More comfortable seating for solo flight with Jbar

[TravelVeteran]

Has anyone figured out a way to convert the front two seats into one large seat for cruise flight (after putting gear down with johnson bar).  I fly a 1965 M20C with Johnson bar. 

Its quite uncomfortable for me to stay in the pilot seat (im 6'2") during long stretches of cruise flight when i fly solo.  I would like to be able to sit in the center of the cabin (after reaching cruise) and stretch out a bit more without my arm pressing against the cabin wall. 

One idea I had was to design some sort of foam padding that i can press inbetween the seats after cruise to provide cushioning for my back etc.  Or, some sort of hinged flap with padding that i can flip closed again when i am going to land. 

Any ideas?

[0TreeLemur]

I don't sit on both seats, but here's what I do in cruise.   I slide my seat back to "economy plus" and spread out.  Sometimes I put one leg on the other side of the center column.  I don't sit in the center, but this position does allow me to partially occupy the other seat by putting part of my weight on it and it gets me away from the cabin wall.  I'm not quite as tall as you are though.   I find that it does help to spread out a bit.

[carusoam]

Might want to immediately go to the foam section...

There is a particular foam seating supplier that gets used often... something like Oregon aero or something like that...
 

There is a whole procedure for building some real support for your seats...

 

Using the search function, you may find...

https://mooneyspace.com/search/?q=Seat foam&quick=1

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

[MooneyMitch]

Anyone ever spent hours and hours in the saddle of a two wheeler on long cross country adventures?

We find all sorts of methods of shifting and relocating ourselves [butts] during these fun rides !

[Hank]

My C (longest flight = 4:45, twice) actually has more move-around-inside room than my Jaguar XJS V-12 Convertible with the top up (longest drive 12 hours, stopping for fuel and food-to-go every 3/4 tank, call it 250 miles or ~3:30; she was inky good for 300 miles on a tankful).

[Bart Chilcott]

My seats (front and back) were redone by the previous owner of my bird in 2012.  He had the aircraft upholster in Arlington Washington use a very nice aviation memory foam.  To Carusoam''s point, foam is very important as is what covers them.  Mine are covered in soft leather and they seem to conform to my buttocks perfectly.  They are INCREDIBLY COMFORTABLE.  I am 5'7" and weigh 150.  They only downside I have found to this grade of memory foam is that when hangar temps dip below 50 degrees F. they become very stiff and firm.  That is until that amazing Mooney heater warms them up and I once again sink softly into them.  As far as sitting in the middle and straddling the two seats.... there was this one girl I was dating.  But that's a story for another day. 

Edited September 16, 2020 by Whiskey Charlie

[steingar]

I'm firmly in the pull the seat back and stretch out category.  I ever find a huge need for rudder inputs in cruise flight.

[Jim Peace]

Not sure I would sit in the middle.....especially if a male.....haven't there been cases where the Jbar gear up block allows the Jbar to come loose in flight and slam up?

[carusoam]

We have had at least two handles dismantle themselves...

A couple of handles that were released mid-flight for unknown reasons...

A couple of bent J bars with no explanation....

Quite a few down lock blocks that wore so much, they failed to hold the J-bar properly in place...

 

But, if you like working kids around their baseball/softball ages... This could be similar...   

PP thoughts only, all stuff I read about around here, except the baseball thing...
 

Nest regards,

-a-

[M20F]

16 hours ago, steingar said:

I'm firmly in the pull the seat back and stretch out category.  I ever find a huge need for rudder inputs in cruise flight.

It will also add a knot or two as you shift CG aft as an added bonus. 

[TravelVeteran]

Yea so far the best method i have found is to put the seat all the way back, and stretch my legs into both rudder pedal areas.  I also push a pillow between the seats as an arm rest.  However, I want better!  I still get fatigued with this setup.  There is plenty of space in this cabin for a single pilot to be able to stretch out in comfort, we just need a solution.  So far, I'm not worried about that Jbar popping up mid-flight, although sounds like it has been happening to people. 

thank you all for your suggestions. 

[carusoam]

Losing control of the J-bar seemed to be a once per year kind of event... around here.

It has been lessening since somebody took a pic of a worn out down lock block...

DMax documented the thumbnail test...

David produced some new blocks both up and down lock when the Factory was unable...
 

Learning the speeds which make sense for releasing the J-bar from the up lock block is amazing...

It is a nugget of info usually discovered by a new Mooney pilot during transition training...

Discovering on your own, may have a few holes, you might have to find in an odd sort of way...

If the J-bar travels on its own during cruise... it can be considered like a bat traveling at full swing... the gear doors hanging out in the wind at 150mph can supply a lot of force...  It has bent steel, it could easily bend a bone...

Keep in mind airplanes built in the 60s didn’t have consumer protections like cars built in the new millennium... no seatbelts, but plenty of ash trays... 

PP thoughts only, not a CFI...

Best regards,

-a-

 

[steingar]

I had the J-bar pop up when I first started flying the airplane. Fairly regular occurrence.  A combination of my novelty to the airplane and a need for lubrication in the system.  Hasn't happened again in memory.

Having that occur right underneath the shelf of controlled airspace was entertaining.  Couldn't just pitch up to reduce airspeed...