DFW Area: Classic Aero Design Aviator Seats

DFW VAFers,
Does anybody here fly CAD Aviator seats in their 7A, 9A, or 6A? Seats that are within only a few years old? If so, I'd like the opportunity to sit in your left seat and check out the comfort.

Please PM me if you and your RV are available for the 'test fitting'.

I guess we don't qualify as ours are way more than "a few years old", and are still perfect after so many hours of standing on them with dirty feet .

scard said:

I guess we don't qualify as ours are way more than "a few years old", and are still perfect after so many hours of standing on them with dirty feet .

Click to expand...

Excellent, Scoot.
I?ll ask to try yours next month.

Compare/contrast option...

Scroll,

Classic did my interior trim finish out...high quality that has held up well. At the time, I had the old seats that came with my bird, so I didn't upgrade those...$$$.

When I did have the shekels to do a seat upgrade, I had DJ at Cleaveland Tool do them. Excellent seats and great service by the folks there.

You are welcome to swing by Hicks to try them if desired...

Aggie

Thanks Aggie, I?ll try them out, because a good solid compare/contrast is quite valuable.

? Break Break ?

I?d still like to find someone nearby with reasonably new CAD Aviator seats.
Anybody?

I?d still like to find someone nearby with CAD Aviator seats only a few years old. I'd like to sit on them, try them out.
Anybody?

Up for another trip to Wichita, Sid? Got the Aviators with headrests in my 9A. Afterward we'll grill steaks and sip good whisky...

Hi,

I have Classic Aero seats in my 7. Based at HQZ. They are about two and a half years old and have 250 hrs of butt time. At least the left one does. Happy to show them to you.

Jim

Kurt,
You're on. Maybe another steak at Hangar 1, or see you when you come see Walt.

Jim,
I'll look you up really soon...you're the closest option. Thanks for getting back to me.

I've corresponded with Sid offline, first to poke at him for passing up the opportunity to sit in and fly in N174RT when he and Kelli were on Orcas Island last summer. He asked me if "the seats high price was worth it"?

Each builder/owner has to decide for themselves if something is "worth it". I'd recommend sitting in seats for a minimum of an hour before making a decision about their comfort. I think both CAD and Oregon Aero will allow a customer to have seat foam for testing before doing the final covering. Need extra lumbar support, tell them. Need something else special, ask for it.

I fell in love with the look of the Classic Aero Design seats and interior when I saw Gary Brown's RV-7, probably 12 to 15 years ago. The CAD seats have been a good value for us. Mine do not have headrest, do have Confor foam (formerly temperfoam), are leather covered and have seat heaters. (Sandy really likes the seat heaters.) I also bought front carpet, stick boots, gear covers and side panels from CAD. I did not get any carpet or cover for the baggage compartment. I built my plane to fly, not just to look pretty, so I spent my dollars on the user interface rather than paint (maybe someday??). The user interface starts with the seats. The longest flying day in N174RT for Sandy and I was about 5 years ago when we covered more than 1600nm. Dover Delaware to Billings Montana. (33N-KOXI-KABR-KBLI). We were both ready to get out of the plane at the end of the day, but not because of the seats. (Sure wish we had our CQ1 headsets that day!)

My first plane had custom Oregon Aero, leather covered, temperfoam seats. Before finishing my CH601 plane I flew in several other CH601's that had "economy" seats. I was frequently glad to get out of the seats after 30 to 45 minutes of flying. I flew my 601HDS on many 12 hour days and was always comfortable in the seat.

I like Confor foam / temperfoam for comfort and for possible impact protection in the event of a hard landing/crash. Note that the Confor form / tremperfoam is HARD when it is cold.

Both CAD and Oregon Aero are GREAT to work with.

Regards,

Sid...

I have the CAD Sportsman seats, not Aviator, but your welcome to come over and have a sit.

Edit: Thanks, Rob. Will look you up next time I'm out at Hicks....Sid

Roy Thoma said:

I like Confor foam / temperfoam for comfort and for possible impact protection in the event of a hard landing/crash. Note that the Confor form / tremperfoam is HARD when it is cold.

Click to expand...

If you are tall and live in a cold climate, seat heaters are required with comfor-foam or at least the amount of comfor-foam that OA uses. After I put in oregon aero seats, I found that I had to tip my head sideways once the canopy was closed in cold weather. It took a long time to sink in and allow my head fully upright. Once I connected the seat heaters, I found that I would be sinking in just before take off.

Something to consider.

Larr