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Glare shield hand hold useful or not

Good day,

I am wondering if the 2 hand hold opening on the glare shield are useful/required, to enter the aircraft of just move the seat back and forth ?

I am thinking of covering them with the a glare shield cover (as per picture in N928MT)

Any feedback appreciated, thanks...
 

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Good day,

I am wondering if the 2 hand hold opening on the glare shield are useful/required, to enter the aircraft of just move the seat back and forth ?

I covered mine. Using the center support bar for seat movement. Haven't missed them one time.
 

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I think a handhold on the roll bar is even more useful as it gives you something to hold onto when entering/exiting the cockpit. Also useful as a holding point while turning to check your six to see who is on your tail getting ready to shoot you down. But I digress...
 
I found mine useful for seat adjustment. That being said, they are a little flimsy and the center support would work.
 
150 hours and neither I nor a passenger has yet to put fingers through them. Not sure I would leave them out, but for me the support is most convenient.

Larry
 
I use them. I sandwiched my cover material (a yoga mat from Walmart) and it's underlayment of 1/4 closed cell foam down with the trim rings so it's thicker and more comfortable to grab onto.
I get nervous using the center support for leverage and don't let pax do so. The pull on it is not only aft but also to each respective side. Back and forth. I think continuous use like that is eventually going to soften up and crack the base attachment.
 
I use them

I will use them each time I adjust the seat. You could definitely close them up and use the center bar to if needed but I think they are useful. You need something to pull the weight off the seat adjustment pin when moving the seat.
 
hand holds

I use the center brace in my -10. Something to consider is if you are using an Aerosport panel, about half of the hole in the glareshiel will be blocked by the panel.

I had my cove made with the holes; if I did it again, I would not use them...
 
I use them. I sandwiched my cover material (a yoga mat from Walmart) and it's underlayment of 1/4 closed cell foam down with the trim rings so it's thicker and more comfortable to grab onto.
I get nervous using the center support for leverage and don't let pax do so. The pull on it is not only aft but also to each respective side. Back and forth. I think continuous use like that is eventually going to soften up and crack the base attachment.

It is 1/16" 4130 steel. If you are concerned that grabbing it and exerting a couple hundred pounds or force, do you believe it will serve it's purpose of taking thousands of pounds of force in a roll over? Your engine mount is the same 1/16" 4130 steel and it carries 350 lbs with a significant arm adding leverage and it is bouncing around like crazy as you fly. Just imagine the force on that weldment when you have a hard landing or pull 3.5 G's.

Larry
 
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I used both the hand holds and the center bar at various times.

The hand holds are kinda thin material, thus hard on the hands unless you have a dash cover installed that pads the open edge. Then they are really nice.
 
Hand Hold

I was thinking of making a drop in type flush hand hold like the one on the Boeing glareshield. Hoping to reduce glare on the flight instruments. But I'll probably just fill it in and use the center support for seat adjustment.
 

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Use mine every time for seat adjustment. Would have a difficult time using the center brace for this as I placed the seat adjuster handles on the inside of the seats adjacent to the tunnel. Can't use right hand for lifting the seat adjuster and gripping the center post at the same time. It's true the AeroSport carbon panel covers half the hole, but it's still usable.
 
I have the AeroSport panel and decided when installing my glare shield cover that the handles were too narrow to be useful. So I covered mine up and haven't missed them at all. I use the center bar for support instead, and find it rock solid.
 
I did the same as randy and covered my with the glareshield cover. I dont think I’ll ever cut them out. I use the center bar.
 
It's not the bar itself I am concerned about. I don't have plans in front of me, but as I recall back many years, it attaches at the bottom to riveted aluminum substructure. Van's engineers put the handholds there for a reason. If I am wrong, I apologize.
 
Center post attachment

Plan sheet 43-13 show the base of the center support is bolted through a structural angle that is riveted to an extended length of the center rib. I doubt all of the pulling and pushing a person could give would ever even start to pull it loose or crack anything.

As for the front grab handles; I left them open and rarely use them. However once in a while, I am glad they are there.
 
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