
originally built it, but have also put spacers between the floor of the
fuselage and the bottom of the seat.  These spacers make it impossible
for the seat to ever drop onto the cables.  This I did very early on
after getting the plane home.  Also re-built the seat back which was
mangled beyond recognition.  I've also put spacers below my baggage
insert behind the seat.  Ken built an aluminum channel into the insert
that protects the cables from contact but I've put spacers between the
bottom of the insert and the floor of the fuselage just to help support
the insert and whatever I happen to have in it.  I do load that thing up
when travelling and it's so odd - it hardly has any effect at all on CG,
even with the header tank almost empty.  I still don't understand how
that could be but the weight in the back is hardly noticible.  Takes a
little longer to get the tail up when taking off, and makes it easier to
get the tail down when landing, otherwise there's very little difference.
 I vividly recall what a bear my first KR was with two people in it. 
Extremely aft CG with dramatic consequences in stick sensitivity - but
that has not been the case with N335KC.  Of course, I never have two
people in this single place airplane but the extra weight I do put in it
goes to the rear instead of next to me so you'd think it would result in
similar unpleasant flight characteristics.  But nope, it flies pretty
much like normal no matter how much stuff I stick back there.  Don't know
why.  It's just a nice flying plane.

I recently replaced one of the baggage insert spacers with a spare tire
and tube - something I should have done a long time ago.  Tear up a tire
when on the road and finding a tire the right size can take some days. 
As I'm writing this I'm realizing I ought to put another tire and tube on
the other side - put something useful there instead of an otherwise
useless spacer.  That tire is not doing any good sitting in the hangar so
might as well use it as a spacer.  Actually I can put both - tires and
spacers - to help support the baggage insert so that's now on my to-do
list.  

Speaking of my to-do list, the subject of re-torqueing head studs came up
some months back and even though a local VW shop fundi told me head studs
don't need to be re-torqued once the VW is put back together, when the
subject came up on this forum quite a while back I thought to myself why
not check my stud bolts?  I eventually did.  The old VW fundi was
correct.  I had two studs about half a click loose - in other words,
instead of 18 ft. lbs. they were probably at 17.  This was after about
100 hours of operation since I'd put the heads back on.  

You have to take the rocker arm shafts off to get to all 

KR> Canopy/Seat

[Randy Smith]

Look on line for memory foam. After wading thru all the other things that came 
up I found memory foam at a good price. I can't find the receipt but it ran 
about $135. for enough to do 4 seats in my C310. 


 On Sunday, October 4, 2015 8:57 PM, Phillip Hill via KRnet  wrote:


 Trampoline fabric makes for a good sling seat.

On Sun, Oct 4, 2015 at 8:28 PM, peter via KRnet 
wrote:

> Memory foam is becoming universal. I find it in mattress toppers in the
> Goodwill aviation store. Pillows too. There are many grades of firmness.
> Put a layer of firm on the bottom, softest on top. Peter
>
>
>
>
> ___
> Search the KRnet Archives at http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search.
> To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to KRnet-leave at list.krnet.org
> please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
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> options
>
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options

KR> Canopy/Seat

[Chris Gardiner]

Joe,
RR was Rand Robinson at the time. Now NVAero is the KR  source for parts. Not 
sure if they sell this sling seat part. Check their web site.
The sling seat is very comfortable and lightweight for 2 people.
The foam is available from  Wicks Supply. Just search under "seat foam"
It's  a bit expensive but well worth it.
Chris G
KR2S

Sent from my iPad

> On Oct 4, 2015, at 6:25 PM, bjoenunley via KRnet  
> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Cris,
> What is RR?
> How comfortable is the sling with 2 people?
> Where did you get the memory foam?
> 
> 
> Joe Nunley CW2 US Army RetiredBaker JROTC Instructor Baker Florida 
> 
>  Original message 
> From: Chris Gardiner via KRnet  
> Date: 10/04/2015  5:15 PM  (GMT-06:00) 
> To: KRnet  
> Cc: Chris Gardiner  
> Subject: Re: KR> Canopy/Seat 
> 
> Joe,
> I use the RR canvas sling seat and a 2 inch memory foam cushion that conforms 
> to my butt as it warms up .
> At 5 foot 10 , I have an inch or so to the canopy with this set up.
> Regards
> Chris Gardiner
> KR2S
> 
> 
> ___
> Search the KRnet Archives at http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search.
> To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to KRnet-leave at list.krnet.org
> please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
> see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change 
> options

KR> Canopy/Seat

[Chris Gardiner]

Joe,
I use the RR canvas sling seat and a 2 inch memory foam cushion that conforms 
to my butt as it warms up .
At 5 foot 10 , I have an inch or so to the canopy with this set up.
Regards
Chris Gardiner
KR2S


Sent from my iPad

>  What do you use?
> 
> Joe Nunley CW2 US Army RetiredBaker JROTC 

KR> Canopy/Seat

[bjoenunley]

Cris,
What is RR?
How comfortable is the sling with 2 people?
Where did you get the memory foam?


