Center Arm Rest
 

Has anyone built or bought a center arm rest for an RV-7/7A ? I would love to see pics. I would rather buy one but, if fab is necessary, any ideas would help.

Thanks,
Gerry Hatch

From the Home page
 

From the Home Page on the left side called builder modifications:
http://www.vansairforce.net/BuilderMods.htm

It's been done...
 

Here's a store-bought option that I've seen out there:

http://www.aircraftextras.com/Console.htm

I've also seen a few others on planes, and here's one that's documented from a Sun 'n Fun winner from a couple years back:

http://www.4sierratango.com/Fuselage5.htm

Just recognize that while they look cool (at least I think they do), they do take up a hip room, which is a precious commodity in a side-by-side RV. A compromise is to make a small console that's removable. I've seen one that screwed in at the bottom and the flap brace on a six. It could be removed in just a few minutes. That made a little more room for when they took up a calorically-challenged passenger. ;)

I concur with Dave regarding taking up space. One may not realize it till that space has taken up by some thing or some body :)

I'm just looking for a low profile center arm rest between the seats and not extending to the instrument panel. Maybe with a flip top for storage.

Gerry

Check out Turtlewood Designs
 

Turtlewood Designs, (that has ad on VAF),
makes a small center arm rest. It lines up
with the outside armrests and has storage.
I needed something to help get out of my 7A
and it was perfect for me and my bionic hip.
He makes it out of cabinet wood and you finish
it. I think it costs about $40.

Tom

Gerry, I don't seem to have a picture of mine, but it is exactly what you describe. I made it from 3/4" angle and .032, with a padded flip open top. It fastens to the structure through the same screws which fasten the tunnel cover down. I really like having a rest for my right elbow when working the throttle. It is about 2.5" wide. Only downsides would be large passengers, and sometimes loosening the inboard seat belt when someone is sitting can be difficult.

Gerry,
I built one on my RV-6 that is pretty low-profile and folds down out of the way if you don't want to use it so that it's like not having it there at all. It folds down and lays on top of - parallel to the flap motor housing when not in use. i used the piece of aluminum chanel that was supposed to be used to hold the throttle, prop, mixture controls on the RV-6. I decided to make mine like what now seems standard on the RV-7, so I had a spare piece of metal. It's hinged on the aft end (bolt going through a piece of angle), and has a smaller harware store piece of channel for support in the up position. This support slides in a slot created on the underside of the armrest channel by a couple pieces of small harware store Al angle. It's really quite simple and worked very well for me. The picture is the only one I could find in my files. It lives in Reno now, so I can't get you a better one.

http://picasaweb.google.com/hershasc...eat=directlink

I hope the picture links up. Sometimes it doesn't work for me.