C150 seats in lieu of original 170A bench

[spduffee]

Hello all, I know there are STCs and whatnot for installing C206 seats and 180/185 jumpseats in the rear of the 170A, but both versions are hard to find and are pricey. The BAS / Dodge Atlee jumpseats are nice, but too much for me at this juncture. Could C150 seats be installed in the rear? Has anyone thought of that or have any thoughts as to why that would be a stupid idea? Comments appreciated!

[bagarre]

I never thought about that but it sounds like a good enough idea.
It's a common upgrade in the 120s and 140s.
Would that mean installing rails in the back? How would you mount them?

[hilltop170]

Kenmore Air Harbor has the STC for 206 middle seats in the rear of C-180/185s. To do any installation of Cessna seats in the back of the C-170, a field approval will be required no matter what seat you use because the 170 is not on the AML for the Kenmore STC. The STC gives the engineering, structural, and parts required that the FAA inspector will want to see to give the field approval so go ahead and get the STC and it will ease the anxiety with the feds. Get approval before you spend any money, just tell the inspector what you want to do referencing the STC and it should get approved. Different seats require different tracks and track spacing so make sure whatever seat you use you know it will work with the STC.

That being said, using the Kenmore STC as a basis for a field approval, several Cessna seats (except front seats because they are too tall without cutting down the legs) could be used for back seats in a 170. C-150 front seats or 206/207/210 middle seats would probably work best. 206 aft seats could be used and are fairly common although they are smaller and sit low as well. They also have weird track spacing so check that out before you go that route. The 206/207 seats have the correct height frames to be comfortable. The 150 or 210 seat is too low in my opinion but will work.

[spduffee]

Thanks Hilltop170. I also imagined the 150 seats might be too low, but they are the most commonly available and hardly ever very expensive. The 172 seats are also an option. I would actually like to install 172 seats up front too, due the ability to raise and lower them - at 6'6" and with a headset, I am brushing the headliner. I will look into the STC's you mentioned. I believe we have a DAR in Auburn (S50) who could either approve them or at least walk me through the process.

[hilltop170]

Cessna front seats are much too tall in the back seat position, that is why no one uses them. If you can find some 150 seats, put them on the floor and sit in them. Your knees will be in your face. Not totally unworkable, just not really commfortable like the 206/207 middle seats.

If you can convince the DAR to approve cutting down the frames on the later style aluminum tube frame non-articulating Cessna front seats with the three-position recliner, you would have an inexpensive alternate that should work fine. The feet can be de-rivited and removed then cut the frames to desired height and re-rivit the feet back in place.

[bigrenna]

delete

[hilltop170]

The 150 or 210 seat is too low in my opinion but will work.

FYI... My Skywagon came with 210 seats in the back and they are not too low at all. Would have been way better than the bench in my C170.

It's good to hear from someone who actually had them installed, and they worked ok. I agree 100% the 210 seats are better than the bench, being much lighter and quick-removable/replaceable without a logbook entry.

Did your 180 have a field approval for the 210 seats that you can share with the club? There may be others who want to do that mod with 210 seats. If so, was it based on the Kenmore STC? Did you happen to document the track positions with pictures or did a layout drawing come with the plane? I know the track spacing is different than the 206 middle seats.