Joe Nunley?CW2 US Army RetiredBaker JROTC Instructor?Baker Florida?

 Original message 
From: Chris Gardiner via KRnet  
List-Post: krnet@list.krnet.org
Date: 10/04/2015  5:15 PM  (GMT-06:00) 
To: KRnet  
Cc: Chris Gardiner  
Subject: Re: KR> Canopy/Seat 

Joe,
I use the RR canvas sling seat and a 2 inch memory foam cushion that conforms 
to my butt as it warms up .
At 5 foot 10 , I have an inch or so to the canopy with this set up.
Regards
Chris Gardiner
KR2S

KR> Canopy/Seat

[bjoenunley]

I pulled out my beatifully apolstered seat with its plush thick comfortable 
cusion. ?I put a plywood board down as the seat and I have plenty of head and 
leg room. ?
I welcome you in joining me as I say goodbye to my beautiful cusion and hello 
to something more functional.
In my minimax I use one of those memory foam pillows to sit on.?
?What do you use?

Joe Nunley?CW2 US Army RetiredBaker JROTC Instructor?Baker Florida?

 Original message 
From: "T. W. Norman via KRnet"  
List-Post: krnet@list.krnet.org
Date: 10/02/2015  10:17 PM  (GMT-06:00) 
To: krnet at list.krnet.org 
Cc: "T. W. Norman"  
Subject: KR> Canopy/Seat 



Good evening,



I've been able to finish my seats, and I am very pleased with the
results.However (you know how it is when someone says "however") I sat in
the airplane (and, yes, I'll admit to making airplane noises too) and I
lowered the canopy-the result was needing to cock my head to the right in
order to close it completely.

KR> Canopy/Seat

[Mac McConnell-Wood]

I built it myself Trevor, out of foam ,glass and plywood formers.
I lowered it to suit my butt -you could do the same.
I had to proof load it to convince our nit-picky eaa.it was up to the job.
Got a pic somewhere if you're still interested..
Mac

On Sat, Oct 3, 2015 at 7:47 PM, Chris Prata via KRnet 
wrote:

> hi mac, how much did you lower it
>
> also, is that  bought seat?
>
>
>
> Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2015 07:16:15 +0100
> To: krnet at list.krnet.org
> Subject: Re: KR> Canopy/Seat
> From: krnet at list.krnet.org
> CC: mac.xm657 at gmail.com
>
> This is how I did mine Trevor-Just lower the bucket to fit.
> I'm 5ft 9 and it worked for me.
> All the best.
>
> Mac UK
>
> On Sat, Oct 3, 2015 at 4:17 AM, T. W. Norman via KRnet <
> krnet at list.krnet.org
> > wrote:
> ___
> Search the KRnet Archives at http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search.
> To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to KRnet-leave at list.krnet.org
> please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
> see http://list.krnet.org/mailman/listinfo/krnet_list.krnet.org to change
> options
>

KR> Canopy/Seat

[Chris Prata]

hi mac, how much did you lower it

also, is that  bought seat?



List-Post: krnet@list.krnet.org
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 2015 07:16:15 +0100
To: krnet at list.krnet.org
Subject: Re: KR> Canopy/Seat
From: krnet at list.krnet.org
CC: mac.xm657 at gmail.com

This is how I did mine Trevor-Just lower the bucket to fit.
I'm 5ft 9 and it worked for me.
All the best.

Mac UK

On Sat, Oct 3, 2015 at 4:17 AM, T. W. Norman via KRnet  wrote:  

KR> Canopy/Seat

[Mac McConnell-Wood]

This is how I did mine Trevor-Just lower the bucket to fit.
I'm 5ft 9 and it worked for me.
All the best.

