RV-7 Interior Modification

[akb3bigdrill]

I have two small children and would like for both of them to be able to
go up in an RV-7 with me. Is there anyone who has heard of a bench seat mod, or any way to make this possible for us ?

[cjensen]

I have pictures of a Super -6 from Oshkosh this year that has two aft facing seats in it. I can post those when I run by the house later today, unless someone else has pics of it...

[cjensen]

Here's the pics I was talking about...

http://www.rivetbangers.com//cgi-php...serialNumber=2
http://www.rivetbangers.com//cgi-php...serialNumber=2
http://www.rivetbangers.com//cgi-php...serialNumber=2

[RV7ator]

Go rent a four-holer, or strap 'em in shotgun one at a time. Kids meeting the smallness requirement really don't care about aircraft types once airborne (Young Eagles experience), and having them beside you like they're a pilot is much more fun, for you, too.

How long do you expect your kids to remain tiny enough to squeeze in and not blow your W&B? That Super-6 has a lot more steel ahead of the firewall. Where were the seat belts in those pix?

It kinda reminds me of the bag space between the rear seat back and firewall in an original VW beetle, where I could squeeze in until 10 years old.

John Siebold

[svanarts]

Not trying to encourage or dissuade you. Here's a datapoint for your decision.

A friend loaded his wife in the pax seat and his 98 lb daughter in the baggage compartment of his RV-6A in an attempt to fly both of them to Gramma's house. He took off and returned immediately. He said it was an unpleasant experience and he wouldn't do it again. They hopped in the car and drove.

(RV-6A, 180ph, CS prop, full tanks) Your mileage may vary.

[PJSeipel]

Just my opinion, but trying to make the airplane fit a mission it wasn't designed for (>2 people) is asking for trouble. Those back seats in the super -6 might never be a problem...just like riding in the bed of a pickup...until the day you hit something unexpectedly. Even a bench seat is looking at mods to the seatbelts which might have unexpected consequences during the one moment you need them to function.

PJ
RV-10 #40032

[RV7Factory]

While not apparent from Chad's pics, I beleive that -6 had about a 12" fuse extension behind the wing, and an IO-540 out front. Major modification times two.

[pierre smith]

Hi all,
I believe that it was last year that someone posted a picture of a -6 with a side-facing rear seat for a small daughter. I guess as long as they don't weigh more than 70 Lbs or so total, the W@B SHOULD be OK but calculate it anyway,
Regards,

[skelrad]

Regardless of the physical ability to put a couple of seats in the baggage compartment, I would worry more about the safety issue. What happens in a crash? I'm guessing that the baggage department isn't engineered to handle vertical impact in the life-saving way that the front seat location is. While crashing is admittedly not a great likelihood, I still wouldn't put someone back there without knowing an engineer had designed it for that. It's not about whether it will hold the weight, it's about whether it will crumple properly to protect your spine if you pancake into the ground for some reason.

That being said, I think the original poster was talking about a front seat bench seat, right? That would seem to make more sense from a safety standpoint, as long as seat belts could be fitted properly. Although, even with two very little kids, that's a tight fit!

Go for the -10 or rent a 4 seater.

Brandon

[lucky333]

Its your kids after all.
Well said, Brandon.