RV-9A Pilot's Seat Position
 

I am working with Oregon Aero to create a new pilot's seat bottom and back for my recently purchased RV-9A. OE seems to think I should be sitting lower than I like. I previously asked about spacing between my head or top of my headset and the canopy and have decided I want at least 2". With that spacing I can see quite a bit of the front cowl top. When I go with what OE thinks is "standard" I have about 4" between headset and canopy and cannot see any of the top of the cowl. I am only using the amount of top cowl you can see as a reference as I don't really care if I can see it or not but it does give a perspective of how high you are sitting without including the headset which varies with type headset.

So how much of the cowl top, if any, can other owners see after the cushion has a chance to compress?

Thanks, Ken

Ken,

I just added some foam padding under the seat to adjust to my comfort level. This was after the fact. I can see the entire front cowl top. I probably have 2-3 inches of headroom, but have never measured it.

greg

Set the Way You Want it
 

Put your eyeballs where you want them, you can always slouch in the bumps.

Hans

Rvator says that's too much.....
It recommends a number more like what you like....

When we isntalled the hinge pins for the seat, we moved the front one a inch behing the rear one...

Hi, Im considering to build a RV9. Im 6'7". Will i fit?

Thanks
Rob

Depends
 

You can probably find a number of posts on this topic by searching the forums. The real question is, "WHERE is your height?" I'm just under 6'1", but my inseam is 28", so I may be even taller than you in a seating position. My head is close to the canopy and I have to wear a headset with a thin band. On the other hand, my rudder pedals are located in an aft position.
Find an nearby RV (they're at more airports than you think) and ask the owner if you can try in on (7 and 9 share the same fuselage). Try both slider and tipup. Keep in mind while you're building, there is probably enough plexi to make the canopy about an inch taller than plans.
Terry, CFI
RV-9A N323TP

Ken,
I think 2" is about what I have and I can see all of my top cowl. I use the clarity headsets and another advantage to them is you can raise up another inch or so without the std headset on your head. Sitting tall gives you a better view of everything so get as high as you comfortably can and when it gets bumpy just tighten down those belts.

I love my OA seats, I told them how much to add (2" to mine and 4" to my wife's) bottom seat cushion when I had them made, not the other way around. :cool:

dwell time on temperfoam
 

how long did you sit in the seat? I find I start with zero headset clearance, then after 20 min, I have an inch, and on landing have to crane my neck to taxi!
I am constantly hitting my head on the canopy, and I'm 5' 10" ish with a 32" inseam.....but I like to see over the cowl, so keep my stock cushions shimmed up a bit with black insulating foam slices.
I wonder how guys with the Bose top hinge heaset design aren't carving up their canopies???? I had to remove the big foam wrap affair, then put an slimmer 1/4" foam strip on my Flightcom Denali to protect my canopy.
I wonder if there are any 'tall guy' builders who have installed the canopy/windshield bow modified to be an inch higher?

This week I flew from central Oregon to Phoenix (5.6 hrs) with the new Oregon Aero seat. They seemed O.K. but not "Oh Boy/$350+" great. I think I need a little more adjustment. There certainly are at least three aspects of the decision on the seats. The first is your in-seam and the second is your actual trunk height. The third is what you want to see while inflight. I moved the rudder pedals forward from the position they were in when I bought the plane (I think I have one more hole left if more forward is needed but it seems good now). Not a hard job as the required holes were already drilled. I moved the piano hinge for the seat back forward to the middle set of holes which gave me a little more back angle for comfort but that also reduced the leg room a little. I had OA really thin out the back cushion while leaving in the lumbar support. The top of the seat back support is as far aft as it will go.

I want to see a lot of the top of the cowl so will be increasing the sitting height more via spacer. That will still leave me with about 2" of canopy clearance using my Bose. I bought the Quiet Tech headset but will send it back as it looks like the Bose will fit and I like flying with them.

So now I just have to finalize the rudder petal to brake pedal relationship (looks like 1/2" spacers at bottom of brake/rudder frame will work) and I think I am good to go.

Thanks for all your input and feedback, Ken

Adding to what Ken stated, with some other things to consider.

We build racecars, and for every sale, we have to "fit" a driver into the car.

A tall thin guy and a shorter heavy guy, will basically need the seat in the same position. The reason being; The extra "meat" on the heavy guy will pump him up in the seat, as well as push him forward.

Do not doubt the seat belts will stretch on impact. The heavier the guy, the more they will stretch. In racecars we have to allow about 4".

In a aircraft we seem to adjust the belts to be as tight as possible, but still be able to reach and adjust everything. But in a racecar everything is positioned within easy arms length, so the belts can be tightened as tight as possible (the saying is; If you can still breath, they are not tight enough). And we still have to allow for stretch.

Bob