Sorry, I probably should have thought my original post out a little better
I was in a hurry, and thought I would just post a few pictures. I planned to make up a web page with more detail in the next few days. I'll do my best to give the highlights here in a clear and hopefully concise way. I can get a bit wordy sometimes though.
The main goal of the Aviator II seats was to make the most comfortable seat possible. Weight reduction was a secondary goal. Every design is a compromise, and this new seat is just our latest crack at balancing those compromises based on past experience and customer feedback.
One of the compromises we keep running into is the limitations of a "one size fits all" approach. This method is great from a production standpoint. Patterns are re-used and refined. Quality is much easier to control. From a comfort standpoint though, a seat that is completely customized to the individual customer would be the best. An in between option is needed.
In the past we have done our best to deal with this issue through various means. Making custom seat wedges allowed us to control the height and angle of the seat cushion without making custom cushions for each customer. Subtle details of the seat shape really need to change though when the cushion is at different angles. We also allowed the lumber support area to be adjusted up and down. It did not adjust in and out though. Cushion side bolsters are another area where one size does not fit all. Someone with narrow hips does not fit a seat the same way that someone with wider hips does.
We approached the problem with 2 solutions. The first was adjustability where possible. The new seat still has a lubar support that moves up and down, but it can also be swapped out for different sizes and shapes to fit the customer's unique lower back curvature.
The second idea we used is sizes. Just like in shoes, you wouldn't expect a manufacturer to measure your foot and then make a shoe. You also wouldn't expect them to offer only one shoe for everyone. The idea is to have pre-determined patterns for a variety of configurations, and then select the best fit for the customer.
So, these are basically the improvements we've made on the Aviator II in a nut shell (best I could anyway).
PS - the internal frame that we designed for these seats is also slightly lighter than the stock frame, and slightly wider (trade off is it's a little more complex and expensive to make).
