Adding rear Seat belt

[teethdoc]

I have searched the web front to back and with the exception of an Ovation, can find nothing about adding a bench seat with 3 seat belts to an m20E.

I have the age old issue of three small kids and don't want to move into a 6-7 seat aircraft when my whole family will only fly with me a few times/year.

Is it possible or legal to modify the rear bench seat to accomodate 3 seatbelts?

[rbridges]

Since the airframes are the same width, I guess it would be possible. Given the limited legroom in our short bodies, I don't know if anyone has tried it. Have you considered renting a larger plane for the times that you need the 5 spots?

[teethdoc]

Renting a larger plane would be ideal, but nothing around here to rent except 172 and Cherokee 140's. My wife is 5' with heals on and all 4 of them together weigh less than 250lb.

[Cris]

Here is the AFM from Mooney on the installation and use of three seat belts in the rear. There are restictions but it is for the M20 R & M. You might e-mail Stacy at MAC to see if this could be used on an E. At least it shows what you need to do.

http://www.mooney.com/images/pdfs/afmPDFs/afms%20bench%20seat.pdf

[carusoam]

There were rules that could be followed for sharing a seat belt as well. This was 10 years ago. The rules were based on total weight per seat, and the children being similar in size...

These rules may have been changed...

Best regards,

-a-

[teethdoc]

BTT for another look. The most recent clarification on sharing seatbelts states that it must still not exceed what's in the POH for allowable seating.

[RJBrown]

2 kids share a seatbelt legally. The total weight of all 3 rear seat occupants cannot exceed 340# according to Mooney.

http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2011/110706faa_clarifies_ga_seat_belt_guidance.html

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/05/24/2012-12554/clarification-of-prior-interpretations-of-the-seat-belt-and-seating-requirements-for-general

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-05-24/pdf/2012-12554.pdf