Mac UK

On Sat, Oct 3, 2015 at 4:17 AM, T. W. Norman via KRnet  wrote:

>
>
> Good evening,
>
>
>
> I've been able to finish my seats, and I am very pleased with the
> results.However (you know how it is when someone says "however") I sat in
> the airplane (and, yes, I'll admit to making airplane noises too) and I
> lowered the canopy-the result was needing to cock my head to the right in
> order to close it completely.
>
>
>
> Now, my question is three-fold:
> First, the seat itself is kind of like Mark Langford's in the design and
> installation of the base product. Where it differs is the upholstery adds
> about 3 inches to my height. Now, I'm only 5'5" so I should fit nicely in
> the aircraft. So, my first question is should I recess the seat farther
> down
> so that it's lower than the aft spar? It would mean re-building the seats
> from scratch because of how the supports are developed. There is no
> structural supports on the floor of the aircraft at all (which presented
> the
> challenge to begin with).
>
> Secondly, What are people's thoughts about raising the canopy? Has anyone
> ever tried it? What trouble am I looking at to do this?
> Thirdly, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, how would one go about
> reclining the seat so that I can have more head clearance without losing
> visibility?
>
>
>
> In this situation, what would you guys recommend? Any of you found that
> you're too tall for the setup? How did you overcome that?
>
>
>
> Thanks!
>
>
> Trevor
>
> ___
> Search the KRnet Archives at http://tugantek.com/archmailv2-kr/search.
> To UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to KRnet-leave at list.krnet.org
> please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html
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> options
>
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KR> Canopy/Seat

[bjoenunley]

I sat in my plane for the first time a few weeks ago and ran into the same 
thing. ?I am looking at raising my dash board. ?This will give me more leg room 
to slide forward in the seat. ?I won't be lowering my seat because of control 
cables. ?I really like my custom seat cushion. ?My SITuation is very similar to 
yours.??
Joe Nunley?CW2 US Army RetiredBaker JROTC Instructor?Baker Florida?

 Original message 
From: "T. W. Norman via KRnet"  
List-Post: krnet@list.krnet.org
Date: 10/02/2015  10:17 PM  (GMT-06:00) 
To: krnet at list.krnet.org 
Cc: "T. W. Norman"  
Subject: KR> Canopy/Seat 



Good evening,



I've been able to finish my seats, and I am very pleased with the
results.However (you know how it is when someone says "however") I sat in
the airplane (and, yes, I'll admit to making airplane noises too) and I
lowered the canopy-the result was needing to cock my head to the right in
order to close it completely.



Now, my question is three-fold:
First, the seat itself is kind of like Mark Langford's in the design and
installation of the base product. Where it differs is the upholstery adds
about 3 inches to my height. Now, I'm only 5'5" so I should fit nicely in
the aircraft. So, my first question is should I recess the seat farther down
so that it's lower than the aft spar? It would mean re-building the seats
from scratch because of how the supports are developed. There is no
structural supports on the floor of the aircraft at all (which presented the
challenge to begin with).

Secondly, What are people's thoughts about raising the canopy? Has anyone
ever tried it? What trouble am I looking at to do this?
Thirdly, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, how would one go about
reclining the seat so that I can have more head clearance without losing
visibility?



In this situation, what would you guys recommend? Any of you found that
you're too tall for the setup? How did you overcome that?



Thanks!


Trevor

KR> Canopy/Seat

[T. W. Norman]

Good evening,



I've been able to finish my seats, and I am very pleased with the
results.However (you know how it is when someone says "however") I sat in
the airplane (and, yes, I'll admit to making airplane noises too) and I
lowered the canopy-the result was needing to cock my head to the right in
order to close it completely.



Now, my question is three-fold:
First, the seat itself is kind of like Mark Langford's in the design and
installation of the base product. Where it differs is the upholstery adds
about 3 inches to my height. Now, I'm only 5'5" so I should fit nicely in
the aircraft. So, my first question is should I recess the seat farther down
so that it's lower than the aft spar? It would mean re-building the seats
from scratch because of how the supports are developed. There is no
structural supports on the floor of the aircraft at all (which presented the
challenge to begin with).

Secondly, What are people's thoughts about raising the canopy? Has anyone
ever tried it? What trouble am I looking at to do this?
Thirdly, instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, how would one go about
reclining the seat so that I can have more head clearance without losing
visibility?



In this situation, what would you guys recommend? Any of you found that
you're too tall for the setup? How did you overcome that?



Thanks!


Trevor