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Does anyone have comfortable seats?

Ofitz

Member
Since I have my new toy, I'm probably going to be asking a lot of questions until I get some of the bugs worked out....

8 hours of flying from Florida to Oshkosh was pretty unbearable. Does anyone have comfortable seats? It seems as though I need some form of wedge shape otherwise 100% of my weight is on my hip joints.

Where and how much are seats like this?

Thanks again!
 
Look up.

...at the Oregon aero add above. Their comforfoam seats are comfortable. I bought the pads alone and had the upholstery done locally. I'm a satisfied customer.
 
Cumulus Soaring sells confor foam in many variations. I used it for my glider and my (non-Vans) LSA. It helps but is not the cure-all in my own case.
Oregon Aero does more shaping and structuring the foam, building it up to a certain shape. That may make a difference. They said it did when I talked with the saleswoman at Oshkosh. I don't know, myself.
http://www.cumulus-soaring.com/e-a-r.htm
 
Have put in 11.5 hobbs in one day on Oregon Aero with no complaints.
I did splurge on better upholstery and they added bolsters to the sides.
 
I have 3 layers in the bottom of my -4. Soft, med and firm. I also added lumbar support to the back rest.

I can make it about 2:45 before I start squirming now.
 
+1 for classic aero. Sometimes shop visitors sit in th cockpit with me to discuss all things aviation for up to 3 hours without discomfort.

Bevan
 
Believe it or not, but these are/were car seats out of a late model Camaro. We just cut them down to fit and had them covered in leather. I haven't got to fly with them yet, but while sitting on them and making airplane noises they fit like a glove.
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My front seat is wedge shaped and is comfortable for the entire fuel range time.

For additional comfort in the rear, I have 3 separate seat height cushions to accommodate different torso lengths. The one I've been putting down most often was from a memory foam gel-cool pillow. It fit perfectly into the upholstery section (velcro for swap).
My passengers seem to really like it.
Daddyman
 
Do you know what seats you have currently?

You could end up buying a second set of what you already have.

I went with the Van's cushions after Ron "Smokey" Schreck spent 22 hours landing at every public use airport in Nort Carolina to set an Iron A$$ record. Search the archives, it will come up.
 
Since I have my new toy, I'm probably going to be asking a lot of questions until I get some of the bugs worked out....

8 hours of flying from Florida to Oshkosh was pretty unbearable. Does anyone have comfortable seats? It seems as though I need some form of wedge shape otherwise 100% of my weight is on my hip joints.

Where and how much are seats like this?

Thanks again!

I've been through this fire drill with -4s & have two words for the solution:
OREGON AERO!!!
Stop the pain. Comfort is everything on long x-country. Easy fix.
Cheers,
 
I've done 6.5 in a day sitting on Oregon Aero and never gave the seats a second thought. As a data point, I'm a medically retired vet with fairly serious spine issues. A mediocre car seat tortures me pretty quickly. I did a lot of research and quite a bit of seat hopping before deciding on Oregon Aero and I do not regret that decision. The classic aero were too soft for my needs. Everyone's body is shaped differently though...sit in some friend's planes before making your decision.
 
I've found the Oregon Aero's to be a good purchase so far, the long sits and restrictive areas of airplanes are worth spending some $$. I've ridden in enough uncomfortable/worn out seats to last a lifetime. My longest flight so far was just under 4 hours without a thought to the sitting comfort, I can't do that in my car.
 
Classic Aero

I love my Classic Aero Seats!!!!

That said....

Some people Need To Have special contour seats made for them super short folks,, extra large, etc. :rolleyes:
 
Edit: After posting this (long) bit of information, I realized that it was in the RV-4 section. I'm sorry about that because we don't offer RV-4 seats at this time. Please consider one of our competitors for RV-4 seats:

Oregon Aero
Flight Line Interiors
Cleaveland Tool

Sorry about that. Still not awake today I guess. I hate it when I do that :eek:
__________________________________________________________

Hi Everyone,

Since it wouldn't be appropriate for me to share my opinion on who makes the most comfortable seats, I'll leave that to others that may be less biased :).

I just wanted to point out a few things that are often overlooked when people consider our seats. The biggest thing is that if you've sat in only one of our seats, you haven't experienced all of our seating options. Back in about 2004 or 2005 we switched from having 1 seat style to having 2. We call them the "Aviator" and the "Sportsman".

Also, if you prefer a firmer seat, we can use the "all visco" option with means that instead of a combination of standard open cell foam and visco elastic foam (our standard configuration), we use visco elastic foam for the whole seat (similar to another popular manufacturer's seats). This will however add about 4-5 lbs for a set of seats depending on seat model and RV model (This is the case for any company that uses this approach), but this may be the best option for some.

