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Seat belt too short

flightlogic

Well Known Member
Patron
Have attempted to take a photographer up for Sedona shots... but the lap belt is too short to fit. I think my original belts are supplied by Van's. Just a four point. Has anyone added a seat belt extension?
Did you make it? Or order a commercial product? (I know made at home is dodgy... but we do fly erector set airplanes after all .....)
I will be calling Van's... but in case someone has another solution, I am all ears.
Thanks!!
 
same issue

Mine are short also. I have had to take the seat back cushion out and it usually gives me enough room to work.
 
Too short

Years ago while flying OV-10s for Sam , I wrote up a plane for having too short of a relief tube. Over the years the tube had been worn and trimmed and really was very short.

Imagine the guffaws in the hangar as they fixed it but made comments in the maintenance logs!
 
ego is in good shape

rWell, I don't have a fragile ego.... but I decline to discuss what length relief tube I might need in my RV. And certainly not in a PUBLIC forum.
My wife, on the other hand... might happily make snide comments about my stature. Actually, she is nicer than that.

So, I called Spruce and they didn't know. Had an extender that mates with Wag Aero belts. Van's took my call and had no idea where I could get an extender.

So, I am counting on someone here on Van's Air Force to fess up and admit that either they, or a friend of they..... is too fat to get the buckle fastened.
Gotta be somebody who has grown in girth and needs to extend the factory belt set.

Now, the photographer mentioned in my original post is very talented.... but also somewhat round. She did not even come close to fitting the lap belt in my RV. I will not admit it under oath... but I may have just gone ahead and used the shoulder harness fastened together with a stout carabiner.... under said photogs arm pits. Just to get the mission done. Not saying this really happened. But... for future missions I would sure love to be able to call up some nice vendor and order a nice blue extender....
 
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I googled aircraft seat belt extenders

and found some information --- hopefully it would work for you -- give it a try

I had a couple in a Cherokee 6 I used to fly for a company --- came in handy more than once --- airlines carry extenders for their belts.

Ron
 
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If you know an airline flight attendant, see if he/she can get you one from the airline. They are used in the pre-takeoff safety briefing and for rotund pax that can’t fit in a standard seatbelt. Every airliner has several and they are routinely replaced. Of course they are the flat buckle type - not like what you would have with a Crowe, or Amsafe.
 
I am pretty sure the airline extension will not match the buckles.
Anyone else had DIRECT experience????
 
Years ago, the guy who hooked me on RVs (built 2 -3s, a -4 and a -6 back when repeat offenders were really rare - now long departed) had an extender for his -4 that was made by cutting a harness apart and re-sewing. He claimed the harness manufacturer did the work but required him to buy the whole harness. Call the manufacturer and ask if they can help.
 
Seat Belt extender

No direct experience. I have sent planes to shops to have interiors redone and sometimes the belts got re webbed using the existing metal ends. You might have to furnish a vans seat belt, but a interior shop should be able to make you what you want in a color of your choice.

Don Broussard
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer
 
I had the opposite experience. The shoulder harnesses in my plane were W-a-a-a-y-y too long. I took them to an auto interior shop and they cut off the excess and re-stitched them. No doubt this is "illegal", but there it is.
 
Wayne--- thank You!!!

will check out which letter type I have....
was a bit surprised at the prices, I must say....
The corporate lawyer is behind in his yacht payments....
 
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