1959 Cessna 180

[Roland Donnell]

Anybody with a Cardinal? Tall pilot head drags the headliner such that a headset has to be worn behind the head. No progress looking at other models. One suggestion over a custom rebuild $$ was to look a Cardinal seats but none accessible. A measurement from the seat bottom (from my finger tip to the floor) would be helpful. A seat bottom height of approximately 10 inches is the goal. This one is 12 inches.

 

[Roland Donnell]

Corrected -1959 Cessna 182B

 

[Stewartb]

Find a later model articulating seat and crank it down.

 

[Roland Donnell]

Good idea however the seat we measured on an articulated at its lowest position was the same height.

 

[Bell206]

A seat bottom height of approximately 10 inches is the goal.

Another option is to fabricate a custom bottom seat cushion to get your height requirement. Might also need to include the back cushion to make it work properly. There are a number of high density foams available that can be used or combined to give the right height and comfort. And with a little work you can make the replacement cushions interchangeable with the OEM cushions. Whether this is considered a major or minor alteration would be up to your mechanic.

 

[Stewartb]

You can strip the suspended headliner and insert upholstered foam panels. I cranked my seat up after I did it.

 

[Boyfalldown]

Additionally if it hasn’t been done already you can remove the ladder springs that support your seat foam and replace with a ceconite base to save an additional inch and a half or so. The side bolsters on the seatt bottom you posted look great but there could be up to 4 inches of foam to build that up higher than the seat base.

 

[Roland Donnell]

Good ideas and may have to resort to the headliner or seat modifications mentioned. Plane is in Pagosa Springs and the upholsterer Las Cruces so there is the cost of shipping or dropping the plane off then commercial back, repeat to ship or pick up. When you add up just the logistical cost it is quiet significant and then add in the cost of the modification. Just wanted to give due diligence to a possible existing choice hence the info search regarding the Cardinal seats.

 

[Ryan Bowler]

I went without the headliner in my 182B for a year. I didn’t miss the headliner, and had the same head clearance concerns you did.

 

[Bell206]

Plane is in Pagosa Springs and the upholsterer Las Cruces so there is the cost of shipping or dropping the plane off then commercial back, repeat to ship or pick up.

If by upholsterer you mean an aircraft interior shop, you have another option. If your mechanic is up for it you can also remove the seat cushion(s) and take it to a local car or boat upholsterer for the work. Same with the headliner work. Once done your mechanic can log the minor alteration and create a new empty weight if needed. And if you're up for it you can do most the grunt work and save an additional nickel. A number of my owner-assist customers went this route when sprucing up their interiors.

 

[Stewartb]

My motivation for no headliner was to make space to jack my seat up. I want to sit high to improve visibility over the nose.

 

[Wagondriver]

Like others have said. Get an articulating seat. My 180 had one, I couldn’t see over the panel with it as high as it would go. I put I original type seats in it, brought me up 3 inches.

 

[Dan Thomas]

FAR43.13(b):

(b) Each person maintaining or altering, or performing preventive maintenance, shall do that work in such a manner and use materials of such a quality, that the condition of the aircraft, airframe, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance worked on will be at least equal to its original or properly altered condition (with regard to aerodynamic function, structural strength, resistance to vibration and deterioration, and other qualities affecting airworthiness).

FAR23.853(3):

(ii) Floor covering, textiles (including draperies and upholstery), seat cushions, padding, decorative and non-decorative coated fabrics, leather, [etc. etc.] that are constructed of materials not covered in paragraph (d)(3)(iv) of this section must be self extinguishing when tested vertically in accordance with the applicable portions of Appendix F of this Part or other approved equivalent methods. The average burn length may not exceed 8 inches and the average flame time after removal of the flame source may not exceed 15 seconds. Drippings from the test specimen may not continue to flame for more than an average of 5 seconds after falling.

Upholstery fabric sample patches normally have a sticker on the back that has specifications. For aircraft, it needs that FAR23 approval. Been there, done that. I found that many of the samples were covered by that spec.

 

[Stewartb]

Part 23 doesn’t govern CAR3 airplanes.

 

[Roland Donnell]

Located a Cardinal and measured the seat. The height was a good two to three inches lower but the distance between the seat rails was 10 inches vs. 11 in the 182. Thanks for responding to possible alternatives now to consider.