Adjustable front seat frame

[Bennett]

I had an articulating pilot's seat in my J when I bought her, and I wanted an articulating seat on the co-pilot side. As has been mentioned, used ones are extremely rare, and after six months of trying, I ordered one from the Mooney factory. That took almost 5 months, and many AMUs to get it. For me, the time and expense were worth it. If I had had the opportunity to buy a used one then, I would have been a most serious bidder. The one semi-reluctant seller who had one wanted more than the factory charged me.

[flyboy0681]

4 minutes ago, Bennett said:

I had an articulating pilot's seat in my J when I bought her, and I wanted an articulating seat on the co-pilot side. As has been mentioned, used ones are extremely rare, and after six months of trying, I ordered one from the Mooney factory. That took almost 5 months, and many AMUs to get it. For me, the time and expense were worth it. If I had had the opportunity to buy a used one then, I would have been a most serious bidder. The one semi-reluctant seller who had one wanted more than the factory charged me.

Good response.

Gentlemen, I'm not looking to sell this close to the factory price, but I'm not handing it over for $300 either. And where Bennett waited five months, for the right price you could have it by the middle of next week.

[Jerry Pressley]

They are scarce.  Wentworth buys more salvage planes than anyone else but I sold him a pair out of a Porsche (part of the Florida fiasco) for his Bravo for $4000.   My Bravo already had them so I thought they were standard but guess not.  If someone needs my bottom its available but the height adjuster is invaluable. jerryP

[Jerry Pressley]

I bought an M20K from insurance company and picked it up at xxx.  they said the pilot pulled out of a dive hard enough to crush the pilots seat.  when i picked it up only the right seat bottom was in it. no seat back.  Left seat with arm rest was perfect. You guys with armrests,..can the right seat be moved over to the pilots side?  That pesky armrest is on he pilots seat.  soooo pilot seat was good I assume.  the copilot seat back was missing and the articulating bottom had been changed. loose upholstery etc.  Or possibly you see a different scenerio??????

[flyboy0681]

1 minute ago, Hyett6420 said:

Mr Marauder you are making me cry with laughter.  Thank you for bringing a smile to my day.  

 

I still ill think the best option is to make some plans out of the seat and then sell for £375.02. (Note the pounds). . 

Not sure what your Civil Aviation Authority would say about that, but I'm betting the FAA would have a cow over a home made seat. Correct me if I'm wrong, but seats have to withstand a certain number of positive G forces in order to be certified. I would not want to be sitting in someones plane during a hard landing only to find he built his own by using cheap tubing that was stamped "Made in China".

 

Edited April 27, 2016 by flyboy0681

[ArtVandelay]

1 minute ago, Hyett6420 said: Mr Marauder you are making me cry with laughter.  Thank you for bringing a smile to my day.  

 

I still ill think the best option is to make some plans out of the seat and then sell for £375.02. (Note the pounds). . 

Not sure what your Civil Aviation Authority would say about that, but I'm betting the FAA would have a cow over a home made seat. Correct me if I'm wrong, but seats have to withstand a certain number of positive G forces in order to be certified. I would not want to be sitting in someones plane during a hard landing only to find he built his own by using cheap tubing that was stamped "Made in China".

 

Actually they are pretty liberal in regards to owner produced parts, as long as you use the same materials,dimensions you will be fine, but your AP has to ultimately sign off, so you better be able to describe in detail what you did.

[flyboy0681]

14 minutes ago, teejayevans said:

Actually they are pretty liberal in regards to owner produced parts, as long as you use the same materials,dimensions you will be fine, but your AP has to ultimately sign off, so you better be able to describe in detail what you did.

Just as long as the end product doesn't look like this..

[Piloto]

Okay $400+ two burritos, one taco and guacamole on the side.

José

[Hank]

2 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

Just as long as the end product doesn't look like this..

Certainly not, the legs are too long!

But I'd be up for a set of prints drawn from the real thing, if they are drawn by someone who knows what he's doing. Or she. Whoever.

Edited April 28, 2016 by Hank

[Piloto]

Well if I don't get it I will opt for this one:

http://www.target.com/p/bubblebum-inflatable-car-booster-seat/-/A-14142316?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=bing_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Baby%2BShopping&adgroup=SC_Baby&LID=700000001230728pbs&network=s&device=c&querystring=Inflatable%20seat&gclid=[*GCLID*]&gclsrc=ds

$29.99 at Target and fully adjustable by inflation. Instead of cranking you blow into it.

José

[Pritch]

What ever you pay for it will be well worth it.  My 84K came with it and I an very happy.  I can crank it up just enough to see over yet low enough to see the gear lights just under the glare shield.  I only paid 87 amu's for my seat and they threw the plane in.

