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Recommendation on Harness Options

CJ in EP

Active Member
Looking for opinions.

#1. RV-9A... To say non-aerobatic would be stating the obvious. Four or five point harness system? Rational would be greatly appreciated.

#2. Does anyone with first-hand, side-by-side experience using both the rotary and traditional buckle feel strongly about one over the other?


Thanks!
 
9a, crow 5 points, rotary

I like being pretty secure in he hips, so five points were my answer, past racing history made the cam locks natural. You can plug in one handed. The buckle locks are two handed. Pick your pull up or pull down shoulders, for the airplane pull downs seem to work well for me. I can reach everything except the far passenger floor strapped in. Fifth point is anti-slouch and under-ride protection in an event.
 
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Five point no matter what you get. I flew an RV-8 with just a four point - twice. It got pulled out and replaced with a five point. Hit one air pocket with a four point and you will find out for yourself.

I?ve used both Hooker and Crow. I prefer Hooker with the traditional bale buckle - but I?d guess bale or rotary makes little difference.

Carl
 
Flying right seat in friends RV9A, with 4 point. Hit unplanned turbulence. My head hit the canopy. Made an impression on me. Installed my crotch strap that was on my bench prior to next flight. No way do I want to be incapacitated because I didn?t use the 5 point. I have Crow rotary and like em.
 
I've got a Crow 5 point harness with the traditional buckle. Didn't take much to get used to it, certainly secures me well. I've had just a handful of seconds of low G time when doing my AOA calibration - never felt anything other than solidly in place. My only problem with the harness is that it resists my pulling the stick full aft - me losing some weight would eliminate that. I don't know if the cam lock is thicker than the buckle, it was my perception that it is and that factored into my selection.
 
I currently fly a variety of airplanes that have 2-5 point restraints. All of them are equally good at keeping my head from hitting the ceiling/canopy during turbulence, if worn correctly.

We talked to all the harness manufactures at Oshkosh this year before making a purchase for our RV-8. All of the manufactures gave me the same story: The difference between 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 point harnesses is in crash protection. The primary purpose of the crotch strap is to keep you from slipping under the waist belt during a crash. It keeps your hips in place and prevents the belts from sliding up over your stomach and causing internal injuries. Granted, the more points of restraint you have, the better you'll be restrained during turbulence, but that's a side issue.

Five of the planes I fly have a traditional buckle where you thread the shoulder and crotch straps over the tongue before latching it into the female side, so you have to get all the belts to cooperate at the same time. It's not uncommon for me to drop on of the straps while I'm reaching for another one, and I have to find it again and thread it back through the tongue. The traditional buckle is a little more cumbersome than a rotary buckle, which normally allows you to insert one strap at a time, but in my opinion it's not significant. The rotary buckle is more expensive. They both work well at keeping the belts in place, and both can be released in a single motion.

You'll have to decide if the convenience of the rotary buckle is worth the increased price. You'll probably get used to whatever you decide to install and it won't be an issue.
 
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