Thorp Air Command - T18.net

How are people mounting their seats? Does anyone have a simple adjustment mechanism?

My seats are currently not attached to anything. I'd like to change that.

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In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.

The plans provide just about the simplest way to mount the seats. The attach brackets have 3 adjustment holes, which you insert a double acting pip pin into to adjust the seat fore and aft, depending on how long your hoofs are. [:p]

RB

Does anyone have some extra seat mount parts laying around that I could buy?

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In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.

Well, as a matter of fact, the old bird I just aquired may have just what you need - and since I was gonna replicate what I know you have, we might just be able to do a tradarooski here, oh future T-18 master.

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Fraser MacPhee
N926WM
Serial #279-1
Angel Fire, NM (KAXX)

My Thorp has Seat Angles as shown in Drawing 505, part -3. They are 3/4 x 3/4 x 1/16" extruded angles riveted to the sides of the aft tunnel, as well as the left and right fuselage skins. They are set up to 9 degrees, just like the "855" seat installation is. My guess is that these angles were part of an earlier seat design that was superseded by the one shown in Drawing 855.

Does anyone out there have a seat installation based on these 505-3 angles? If so, any pictures? I'm thinking that if I can work with what is already there, I could save myself some work.

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In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.

Dick,
Hope this helps ... this is Fat Katt, but N4588 is not much different. I could rassle up some pics of that install as well if necessary.



Outboard RH Side



Outboard LH Side



Inboard LH Side

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

The 853/856 front seat mount brackets are supposed to be hogged out of big hunks of aluminum billet. Has anyone made theirs out of angles? I can't see why that wouldn't work.

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In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.

I made mine from pieces of angle and spacer material. Didn't make them adjustable as I needed all the room I could get. You can always add a thicker seat back cushion should you need to move forward. This alternative has served well for over 2500 hrs.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

Dick,
Mine are two pieces of 1/8 angle stock side by side (trimmed as shown in the 856 dwg). No reason it needs to be a single piece other than the task of keeping the two sides in sync. There's a bit of shimming required to keep everything lined up (on the outboard mounts in particular).

I've seen several that use just a single angle on each side rather than the paralleled mount as shown in the drawings. I'm pretty sure that CSA sells the mounts as single bent up piece 4130 on each side.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

Here is the method the tailwind guys use--light and easy--just put the front of the seat on the hooked pins, and the rear sits on the floor. In the Thorp the rear would sit on the angles, or in my plane there is a little AL box built up on either side the seat sits on at the rear. I remade the front attachments to eliminate the adjustment on mine, as like others I needed all the leg room I could get. But putting those pins in to latch the front seats is a very agrevating task. Were I to do it over I would use the Tailwind method.

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Dave M
Sacramento
ex-T-18 owner

That is actually very slick, Dave! Two months ago, that's the way I would have done it too.

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In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.

Just my 2 cents worth. When I purchased my project , I removed those 1/8 angles riveted to tunnel an side skin, and remade the seat attach as per the drawings I have. Latest ones. CSA supplied the parts.The reason is just for more strength ,but still light weight construction, in the event of a heavy landing or high G, Hope that ain't gonna happen,so that I don't go through to the lower floor when those angles collapse.Might be hard to land like that.

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James Ball

Yep that's the CSA setup I was referring to. He removed the alum mounts (apparently from the drawings) and went in with a single bent up piece of 4130 on each side.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

I made my installation just like the previous builder did his. The single angle is simple and just as strong. The most expensive part if it was the Pitpins. I was Lucky and found a bin full of surplus pitpins at my engineering lab at work. The lab guys have been helpful to me in the past with parts, just a long as I don't go over board. On my foward seat eye bolts, I shaved them down and place a 3/32 rivit thru the bolt and seat penatration.

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Stephen R. Peirce
S/N#078 Ph 256-461-0233
Rocket City
Huntsville, Alabama

Check those radii carefully on the bent-up steel brackets. I had to send mine back.

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In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.