BC12D seat

[Armstrong]

I have a 46 BC12D with the stock sling bench seat, and it kills my back after a few hours of flying. I dont have a bad back and dont seem to have the problem in other airplanes. Are there any mods to the seat that make it more comfortable?
Thanks, Rob

[Forrest Barber]

Re: BC12D seat

It will adjust by rolling up the front and re bolting. OR the best is a lumbar support belt OR new seat cushions with lumbar built in. How tall are you?

[Armstrong]

Re: BC12D seat

Forrest,This is a great site!
Im 6'. I have tightend the seat, but it just seems to stretch out again. Its not been changed since 72 when the airplane was recovered so I guess I should make a new one. I will try a material with less stretch.Then new seat cushions. It would help if I lost some weight ( help my climb too). I am planning some long cross countries this summer and want it to be as enjoyable as possible.
Thanks, Rob

[Bob Waldron]

Re: BC12D seat

Rob,

When you replace the foam seats, seriously consider using Tempra Foam as a replacement. It is expensive. I think you can get it from Aircraft Spruce, but others may have better places to get it. I bought some (for another airplane) from the manufacturer. I comes in three densities, Soft, Medium, and Hard. From the manufacturer, you can order custom laminates, like 1 inch Hard laminated to 2 inch Medium laminated to 1 inch soft.

I am sure that you can order a seat-back with a Medium density foam Lumbar support built in.

The difference is incredible, especially on a long flight.

[Armstrong]

Re: BC12D seat

Bob, is that the same as memory foam?

Thanks, rob

[Robert Lees]

Re: BC12D seat

Yes it is, Rob.

I've just done my new upholstery in this stuff..it's quite firm under one's rear, but I like it. It conforms to my fat backside after a few minutes.

Funnily enough, even with my dodgy back, my bladder complains before my bones do. I guess that's age, eh?

Rob

[Bob Waldron]

Re: BC12D seat

Rob,

Here is a AircraftSpruce link selling a pre assembled 3 inch pad, made from three laminations of foam: http://www.aircraftspruce.com/pdf/catalog/Cat06038.pdf

Here is an EAA site, that shows how to put the foam pieces together (for a RV-6) including Lumbar support: http://members.eaa.org/home/homebuil...m%20Seats.html You need to be an EAA member to get to this one. They also discuss an alternate to the expensive stuff.

Oregon Aero makes seats and the RV crowd really likes their stuff. I don't know what they could do for Taylorcraft seats, but their info can be found at : http://www.oregonaero.com/p18_2001.htm

I think there is a TemperFoam dealer in Nebraska (Fix Prop Shop) at 402-470-2346 He might be your best bet for making something with a lumbar support.

Let me know what you end up doing, and what the results are. I will probably replace the seats in my pre-war Taylorcraft prior to restoring it. Although my seats are not uncomfortable for one or two hours, the lack of lumbar support is a drag on longer flights. So far, I just wad up a towel and stick it behind my back.

[Pearson]

Re: BC12D seat

My 1946 BC12D has a piece of thin plywood with the back cushion. I have sat in some that don't have this and found them uncomfortable. If yours doesn't have this, it might be a quick fix until you can find something more permanent like the Oregon Aero seats which are great.

[Armstrong]

Re: BC12D seat

Thanks much for the help(Forest, Robert) and the web sites(Bob), I will look them over and decide which to do, but it will be with the Temperfoam.
Rob
I will be rebuilding the tired old BC12D after this summers flying, and it is nice to know I have a place to ask questions if I get stuck.

[Frank DeBartolo]

Re: BC12D seat

Does anyone know if the Taylorcraft seats sold by Airtex products are any good. I saw an ad in Trade-A-Plane for upholstered foam cushion seat sets for the Taylorcraft B Series and 19 for $356.00. I have been considering buying this seat set. Does anyone have experience with these Airtex seats?

Thanks,

Frank DeBartolo
N43684

[Dick Smith]

Re: BC12D seat

Point of information: I purchased 2 pieces of Temperfoam from AC Spruce: each piece 1" X 16" X 18" in size...one pink in color(soft) and one blue(not quite so soft). I really like the stuff...am now sitting on the 2 pieces here at the computer. I loaned them out to a friend who was trying to devise his own carryon cushion to fit the wellworn cockpit seat in the Beech 1900 he crewed in...said the 2-piece combo worked quite well...anyhow his captain folded the double-stacked cushions, which were just uncovered rectangles, in half, and placed them on the right seat when they left the plane for the night...just messing with him...when he sat down the next morning, in the cold, dark cockpit...the pair snapped right on the fold. When the material is cold it is brittle and will snap like a 1 inch piece of white styrofoam. Up in Fairbanks, Nome, Kotzebue, etc. it gets really cold, but even here in Kenai, if I leave the pieces in the airplane at 32 degrees F., it will be stiff and rigid, until it warms up from you sitting on it. At 0 or 10 degrees F, up here, in a Taylorcraft with the normal minimal heating system, you may never get it warm enough to conform to your behind and the variations of a sling-type seat. If you live where it is warm...you shouldn't have any problem, but when it is pretty chilly in the cockpit, I don't use the stuff, because it will snap like a potato chip...as witness the multiple pieces of duct-tape holding my 2 pieces tegether. I think it is good stuff and worth the price, but thought I would pass my experience along. Dick

[fearofpavement]

Re: BC12D seat

On our BC-12D we just stick an old set of Cessna 150 seats cushions on the sling. When tall guys fly it they remove them and sit on the sling or a folded up piece of carpet. I have used boat floatation cushions as well. Being short opens up a lot of possibilities.

[M Jones]

Re: BC12D seat

I picked up something at OSK last year at one of the Exhibit buildings. Can't remember the company name, but it's run by a nice couple (from Nebraska I think...) They had three foam densities, pink, green, blue (soft, med, firm). I bought a bottom cushion in firm/medium, and a single back cushion in medium. It forms fits nicely, and I like it. Before that, I just sat on the cloth sling. That was OK, but this is better, especially on the back where the bar hits my shoulder blades.... These give me as much cushion as I can get without my knees banging on the instrument panel. (Around 6"1")

I can look up the company later if needed. It sounds like the same foam that Aircraft Spruce sells.

[crispy critter]

Re: BC12D seat

I have a 46 BC12D with the stock sling bench seat, and it kills my back after a few hours of flying. I dont have a bad back and dont seem to have the problem in other airplanes. Are there any mods to the seat that make it more comfortable?
Thanks, Rob

Rob,
If you need to replace the seat sling too you can get them threw aircraft spruce for about $70-80 dollars or I have an old new one never been used that's been stored in my fathers basement for the last 5 years or so...it's still good,just a little dirty and dusty.I'll let ya have it for $50 plus shipping(I paid $55 or 60 for it 5 years ago).

[jmvolpp]

Re: BC12D seat

Mike Jones might be thinking of Jim and Janice Fix at www.seatfoam.com

Mike Volpp