Thanks guys. That was my guess too. I’ll check when I get up to the plane but I’m guessing that is the case.

It doesn’t look like Spruce has any color than black. Have you ever seen them with other colors?

I’ve been talking to Crystal at BAS. Sounds like they have an option, but it’s $450 each.

Grassstrippilot wrote:Thanks guys. That was my guess too. I’ll check when I get up to the plane but I’m guessing that is the case.

It doesn’t look like Spruce has any color than black. Have you ever seen them with other colors?

I’ve been talking to Crystal at BAS. Sounds like they have an option, but it’s $450 each.

They do have an option for selecting colors. The lap belts I posted are available in several colors. Looks like the harness is only available in Black and Tan though.... maybe they’re just out of other colors right now? Might be worth a call to see what the deal is?

I called them about the 3A harnesses. None in stock. They don't offer any other colors. And they have no idea who the manufacturer is or any contact information for them. Kind of frustrating.

Grassstrippilot wrote:I called them about the 3A harnesses. None in stock. They don't offer any other colors. And they have no idea who the manufacturer is or any contact information for them. Kind of frustrating.

Have you tried Am Safe Cory?

I’m looking in their site and not seeing much in the way in shoulder harnesses.

Grassstrippilot wrote:I called them about the 3A harnesses. None in stock. They don't offer any other colors. And they have no idea who the manufacturer is or any contact information for them. Kind of frustrating.

I think maybe WagAero also sells those 3A style harnesses.

Thanks. I called them but didn’t specifically talk to them about that model. I’ll check.

It looks like Wagareo carries the same Y harnesses that Aircraft Spruce carry. I’m not seeing any with the loops, just the metal fittings. The note they have is slightly different than on Aircraft Spruce. What do you make of it? It says, “FAA approved. Hardware mates to buckle of model Cat. No. H-701 Series and most American Safety models. Retain your own aircraft fittings.”

Retain your own fittings. I looked at their seatbelts and there is a space that seems big enough for the metal fittings. No where have I read, “Hey, make sure you buy this lap belt if you buy these shoulder harnesses.” Neither on Aircraft Spruce, Wag Aero, etc. Does this mean they will work with existing, standard buckles?

Looks like I need to call them back.

FWIW, for a seat belt to be legal, it has to have metal to metal contact. So to me that makes the fabric looped ones not legal. The other thing I dont like about them is that there's no way of keeping them in the middle. In a crash, what keeps them from spreading and your shoulders coming through. The metal clasped ones are held by the buckle. Maybe they'd hold better than I think, but I'm not seeing it...
I'll be looking for shoulder harnesses for my 206 soon enough, so it will he interesting to see what you find.

David

Good points...the loop ones aren’t available anyway. I’ll update when I learn more. I’m hoping that the ones from Aircraft Spruce or Wag Aero will fit to my current buckles. That should make this a fairly simple mod. But when are things that simple?!?!

A1Skinner wrote: FWIW, for a seat belt to be legal, it has to have metal to metal contact. So to me that makes the fabric looped ones not legal.....

Lap belts are metal-to-metal.
Shoulder harnesses are optional, so I think the loops are OK-- as in "better than nothing".
Only reason to buy the loop style is to avoid having to buy new lap belts with buckles that will accommodate shoulder harness fittings.
Buying new lap belts anyway? Just buy the whole shebang. From Spruce, Hooker, or whoever.

hotrod180 wrote:

A1Skinner wrote: FWIW, for a seat belt to be legal, it has to have metal to metal contact. So to me that makes the fabric looped ones not legal.....

Lap belts are metal-to-metal.
Shoulder harnesses are optional, so I think the loops are OK-- as in "better than nothing".
Only reason to buy the loop style is to avoid having to buy new lap belts with buckles that will accommodate shoulder harness fittings.
Buying new lap belts anyway? Just buy the whole shebang. From Spruce, Hooker, or whoever.

Ok. I thought they all had to be. Thanks or clarifying.

So, any ideas where I can find two more hooks and four of those attachments that connect the belt to the hook?

I put the AD jump seats in my plane several years ago. Love 'em. And I've thought about shoulder harnesses, but haven't seen a quick release system that I liked.

This hook system looks really quick and east for harness instal/removal, but I wonder if it's capable of withstanding the 9 g design limit of the seat belt staps. Since there's no closed loop in the metal hook it looks like it would straighten (and release the torso restrainf) prior to the design load of the restraint system. Does anyone know what the design spec for this potential weak link (the open 'J' hook) might be?

I don’t. But I’m no longer looking for the hooks. Aircraft Spruce has a triangle piece that has the bolt hole in it and the slot for the shoulder harness. My current game plan is to see if the metal tongues will work on my current lap belts and to use one of the triangle pieces in place of the hook. Although that wouldn’t be a quick disconnect like you’re looking for.

As a side note, Bryan up at Wing and a Prayer south of Boise had a MAF 206 that had shoulder harnesses with the cargo style attach points. They had it rigged so they could easily take the seatbelts off and use the same anchor point for a cargo net. He has all the paperwork for it and says it would be fairly easy to replicate. That’s the way I was looking until I found out that the nut plates are back there.

Grassstrippilot wrote: I don’t. But I’m no longer looking for the hooks. Aircraft Spruce has a triangle piece that has the bolt hole in it and the slot for the shoulder harness. My current game plan is to see if the metal tongues will work on my current lap belts and to use one of the triangle pieces in place of the hook. Although that wouldn’t be a quick disconnect like you’re looking for......

Although not "quick disconnects", it sure doesn't take long to remove two 1/4" bolts & pull the back-seat harnesses.

hotrod180 wrote:

Grassstrippilot wrote: I don’t. But I’m no longer looking for the hooks. Aircraft Spruce has a triangle piece that has the bolt hole in it and the slot for the shoulder harness. My current game plan is to see if the metal tongues will work on my current lap belts and to use one of the triangle pieces in place of the hook. Although that wouldn’t be a quick disconnect like you’re looking for......

Although not "quick disconnects", it sure doesn't take long to remove two 1/4" bolts & pull the back-seat harnesses.

Or you can undo the harness from the 3 bar slide that keeps it together and slip it out of the triangular bracket. No tools needed.

True. Well, I got up to the plane and checked...I’m going to need new lap belts with a longer tongue.

I’ll be meeting with my mechanic in a few weeks. Once he gives me the thumbs up, I’ll get them ordered.