Cessna Seat Stop Advisory

[170C]

I guess everyone with one of these seat stops received the June 11 advisory SEB07-50AR6. What does this mean for those who had one installed years ago (mine was installed 12/01/2011)?

[Onewinglo]

I got the advisory also but my 170 does not have the seat stops installed.

"...service kits are available to install a new design secondary seat stop for the pilot and copilot seats." "Compliance is mandatory for the for the pilot seat:... Installation shall be accomplished within the next 200 hours of operation or 12 months, whichever occurs first".

Sounds like this is a must do - or else!
JP

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Frank, it means nothing. Make sure you have the current ICA.

And for those procrastinators the SB is now extended till 12/31/2016.

I love mine. It works flawlessly.

[Joe Moilanen]

A case of longneck bottles behind the pilots seat just in front of the rear seat also works as a safety stop.

Joe

[swixtt]

Frank, it means nothing. Make sure you have the current ICA.

And for those procrastinators the SB is now extended till 12/31/2016.

I love mine. It works flawlessly.

what specifically is the SB you are referring to? i called about one months ago and it was north of $1000... i went with the other solution.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

what specifically is the SB you are referring to? i called about one months ago and it was north of $1000... i went with the other solution.

SEB07-5 R6 Secondary Seat Stop. FREE installed by Cessna service center.

[swixtt]

Thanks... I'm surprised a Cessna shop in BC didn't know that or maybe it was just something that was updated recently.

A friend call two weeks ago and it was a chargeable item!

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Thanks... I'm surprised a Cessna shop in BC didn't know that or maybe it was just something that was updated recently.

A friend call two weeks ago and it was a chargeable item!

It has been FREE in the US since it came out years ago. I've heard from another in Canada that the shop said it was not FREE. It is FREE, at least in the US.

[MoonlightVFR]

Over 20 years ago I remember a pilot complaining about a product sold to pilots that supposedly fixed the Cessna seat stop situation.

It was an aluminum extrusion that fit on the seat rails and had a screw that clamped on top of the rail!. Worked reasonably well in locking out movement. That is if you REALLY tighten the screw down.


A few objections were raised about the product. In tightening down the screw a circular cut mark was imprinted into the top of the rail. You may see the evidence from time to time in Cessnas.

Every time you used the device you made circular cut top of rail. Did not inspire confidence.

One pilot dubious of the product even developed his own back up system. In addition to the extrusion clamp he would take medium size Vise Grips and clamp them on to the SIDES of the seat rail. Both seats. Double locked!

Don't duplicate these outmoded attempts

The little known original design flaws are still with us. Right near your FEET they are,original parking brake and insufficiently designed seat rail locks.

Vigilant product education is a must.

Stay Safe


Regards

[Ryan Smith]

I had my first "experience" with a seat sliding on July 4.

Back in February, the guy that's the primary instructor in 56D took my wife and I flying for about an hour in 56D where he let me fly left seat so I could build some night time. Because of my lack of proficiency with wheel landings after not having flown in nearly six years, I elected to perform a three point landing. No big deal, landing was uneventful, but he was giving me some of his thoughts on landings at a shorter, rural strip at night that provided for more options (less flap, wheel landings; basically anything that would allow one to transition into a go around if necessary).

After giving some dual to Zenda in the 170 earlier in the day on July 4, I asked Dave if I could ride along with him the next time he needed to do his night currency in the 170...provided he didn't allow it to expire before. I simply wanted to observe. 56D has a secondary seat stop on the pilot's side, but I suppose Dave didn't engage it against the roller block because as we were about 50 feet in the air, he announced that his seat had slipped. It only went back an inch or so and didn't affect his control of the airplane, but that was eye opening. In 30 years of flying and flying in that airplane, that's the first time I've ever seen or heard of a seat slipping. To be fair, the rails are due to be replaced.

Incidentally, when Dave and I were putting the airplane away, he mentioned that the only engine failure he has ever had at night was in a 170 in Charleston, SC in 1969 (I think). The result of the engine failure was the generation of the AD which required a vented fuel cap.

[Ryan Smith]

Those stops look nice, Arash. The one in 56D is, I believe, a SAFE-T-STOP. The thumb screw on the top can be tricky to wrench down tight enough.

After having flown with the Cessna inertia reel seat stops in the Hawk XP that I fly, I'm not a fan. It seems as though they severely limit the amount of travel the seat can go back...so I have a hard time squeezing my legs in and out of the tiny space between the front of the seat and the door frame.

[c170b53]

It's free in Canada, just bring your Reg papers to prove your plane and model. I'm surprised the reel limits seat travel, didn't on mine.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

I 100% know my seat won't slide back if the seat pin engagement lets go.

So Arash, you guarantee that 100% of the time you will set the seat stop? Yes I'll bet you are pretty good at it but 100% is a perfect score, and well, I know I couldn't get a perfect score setting a seat stop.

I've said it before. The seat stops look hooky when they are new and you are inspecting and critiquing their appearance and thus performance.

But I've got to tell you I've had ZERO issues with it. None. I have never had to adjust it. It just works. It has never failed a test. And I'm 100% sure it will have a better record of engaging should a seat pin let loose than me remembering to set a seat stop to do the same.

And mine does not restrict the rearward travel of the seat on the rails.

This is the way I figured it. What did I have to loose having them installed. I had an excuse to fly my plane to a shop. Watch then install the stop. And it didn't cost me a thing other than my flying time and 2 hours at the shop. If I decided I didn't like it I could uninstall it within about 15 minutes and the only evidence would be the nut plate installed in the floor. I'd at least own the stop should it ever become required or the next owner want it.

But guess what. It's still installed. It still works fine. But no I haven't forgotten it is there. I think about it at every take off. I think how much more secure I feel and though still a habit, sometimes I don't use my throttle hand to hold on to the dash hand hold after applying full throttle. Holding on was my was my previous, now obsolete secondary seat stop.

[170C]

That seat stop on the Hawk XP isn't working properly. My unit lets my seat go all the way back and that one should also. I have a couple of the red seat stops with the thumb screws I used prior to Cessnas unit becoming available They are a hassle to use and being RED they are also slow to set & undo

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

it's not 0%, right?

No it is not %100. What is. You can easily check it every preflight. With the seat pin in any hole grab the belt any where convenient and pull. If it moves it is out of adjustment and not working. It the ratchet catches it's working.

Or at least that time but what about the next is what you could say. And your right.

We pick the level that makes us happy. Might I suggest you have the Cessna secondary seat stop installed just in the off chance you forget to check the Aerostops.

I've seen very competent pilots think they checked gear down, gust locks off and the list goes on.