Safety Inertia Reel on Seats

[Tom Brookover]

I am having my pilot and co-pilot seats refurbished and am wondering whether or not to re-install the inertia reel safety device on the pilot side when the seats are finished. In addition to the inertia reel, I also use a Safe-T-Stop rail lock on one rail for each of the two front seats.

What is your experience with these inertia reel devices as a safety stop for seats? Are they required? Are they reliable? There is no record of installation in the logbooks as far as I can find so I have no idea when it was installed.

I've heard stories of seat pin/rail failures in the 170s and recognize the importance of a seat stop safety mechanism. I've also heard that the inertia reels may not be reliable. In my case the device seems redundant with the Safe-T-Stop. I wouldn't mind gaining the weight savings and simplicity of leaving the inertia reel out, but certainly not if it adds some meaningful safety margin over and above the Safe-T-Stop rail lock.

[GAHorn]

....

What is your experience with these inertia reel devices as a safety stop for seats? Are they required? Are they reliable? There is no record of installation in the logbooks as far as I can find so I have no idea when it was installed.

.

My experience is limited to the one which came with the 172 I bought last year. It was installed incorrectly but after I correxted it.... it has been trouble-free.

No, they are NOT required.

I have found it to be reliable as far as not interfering with normal seat operations. Since I’ve not (nor has anyone else I know of) had any seat-latch failure which required it’s claimed safety-feature.... I cannot say it is “reliable” as far as preventing seat roll-back in the event of OEM seat latch failure .... because I’ve not had such failure and neither has anyone else I know of (that also had the device.). So it’s reliability is presumed...not proven.

IF yours is not recorded in the aircraft records, you should get a copy of the records on file at FAA/OKC and see if it’s been recorded elsewhere....and you should have your inspector correct your aircraft records to indicate it’s installation.

[dstates]

I don’t have the reel secondary seat stop, but I’ll likely get it installed in mine. I like how it is a passive device. No additional steps to actuate it. I currently have the Saf-T-Stops. They work well, but will never work if you forget to adjust them.

Just my $0.02.

Doug

[daedaluscan]

I bought my plane with one installed but inoperative.

I sent it back to the manufacturer for repair ($165) and had it reinstalled. It lasted about 2 hours.

I know many people have years of trouble free use, but I am unconvinced and use Aerostops. They use a cam that does not damage the seat rail. They do require the pilot to remember o use them, and to brief pax on getting out if they need to.

[MoonlightVFR]

We 170 pilot/owner/users are flying 1940s technology. Today is NOT 1940!

FAA is about to be very stressed about investigations about Boeing. Member of Congress are being "visited" and told to stand down about Boeing. Expect silence.

The original design of Seat Step Pin was knowingly faulty and they knew it. Remember that mfrs want to sell replacement parts. What would you want to happen when a metal Pin with slight spring compression "digs" into a metal seat rail.
WHAT?

You remember the proverbial saying that "iron sharpens iron"

The original design could have included a hole drilled into end of Stop Pin and a nylon rounded plug inserted. That would have precluded the metal on metal "digging" that perhaps caused serious injury among C170 pilots when "oops" it slipped.

There is more but I want to stop venting.

Please use your installed inertial reel shoulder/seat belts.

Please fly Safe.

[rschreiber]

Charlie,

I just discovered that my locking reel is damaged. Was yours an AMSAFE? Where did you send it for repair? I called AMSAFE directly and they said they would be happy to repair the part but only if it was sent through Cessna. Any insight into the process you used to get yours repaired would be greatly appreciated!

-Ryan

[pdb]

I had mine installed several years ago and so far, it has worked flawlessly though I have never yet had my seat roll back unexpectedly for a real test.

However, I can remember several Cessna pilots and pax who were killed where the seats did slip or fail on take off. It’s a real problem IMHO and the Cessna reels may help but nothing mechanical is going to be 100% reliable.

I will also add that Cessna seats do not last forever. I had TWO set backs fail on me; one on the ground, one in the air but not at a critical time like TO or LNDG. I am 200 lbs and pretty careful getting in and out of the seats but they will fail and require periodic inspection and maintenance if you want to stay safe.

[GAHorn]

I bought my plane with one installed but inoperative.

I sent it back to the manufacturer for repair ($165) and had it reinstalled. It lasted about 2 hours.

I know many people have years of trouble free use, but I am unconvinced and use Aerostops. They use a cam that does not damage the seat rail. They do require the pilot to remember o use them, and to brief pax on getting out if they need to.

Charlie, Can you be more specific? In what way was it inoperative? What did they do to repair it? How/in what manner did it fail after only 2 hours? Did you inform them and ask them to repair it again? Did they not warranty their repair? Was a report made to FAA?

[170C]

A couple of months ago I noticed my seat pin wasn't going down into the seat rail hole properly, but if I pushed on the lever it would do so. I had great plans to see if it needed lubricating (it didn't). I did a normal takeoff and sure enough I had not pushed the lever down and the pin hadn't engaged the hole in the seat rail. My seat slid back 2-3 inches before the Cessna restraint system engaged. That may be normal? I had no problem controlling my plane due to such a short backward movement. If I hadn't had the restraint devise installed I might have had a different result! I determined that a spring that puts pressure on the seat adjustment pin had broken, thus no automatic spring action to push the seat pin down into the seat rail hole. Replaced the spring I obtained from a local hardware store and now it works as it was designed to do. Normally I check after moving the seat forward before starting the engine, but apparently this time I didn't do it properly. All this to say the Cessna restraint system works, at least this time.