aschardt Posted October 12, 2011 Report Posted October 12, 2011 I have had several passengers lately who are into thier late sixties and seem to have a great deal of trouble getting in and out of the Mooney. They try to grab the open door, the doorframe, the shoulder harness, center post, etc. but what they really need is a handle attached to the upper interior part of the door frame like many cars and trucks have. Just something to hoist themselves up and out with or at least steady themselves. Someone is eventually going to bend or break something if this continues. I belive there is a steel tube behind the interior plastic there. Has anyone installed one and if so how did you do it? I'm not a big fan of drilling a bolt hole in the frame, perhaps a couple of adel clamps around the frame, through the interior panel and bolted to a handle? The shoulder harness mod must be attached to the frame somehow, could a similar arrangement work? Looking for ideas here. Thanks in advance. -Aaron Quote
N601RX Posted October 12, 2011 Report Posted October 12, 2011 My 67 F already has this handle in it. It looks like it came from the factory that way. Quote
Shadrach Posted October 12, 2011 Report Posted October 12, 2011 My plane has a handle just above the passenger sun visor. It works perfectly... Grab, stand and step out on to the wing. Quote
flhelo Posted October 12, 2011 Report Posted October 12, 2011 The holes are already there. At least in my G model. when I redone the interior, I had all the panels off and noticed that the holes were there. Used a hole finder to line up the panel and drilled the hole. I had the upholsetry guy make me a handle that matched the seats. Dont forget the flat sided washers or the material may pull away from the screw.. Quote
tony Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 My F model has that handle there too. It’s a leather strap with a screw on each end to fasten it. I'm pretty sure I have seen them for sale on eBay before. Perhaps a salvage yard. Perhaps somewhere along the life of your airplane the interior has been refurbished and the handle not replaced? I'd try to peak behind the trim to see if the mounting hardware is there. Quote
Hank Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 My C also has one on the A pillar; the bottom of the strap is above the handle on the door. My wife hangs her sunglasses from it when she's not wearing them. Quote
flyboy0681 Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 I wrote about egress of seniors a few days ago. Maybe instead of unfolding their legs and picking themselves up to stand on the wing that you should come up with another method (as I have) where they lift their butt onto the wing and crawl down. This has worked out better for my dad than his having to stand up. In addition, those that crawl off the wing will not risk falling when trying to turn around to grab the baggage door handle. All they will do is move their butt down the wing and place their legs on the ground. Depending on how they do it, there may be some extra stress placed momentarily on the flaps however. Quote
JaredDavis Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 Does anyone know if the holes are on a 65 C? Quote
Hank Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 There's just not a graceful way to exit from the right seat. The easiest is to just roll onto the wing then stand up, leaning on the fuselage as necessary. Standing up to get out doesn't work, and trying to step out while not quite standing is difficult unless the person is much shorter than me. My dad, with two artificial knees, rolls out onto hands & knees then straightens up [slowly], with balance provided by right hand on the fuselage. Quote
MARZ Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 " perhaps a couple of adel clamps around the frame" I just put in hard points for shoulder harnesses in the front seats - I got the kit from Alpha Aviation - if you dont have the "factory" accomodations you may want to check it out, the clamp is very stout and would stand up to the constant tugging better than an adel clamp would. LINK TO KIT Quote
jetdriven Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 With that clamp, the bolt that holds it together is not centered on the tube. This may be an issue with where to put the strap, and the issue of holding the strap with a 1/4" machine bolt. I am pretty sure the factory drilled and tapped the fuselage tube for the strap. You might even have the holes there already, take a look. Quote
MARZ Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 Oh absolutely - I'd check that first - just commenting on the adel clamp. Quote
jetdriven Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 Related: I had a 4 hour @&$#*&!$^ job installing that pilot side seatbelt clamp on the J. How did you do it? Quote
Shadrach Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 Quote: Hank There's just not a graceful way to exit from the right seat. The easiest is to just roll onto the wing then stand up, leaning on the fuselage as necessary. Standing up to get out doesn't work, and trying to step out while not quite standing is difficult unless the person is much shorter than me. My dad, with two artificial knees, rolls out onto hands & knees then straightens up [slowly], with balance provided by right hand on the fuselage. Quote
MARZ Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 Quote: jetdriven Related: I had a 4 hour @&$#*&!$^ job installing that pilot side seatbelt clamp on the J. How did you do it? Quote
aschardt Posted October 13, 2011 Author Report Posted October 13, 2011 Hey these responses made my day! I'll pull some plastic down and pray for a couple of threaded holes. That would be soooo nice! Thanks! -Aaron Quote
jetdriven Posted October 13, 2011 Report Posted October 13, 2011 Check with Mooney engineering and see. I bet you can get authorization to drill and tap two holes in that tube. There are holes in those tubes everywhere. Quote
N601RX Posted October 16, 2011 Report Posted October 16, 2011 Quote: maropers Heheheh... yea the right side went a bit easier didn't it? I took a bit of meat out of one side of the clamp on the sides of the bolt hole portion, flattened it out considerably and swore a bit. Quote
rbridges Posted October 16, 2011 Report Posted October 16, 2011 Quote: JaredDavis Does anyone know if the holes are on a 65 C? Quote
N601RX Posted October 16, 2011 Report Posted October 16, 2011 Quote: aschardt Hey these responses made my day! I'll pull some plastic down and pray for a couple of threaded holes. That would be soooo nice! Thanks! -Aaron Quote
jbreda Posted October 16, 2011 Report Posted October 16, 2011 The front seat belt attachments for the Ovation are welded on. I'm not sure on the J. No drilling of the tubes. John Breda Quote
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