Pritch

 

[rbridges]

8 hours ago, Piloto said:

 

$29.99 at Target and fully adjustable by inflation. Instead of cranking you blow into it.

José

Just like the autopilot in the movie, "Airplane!".

[flyboy0681]

6 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

Just out of interest does anyone have a photo of a non adjustable frame?  I was just wondering what the difference was, for example :- is  it only the crank tube mechanism and four flange levers, in which case it would be very easy to modify existing non adjusting frames to be adjusting.  I can't believe that Mooney had two totally different designs being produced as that would be non cost effective for the supplier to produce.  

Having gone down that avenue before, I can honestly say that the "stationary" seat frame can not be modified as it's just one piece of metal. The two seats are two entirely different designs, which is probably why it was offered as a factory option that the buyer had to pay for.

[rbridges]

I personally don't know how much trouble it is to use this part to modify an existing seat, but if this piece is as rare as hen's teeth, I would highly recommend it for anyone planning to keep their plane for a while.  I use the adjustments pretty much any time a different person uses the co-pilots seat.  My wife has commented several times about not being able to see over the panel without raising the seat.

[Ron McBride]

Would it be possible to install longer legs on the existing seats to make them taller?  Maybe and inch or 2?

My wife is 5' tall and used the Aircraft spruce seat for a while, doesn't seem to much any more.  On longer flights, she will sit in the back seats, more comfortable for her.

Also the new upholstery has helped.

Ron

[N601RX]

18 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

Just as long as the end product doesn't look like this..

This plane or I mean boat seems to have a similar chair attached to it.

[ArtVandelay]

Also the new upholstery has helped.

Ron

If you buy this seat, you almost have to get new upholstery unless you've done a recent upgrade and can match the leather, yes?

[flyboy0681]

6 minutes ago, teejayevans said:

If you buy this seat, you almost have to get new upholstery unless you've done a recent upgrade and can match the leather, yes?

All that has to be done is the transferring of the bottom cushion from the existing seat frame to the adjustable frame. Since the two frames share identical seat back mounting points, simply unbolt it from the old seat and bolt it onto the new.

[Jerry Pressley]

later seat backs may attach same but pre 80s or so are different. Tom or Mark would know what years

[Bennett]

6 minutes ago, teejayevans said: If you buy this seat, you almost have to get new upholstery unless you've done a recent upgrade and can match the leather, yes?

All that has to be done is the transferring of the bottom cushion from the existing seat frame to the adjustable frame. Since the two frames share identical seat back mounting points, simply unbolt it from the old seat and bolt it onto the new.

That's all I had to have done when I changed the fixed co-pilot seat for the factory built articulating seat.

[aviatoreb]

On April 27, 2016 at 9:53 AM, Marauder said:

Okay then! $375.02

I don't need this, my short of stature wife does. I got her one of these:

But now she keeps saying she wants a big person seat. What am I to do?

Ooooh cup holders!

I bet that comes with one of those 4 point seat belt systems that the FAA is opposed to putting into a Mooney.

[flyboy0681]

Back to this thread. Now that the "bidding" has ended, I'm willing to part with it for $2,000 plus shipping.

[Piloto]

 

$2K!!! Well, I think I am going to go for the cool seats instead:

http://www.sears.com/zone-tech-zone-tech-2x-black-cooling-car/p-SPM8094987608?prdNo=8&blockNo=8&blockType=G8

Nothing like a cool bottom on long trips. 

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2016 by Piloto

[flyboy0681]

7 hours ago, Hyett6420 said:

I'll get my suppliers to make me one and get the a and p to sign it off.  Cost me approx 300 uk.  

There is a K on the field that I know has adjustables in so we can crib that and use it as a plan.  

2k is far too steep for only half a seat I feel. 

Jose I love those cooling seats I assume though that they are just cushions with a fan attached to blow between your legs. . 

Simply the law of supply and demand. There is zero supply and some demand, and in those rare cases where an owner wants to order a new one from the factory, they pay nearly $4k.

[Piloto]

7 hours ago, flyboy0681 said:

Simply the law of supply and demand. There is zero supply and some demand, and in those rare cases where an owner wants to order a new one from the factory, they pay nearly $4k.

Well you are changing the supply/demand law since you are a supplier now. Nothing wrong about asking $2K but for many the appeal of the product is not that high to pay that money. This is a dilemma with the introduction of new products. What is the most profitable price. Too high you may sell nothing, too low you sell at a loss.

Another sale option is to bring the seat at EAA OSH auctions and see how much you can get. There is all kind of weird people there. Or put it in the stock market and hope that either Warren Buffet or Donald Trump buy it.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Piloto