We can also adjust your seating height to what ever you prefer with our seat wedges.

Here is a quick comparison of Aviator and Sportsman seats:

Aviator
  • Our top of the line most comfortable seat
  • 3 types of visco elastic foam in cushion and backrest
  • Contoured foam parts instead of foam "blocks"
  • Mechanical listing system as used in automotive seats
  • Custom made enclosed frame like automotive seats (frame not visible)
  • Frame is almost identical weight to stock frame.
  • Adjustable lumbar on back of seat Slides on internal tracks (except RV-8)
  • Rear pocket integrated into seat upholstery
Sportsman
  • Similar cost to other "Traditional Style" RV seats
  • Single 1" layer of visco elastic foam in cushion only
  • Contoured foam parts instead of foam "blocks"
  • Stock Van's seat frame is used
  • Adjustable lumbar slides on internal tracks (cushion needs to be removed to adjust)

Hope this information is helpful, and okay to add to the thread. Feel free to contact us with any questions you might have.

Best regards,
 
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Oregon Aero

Expensive but worth every penny! My 4 is really comfortable and I like others have spinal problems.
 
As others have mentioned, I used Oregon Aero 100% temperfoam seats in the -4 I had for 10 years and was very happy with them except when the temperatures got below freezing.

The seats would be as hard as church pew and would take 30-40 min before they would absorb enough heat to soften but this characteristic of all this type seats.

So I'd recommend seat pads less than 100% temperfoam.


Glenn Wilkinson
 
camero seats

I would love to see some more pics of your camero seat, how you cut them down and made them fit, year and style of seat ect. They look awesome! I hate my 4s front seat. Looking for a better solution and yours look like a great one!
 
Build your own!

You're a 'homebuilder' right? I bought three thicknesses of foam and started cutting and shaping to fit, well, my butt! Then I'd try it on, cut and paste and fit some more. The back cushion, specifically the lumbar area, was especially important to me. Once I got the basic shapes cut and pasted, I flew with them and made some adjustments and tested again. Finally I brought them to a local auto upholstery shop and had them covered in matching leather. Front and back seats (back seats made to custom fit my wife) cost me less than $300. And a one fuel stop trip to OSH (5 hours) is now comfortably done. Make your own custom fit seats :)
 
That is exactly what I am going to do! Since I am 6'1" I think I am an unusual fit for a seat. Making a wedge type seat myself is probably the best idea. I'll figure out what I need then get it covered locally.

Thanks for the help!
 
does anyone have comfortable seats

Hello all, I am starting with the foam from front center seat from cheve avalanche,or 4 dr cheve p/u. The bottem and back make a nice fit in RV4.They are thick enough so you can reshape to any configuration that suits your size.at this point they appear comfortable for me...5'6"and 178lbs.Won't know for sure til later,but extremely inexpensive to try if you are friends with local salvage yard owner...Tomcatrv4
 
+100 for Classic Aero seats...and for the owner being one of the nicest guys on the planet! I flew them in my -7 after flying other interiors in other planes including a home-brew set in the -6 I flew before the -7.

I didn't think Luke made seats for the RV-4 though. If he does, I'm buying a set. Good seats make all the difference in the world, especially in a plane like the -4 where we can't move around that much during a long X-Country.

Luke?

- Peter
 
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I didn't think Luke made seats for the RV-4 though. If he does, I'm buying a set. Good seat make all the difference in the world, especially in a plane like the -4 where we can't move around that much during a long X-Country.

Luke?

Hey Peter,

Thanks for the nice comments :eek:

You're correct that we don't have seats for the RV-4. We are currently working on some new stuff for the RV-8. After that, we will be continuing to work on various items for the RV-14.

The 4 is actually my favorite RV, but it's not quite as popular as some other models that we are designing products for. When I can swing the budget to build an RV, a 4 will be my choice (I'm currently working on a very inexpensive homebuilt project).

My apologies to RV-4 builders. Hope to get to the 4 at some point.

Best regards,
 
Right on, Luke!

Our beloved -4's are a fairly limited market based on the kit being a bit more involved to build than most and the size of the cockpit...which fits you and I like a glove. I'm with you in that if I could fly only one RV, the -4 is it!

Maybe we'll all get together and pay you to tool them up, side panels and all! :D Here's a little motivation to get you started on your -4.

