Seats

[Ralph Bryant]

Sure seating boils down to what works best for your own butt.....so to speak. I looked at several different options and settled with this Jaz Industries poly bucket high back. Even without added cover and padding, this thing is the most comfortable thing you can imagine.....all butts considered. Weighs in at 11 pounds where I was allowing for 14 for seating, so not too bad. They appear bulky, but most of that is hollow air space from the injection molding process. There are 7 embedded mounting nutts inside a steel plate in the base for mounting, and other attachments could easily be rigged. Openings in the seat will accompany 4 point harness systems and extra torso straps if desired. All in all, I really like this one.

Ralph

 

[scottessex]

That seems to be really heavy for a gyro bee, most fiberglass or plastic seat weigh in around 3-6 lbs.
use that extra 10 lbs for a prerotator or brakes.
It is easier to stick to the plans on a first build.

If you are going to use that seat you might as well make it a fuel tank, then again you are changing the plans. The brackets will be different, heavier etc.
Just my $0.02

 

[ultracruiser41]

If you're planning on going ultralight with the bee....that seat won't work.
In order to meet Ultralight specs....you need to stick very closely to the plans for the Gyrobee.

 

[Earthboundmisft]

Can't remember the manufacturer right now, but I'm running a racing go kart seat, fits like a glove, weighs nothing, love it.

 

[PanamaPaul]

speaking of seats, anyone got any suggestions on how to improve the comfort leave of the Magni m16 seats, they are really bad.

 

[Jazzenjohn]

I agree with everyone else, that seat is way too heavy if you're actually trying to make weight. If you want a something similar, use a seat tank like from Calumet air. The difference in weight between that and both a seat and separate fuel tank with mounts is very small. Even though the Calumet air tank is 7.5 gallons, you can make it 103 legal by putting in a vent at the 5 gallon level.

 

[Ralph Bryant]

This should work. Giver it a little class. (tic)

 

[scottessex]

Ha Ha , that is what Bensen used, you can't get much lighter!
Please continue to to post your ideas, people here have been there and done that, and if we can keep you from making the same mistakes that we did, it may help your build.

 

[Ralph Bryant]

Thanks Scott. Just this simple seat post has taught me alot. I have heard everything from "it won't work" to "it's too heavy" to "make it a fuel tank" to whatever else. Nobody bothered asking my weight, thought about how the forward added weight of the seat fuel tank would effect the GB design or performance, etc. I realize alot of you guys have been there and done that, and I sincerely appreciate the help and suggestions from those who have when they make logical sense.

Ralph

 

[Jazzenjohn]

There is no question whether you could build a gyro around that seat. It certainly can be done. You expressed an interest in making a legal ultralight. When you switch from a part that would normally weighs X pounds and substitute one that weighs X+10 pounds, you create a conflict between the statement that you want it to be legal, and that you want a particular part that makes it substantially more difficult to achieve. Making a gyro heavier is easy, making it lighter is far more difficult.

I didn't ask your weight because I knew it, and most builders would assume you are in the normal range of 160-200 and if you were much more or less you'd say. In this case it doesn't make much difference. It also doesn't make a tremendous difference if you switch to a seat tank either. I know this for a fact because I've switched between a seat tank and an aft of the mast mounted tank several times on several different gyros including a Bee. Other people have as well, so, I believe people have thought about the difference even though it wasn't explained in the posts.

 

[Ralph Bryant]

So you are saying that a 200 pound pilot with a two pound seat is better than a 180 pound pilot with an 11 pound seat, yet taking the tank weight away from aft and placing it forward, with the same added weight of the seat plus fuel makes no difference ?

 

[swilliams]

That not what I read. There giving you their opinions.

Sincerely scott

 

[MadMuz]

Ralph, that is a good argument, but I have had light weight friends build great machines to suit them (at 140#) but when they have wanted to sell the machine to buy another, or for whatever reason they need to sell.... and the only thing putting the prospective buyer (at 220#) off is the machine is built only for a light pilot.... so that is something to consider. That seat would work of course.... but the others are correct if you really want to honestly fit in with ultralight, the seat is too heavy and would be best containing the gas to offset its weight (dual purpose it) Maybe fill it with helium? :lol: :yo:

 

[Vance]

Take care of the ounces and the pounds take care of themselves.

To build a light aircraft is about detail.

Weight is the enemy of flight.

Having plans in nice so you can learn, I would advise you to follow the plans.

There is much to learn and much to do without inventing new challenges.

I write this as someone who has made many of these kinds of mistakes.

In my opinion people are trying to help you avoid the pain they have suffered Ralph.

It is probably a mistake to argue with them or debate them.

They are not forcing you to do anything.

Arguing takes the fun out of helping.

I used to help more.

 

[ultracruiser41]

Your weight has nothing to do with the fact that the gyrobee is designed as an ultralight.
Your weight will effect how it flies or even if it flies but the aircraft is limited to 254 pounds and 5 gallons of fuel.

Build it as designed......take instructions from a CFI.....learn to fly a gyroplane......then go on from there.

 

[Boots]

Ralph ,
The Gyrobee can barely make ultralight weight by the plans. The larger seat and hardware to mount it will weigh more than the seat + tank and mount in the documentation .
It is also possible that after modifying the larger seat to hold gas it may leak at the seams.