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Model Decided

After our trip to Sun N Fun we have decided on our model. We checked out the Velocity XL and the Vans RV-10 and RV-14. While the mission is typically 2 adults and baggage I'm a big guy by all specifications. 6'6" 350lbs. The Velocity fit as long as I reclined the seat and didn't shut the door. It had the exact same feeling of me squeezing into a Porsche at Track Experience. I could do it as long as I didn't need to wear a helmet. The RV-14 was the easiest to get into due to the flip up canopy but with the seat all the way back my knees were still hitting the panel and the control stick was bumping on nose up. The RV-10 was difficult to get into but was a great fit once inside. Looking at the setup I think some modifications can be made to make getting in and out a little easier. It would involve setting the rails back about 3-4 more inches so that the seat could slide back for getting in and out of it.

Next step is a shop build so I have a proper place to work, tools and empennage kit purchase. Oh and solving my budget issue. All the little things.
 
I would think long and hard before modifying the seat rails. Not sure how you got in at SnF but here’s how I do:

1. Slide seat to rear
2. Step in with both feet, right first, followed by left (this for pilot’s side, reverse for the co-pilot), on the area right in front of seat, not on the floor boards
3. Grab center windshield bar with right hand, left hand on door sill
4. Place butt against seat back.
5. Slide butt down the seat back while placing feet on floorboards

I basically do all the above in one continuous motion, but that’s it broken down into parts. I’ve had pax your size get in without issue. The problem I see most uninitiated do is they step in with only 1 foot then sit down immediately with the other still outside on the wing.
 
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I would think long and hard before modifying the seat rails. Not sure how you got in at SnF but here’s how I do:

1. Slide seat to rear
2. Step in with both feet, right first, followed by left (this for pilot’s side, reverse for the co-pilot), on the area right in front of seat, not on the floor boards
3. Grab center windshield bar with right hand, left hand on door sill
4. Place butt against seat back.
5. Slide butt down the seat back while placing feet on floorboards

I basically do all the above in one continuous motion, but that’s it broken down into parts. I’ve had pax your size get in without issue. The problem I see most uninitiated do is they step in with only 1 foot then sit down immediately with the other still outside on the wing.

I wouldn't. After the first ten or twelve seat removals for assembly and maintenance, I simply didn't put the stop back in, so the seat can be slid back as far as desired. My seats don't exactly glide on the rails without considerable push due to the seat adjusters rubbing on the Aerosport center console sides (destroys the clear coat but down low where the seat cushion hides the cosmetic damage) so I am not worried about a Cessna-like slide away from the controls on takeoff - which would require an overlook of a checklist safety item to even make possible. I think your entry method is completely sound, Todd, and should work well for tall pilots.

The lack of a seat stop just lets you position it to give an extra 10% for the Big Guy, see?
 
I wouldn't. After the first ten or twelve seat removals for assembly and maintenance, I simply didn't put the stop back in, so the seat can be slid back as far as desired. My seats don't exactly glide on the rails without considerable push due to the seat adjusters rubbing on the Aerosport center console sides (destroys the clear coat but down low where the seat cushion hides the cosmetic damage) so I am not worried about a Cessna-like slide away from the controls on takeoff - which would require an overlook of a checklist safety item to even make possible. I think your entry method is completely sound, Todd, and should work well for tall pilots.

The lack of a seat stop just lets you position it to give an extra 10% for the Big Guy, see?

To each his own, but I stand by my recommendation. I’ve never had an issue removing my seats without mods, but if it works then so be it, it’s E-AB after all.
 
I would think long and hard before modifying the seat rails.

I'm actually considering either sourcing longer rails and building an additional mounting flange similar to what is on the back of the seat platform or simply building the flange and moving the rails back. This would limit the forward movement by about 2-3 inches. I did get advice to try the two feet in method but found I couldn't maintain my center being crouched under the door with no grip point and I had concerns about damaging an aircraft that wasn't mine. Primarily I was worried about the load on the top back of the seat. The one foot in method worked but adding a couple inches would make it much more graceful and make the exit a lot easier. I don't expect to become more flexible/agile as I age though since I'm down from 420lbs I did gain a bit of both so who knows. I'm not even at the purchase a kit part of this journey though. I may get to that point and realize based on my knowledge gained that this wouldn't be a viable modification or I may get there and have become accustomed to getting in and out enough its no longer a concern. I guess time will tell.
 
maybe

You might want to query some of the guys with -10s in your area; you might be able to ask them to remove the stop and let you see how much movement aft you need...
 
I would be surprised if Van's designed the seat and underlying support structure for that weight. Also, any deformation of the structure could interfere with any underlying controls, wires, or other items.
 
It is already a tight fit to get the seats onto the rails - in the unmodified -10 you need to remove the cover at the foot of the aft seats, which covers the flap actuating torque tube. This gives you a few more inches, but I'm not sure if it's 3", or less. Need to measure.

(This situation is pretty typical: Any modifications tend to affect other things, unintentionally, and a 3 hour project quickly becomes a 20 hour one. I'm not saying don't do it - as long as it's a labor of love!)

Also, any extension will be cantilevered out over the passenger's feet area. Need to carefully look at mechanical support and forces there, may need some real engineering.
 
Tight fit?

If you trim about 1” of the forward plastic slide at a 45 degree angle, it is not a tight fit and you do not need to remove the flap cover to remove the seats. No mod to the actual metal rails is necessary.

Now adding length to the metal tracks, that is going to be more of a challenge especially considering the bending loads on the track given the weight supported; pretty sure cantilever track won’t work…

Not to mention that if you were to extend the tracks, the seat would be impossible to remove in the normal fashion…
 
I think extending the seat rails for ingress/egress is a reasonable approach. But:

- You have to move the seat forward to a normal location when you fly. OR, you'll have to redesign the seat support structure, which is no easy task

- With the seal at the "new" aft location for ingress/egress, you don't want to apply loads to the seat - even leaning on the seat might damage the aft rails. Certainly, sitting in it would be a mistake.

- If you do change the support structure under the aft seat rails (and if you reposition the rails in the first place) that's gonna impact rear seat ingress/egress and legroom.
 
Width

On a side note you may want to avoid having a center console. It takes up a fair amount of seat width space. Also, I'm your height and have no problem fitting in an unmodified RV-10. Best of luck!
 
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