 
Back pain from a broken pelvis, herniated L4, L5 and S1 disks

In 2001 I had a serious horse accident where I broke my pelvis and herniated the L4, L5 and S1 disks. I now go in every 9 months for Radiofrequency Neurotomy to keep the pain in check. Since the accident, sitting has been a huge challenge for me anywhere in anything for more than 30 mins at a time.

When I bought my RV4 three yrs ago I was only able to sit in it for 20 mins at best and I would be in severe pain and have to get out.

I went direct to the Oregon Aero Shop. Over the course of a couple of days and they made seat cushions for me (lots of lumber support). I'm now good for 2+ hr flights with no great discomfort. Honestly if it was not for Oregon Aero I would not be flying today.

As they are like a rock when the temperature gets down near freezing, I take them home for the night or throw them into a heated truck cab for 30 mins to make them nice and soft again.

Now if I could be more than 2 hrs out of my bladder...........................................

Tim
 
Hey Peter,

Nice picture! I'm still stuck with a rental 172 for the time being. Current project is a second hand Avid flyer kit i'm working on for some cheap flying. Then I hope to work on the 4. I've got a tail kit waiting in the wings...

Sorry everyone for the thread drift. :eek:
 
Maybe it's just me but any time logged in the cockpit is time well spent. Lots of us have enjoyed flying 172's, PA-28's and the like. The Avid Flyer is a GREAT choice for the mountains, Luke! Keep us posted on your progress. :cool:
 
Same with me...

In 2001 I had a serious horse accident where I broke my pelvis and herniated the L4, L5 and S1 disks. I now go in every 9 months for Radiofrequency Neurotomy to keep the pain in check. Since the accident, sitting has been a huge challenge for me anywhere in anything for more than 30 mins at a time.

When I bought my RV4 three yrs ago I was only able to sit in it for 20 mins at best and I would be in severe pain and have to get out.

I went direct to the Oregon Aero Shop. Over the course of a couple of days and they made seat cushions for me (lots of lumber support). I'm now good for 2+ hr flights with no great discomfort. Honestly if it was not for Oregon Aero I would not be flying today.

As they are like a rock when the temperature gets down near freezing, I take them home for the night or throw them into a heated truck cab for 30 mins to make them nice and soft again.

Now if I could be more than 2 hrs out of my bladder...........................................

Tim
I have similar problems as Tim with L4 & L5. Between 2005 & 2008 I was making weekly commutes (weather permitting) between my home and Fort Stockton, roughly 400 miles. A sweet 2 hour or so jaunt in the -4, if you're comfortable.
I had some custom made seats of my own design, that looked great, yada yada - but, I could hardly walk when I got out of the plane. I'd have to go through 10 minutes of stretching to be able to manage the plane and walk away.
Phil Campbell is a VAF member here, and at the time, kept his Grumman in Beeville, TX. I'd chat with him & belly ache about the cushions & their effect on me. He told me to get Oregon Aero cushions, not once; but so many times he got sick & disgusted with me griping & b^%*#ing and not following his advice. He gently told me to shut up about it if I wasn't going to do as he suggested. Well, that did embarrass me and he had a good point, so I ordered the front cushions raw. When I got them, I removed the customs, put the OA cushions in, threw a towel over them and took off. I am unable to articulate the difference made!! Suffice to say it was great and I could walk when I got out of the plane. I was ecstatic and called Phil to thank him. I flew it for 2 years just like that, raw cushions w/towels. They've been beautified since then.

I have the HW Aviation ER tanks and can easily do 4+ hour trips now. I've not looked back & I'll never have anything but OA cushions in an AC that I own since that experience.

Well, that's my story with them. Good luck to all whatever your choices. As stated, it is homebuilding and you can do what you want. :)

Cheers,
 
I have Classic Aero Sportsman leather seats in my 7-A and love them. I had some lower back pain the first time I flew 7 hours in a day, and solved it on subsequent trips by using the Classic Aero seat wedge and reclining the seat back fully. I damaged my back years ago, and have trouble driving / flying anything for a long time

Jay
C-FXPT
 
Best RV 4 Seats

In the last few years I have spent close to $10,000 changing out the seats in all of my vehicles, office chairs etc. I have Dodge Viper seats retrofitted in the 1 Ton, the Jeep and my office chairs.

Last resort I was going to try retrofitting a Viper Seat for the RV4. But 1st I thought I would try Oregon Aero and I did the same and had the foam made to fit me at the factory. Took them home and set them in the plane with pillow covers around them. My 1st flight was over an hour with no pain and the best money I have spent on seats ever. I was set to go and hauled the foam into town and had them covered and have never looked back.

Tim
 
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