EZ Flap vs. Inertia Reels

[flyboy122]

HI Guys,

I'm looking at the BAS harnesses, and they offer 2 styles. The "standard" version has the shoulder strap attached to the lap belts. The "seaplane" version has should straps that attach to the buckle when the pilot puts them on. I guess I'm much more used to the latter, hence they are in my comfort zone, but I'm thinking about the attached version that it might be kinda handy. Has anybody used this style before? Pros, cons?

I also saw in the MX library copy of the STC that Association members get a 5% discount. is that still valid?

Thanks,
DEM

[lowNslow]

HI Guys,

I'm looking at the BAS harnesses, and they offer 2 styles. The "standard" version has the shoulder strap attached to the lap belts. The "seaplane" version has should straps that attach to the buckle when the pilot puts them on. I guess I'm much more used to the latter, hence they are in my comfort zone, but I'm thinking about the attached version that it might be kinda handy. Has anybody used this style before? Pros, cons?

I also saw in the MX library copy of the STC that Association members get a 5% discount. is that still valid?

Thanks,
DEM

They actually have 3 versions, the third style uses a rotary buckle. Very nice but extra dollars.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

I have the utility style (not BAS).

Pros: You don't have to wear them and when your not the shoulder harness hang straight down behind the front seats out of the way.

Cons: You don't have to wear them.

I always wear them and most of my passengers do as well. My partner does not choose to wear them and he is happy they just hang behind the seat.

I could see that the standard permanently fixed buckles could be easier to find and put on because in order to find the seat belt you sit in the seat and reach back to for the harnesses and you automatically find the lap belts. In contrast I have to find my lap belts and drape them over my lap without buckling them, then reach back and get the shoulder harnesses and putt the one side lap belt buckle through the harnesses then buckle. Not a big deal really.

I could see how the permanently attached might hinder egress because they essentially form a loop for body parts to get tangled in. In contrast when I unbuckle mine the shoulder harness almost fall to their hanging position behind the seats by them selves.

Probably is as many pros as cons for each style.

If all I could get was the permanently attached, I'd install them and be happy. My partner would not.

[170C]

I, like Bruce, have the non inertia reel shoulder straps that do not attach permanently to the seat belts. The times I have flown in planes with the BAS inertial reels I really liked them as they are much more user friendly than what I have. If they weren't so unreasonably priced I would have them, but that is another matter. Mine are comfortable and like others have stated I wear them fairly loose in order to reach the flap handle release button. I would hope I would have the presence of mind to tighten them if I saw a forced landing coming. My only real problem using them is if I am wearing a heavy coat as that makes reaching the flap button difficult. Guess I need a better cabin heater! Its strange to me how an identical Cessna cabin heater can be so much more effective than mine. I have all the correct scat hoses and my heater control on the firewall works properly, but mine won't run me out if the temps are 40 or below while some similar planes will flat burn you up at those temps if left on max?????

[jrenwick]

I made this point during the original discussion, and here it is again.

I installed Hooker harnesses in my '55 170, sans inertial reel. With the straps tight I couldn't bend down enough to release the flap lever from the floor, so I just hooked it with my right foot and pushed the button to pop it up to the 10 degree point. Once the flaps were partially lowered, I could reach the lever to lower them the rest of the way as needed. Raising the flaps was never a problem, because you don't need to reach the end of the lever to do that.

With just the right-foot trick to lower the flaps, I never missed the inertia reel, and never thought I needed anything like EZ-flap.

[flyboy122]

I made this point during the original discussion, and here it is again.

I installed Hooker harnesses in my '55 170, sans inertial reel. With the straps tight I couldn't bend down enough to release the flap lever from the floor, so I just hooked it with my right foot and pushed the button to pop it up to the 10 degree point. Once the flaps were partially lowered, I could reach the lever to lower them the rest of the way as needed. Raising the flaps was never a problem, because you don't need to reach the end of the lever to do that.

With just the right-foot trick to lower the flaps, I never missed the inertia reel, and never thought I needed anything like EZ-flap.

John,

Great tip! I'll give it a try. In my misspent youth I learned a similar trick with the carb heat on our J3. Hopefully my right foot is still trainable.

Thanks,
DEM

[daedaluscan]

EZ Flap 1.jpg

EZ Flap 2.jpg

EZ Flap 3.jpg

I installed the EZ Flap handle and went for a flight.

Easy install (two 6-32 holes to tap in the flap handle button) and good instructions.

Nice to use for the first two notches, but after that I had to use the regular button. Small gripe there that the copper ferrule on the end of the actuator cable sticks out beyond the tab (in photo 1 out of focus) and that stuck in my thumb.

I actually think I would have preferred it 2 inches shorter, but it is nice and close to the throttle where I keep my hand on takeoff and landing. Very handy for popping flaps on the roll.

Not in the way, but just one more hting in a small cockpit for a big guy:)

We'll see how my wife likes it - I think she is going to like it a lot, She struggles to reach the handle at 0 degrees.

[shortfielder]

I would recommend against any shoulder harness that permenantly attaches to the lap belt. When I flipped my 180, I had no problem releasing the lap belt but was still stuck hanging upside down by the lap belt/shoulder belt connection. Had I thought about it I could have cut them, but I didn't. And that would have come with a cost. A fair amount of wiggling and I was able to free myself. Felt kinda like a fish on a hook dangling in the air. I think BAS is the best, and I think a release that releases all belts is also the best, whether a buckle or rotary.
Gary