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Skalywag wrote:Got around 4000 hours sittin on an Oregon Aero portable seat cushion, still using the same one and it's not blown out. They are amazing, makes an 8-10 hour day like nothin, without it I'm gettin stiff after 2-3 hours.

Deciding how to redo seats on the wagon right now. Got a quote from Oregon Aero, talk about sticker shock! As much as I love their product, just can't stomach $3000 for just the front seats. They won't sell just the foam and fabric either, which is disappointing.

Been considering using High Tech Foams, and covering with a local outfit. Anyone have experience with them? http://www.seatfoam.com/index.html

For perspective, a number of years ago, I approached a well known supplier of seat covers, headliners, etc. at OSH about new seat covers for my 170. Turned out they had a set of front seat covers for a 170 a guy had baled on after paying a down. They listed for $1100, but I paid $800. Now, this was just seat COVERS, as in upholstery, mind you, but excellent quality real leather, and very well made.

So, I bought them, and bought confor foam to rebuild the cushions, which were hosed.

Put all this together, and I had well north of $1500 in it, with mostly my own work.

$3000 for a pair of seats refurbished by OA would be a done deal for me.

MTV

Barnstormer wrote:Yeah it's pile on Greg time! MTV is like the opposite size of me. The SQ2 has Oregon Aero seats and I've done two iron butt flights in it, AK to TX and TX to AK, plus another 600 hours of just flying. And even with the thin cushion I've never had any part of my anatomy get sore.

But I get it that you don't like fast food, so I say just keep the seats you have and get the cushiest seat covers you can find. Perhaps something along these lines.

Dayum!! You got a phone number for the vendor on those puppies?

MTV

Bagarre wrote:........ and you could help them navigate the burn certs and such.....

Not sure burn certs etc are required for a Part 91-use airplane.

hotrod180 wrote:

Bagarre wrote:........ and you could help them navigate the burn certs and such.....

Not sure burn certs etc are required for a Part 91-use airplane.

Now there is a debatable topic

https://www.avweb.com/news/maint/182839-1.html

TLDR who the hell really knows. While doing my CAR 3 interior, I made sure materials were flame resistant with a bic lighter and called it even.

But if I was charging money to do someone else's seats as a business, I'd get material with paperwork just to CYA.

Oregon Aero seats and cushions all come with burn certs. I honestly don't know if they are technically required in our applications, but I've heard enough conflicting information from the FAA that I'd certainly want that data if I were paying an upholsterer for recovers.

MTV

For me and many other people I know, Oregon Aero seats are VERY uncomfortable. The back seat of a Husky is unbearable for me, the serious bucket shape with the excessive thigh support cuts the circulation off in my legs, the front seat isn't much better. I had to raise the rear of the seat cushion and add more pad in the front seat of the Husky to make it bearable, not comfortable like it should be, the best I could do was make it bearable.

If a lot of thigh support is what a person desires then they are comfy, if not they are horrible. I wish you could get an Oregon Aero cushion without the thigh support, just flat bottom, that would be wonderful! Having discussed this with the owners at a fly in years ago, they were really put out that I would dare suggest that their seats would be uncomfortable to some, it was as if I insulted them, quite the contrary, I was trying to give them input that would make their product more appealing to some which they were not interested in receiving, after all, they are the all knowing experts, just ask them, they will tell you, I was just a little annoying pest insulting their seat cushions, I'm not exaggerating. I was very polite, I couldn't believe the experience, I was stunned.

That being said, I was able to convince a nice person in the shop to alter a Stearman seat cushion I ordered, the "bosses" above her were adamant "no way" on the mods but she did it for me, wow, that was an incredibly comfortable seat cushion! All she did was not put so much thigh support in it, yep, thats all, so easy.

It really is sad that they are so inflexible to making a cushion with less thigh support for those who desire one, but I guess what is really surprising is their arrogance about it. I wish Aviat would find a different vendor for their seat cushions or at least an alternate option. I realize I can have a custom set made for my Husky and some day I probably will do that but there are more pressing things on the list for now. If I could find a replacement cushion I would buy one for the front seat and back. Oregon Aero needs some competition! Anyone know of a source for replacement cushions for a Husky?

Kurt

G44 wrote:For me and many other people I know, Oregon Aero seats are VERY uncomfortable. The back seat of a Husky is unbearable for me, the serious bucket shape with the excessive thigh support cuts the circulation off in my legs, the front seat isn't much better. I had to raise the rear of the seat cushion and add more pad in the front seat of the Husky to make it bearable, not comfortable like it should be, the best I could do was make it bearable.

If a lot of thigh support is what a person desires then they are comfy, if not they are horrible. I wish you could get an Oregon Aero cushion without the thigh support, just flat bottom, that would be wonderful! Having discussed this with the owners at a fly in years ago, they were really put out that I would dare suggest that their seats would be uncomfortable to some, it was as if I insulted them, quite the contrary, I was trying to give them input that would make their product more appealing to some which they were not interested in receiving, after all, they are the all knowing experts, just ask them, they will tell you, I was just a little annoying pest insulting their seat cushions, I'm not exaggerating. I was very polite, I couldn't believe the experience, I was stunned.

That being said, I was able to convince a nice person in the shop to alter a Stearman seat cushion I ordered, the "bosses" above her were adamant "no way" on the mods but she did it for me, wow, that was an incredibly comfortable seat cushion! All she did was not put so much thigh support in it, yep, thats all, so easy.

It really is sad that they are so inflexible to making a cushion with less thigh support for those who desire one, but I guess what is really surprising is their arrogance about it. I wish Aviat would find a different vendor for their seat cushions or at least an alternate option. I realize I can have a custom set made for my Husky and some day I probably will do that but there are more pressing things on the list for now. If I could find a replacement cushion I would buy one for the front seat and back. Oregon Aero needs some competition! Anyone know of a source for replacement cushions for a Husky?

Kurt

Kurt, you may want to give airtex a call and see if they can do it. We have used them for a few citabrias and scouts, and I've found them comfortable. And not nearly as expensive.
To bad about the airtex bosses. That's a shame.
David

Greg,

Sorry, my post above hijacked your thread. Looks like both you and I are not impressed with Oregon Aero. Good luck to you in your search.

Kurt

G44 wrote:Greg,

Sorry, my post above hijacked your thread. Looks like both you and I are not impressed with Oregon Aero. Good luck to you in your search.

Kurt

Kurt,

Your comments are interesting. There’s no question that not every body is identical.

Which brings me to my PA-11 which has a PA-18 seat. I called Oregon Aero about a seat cushion set, and they started telling me what I needed. I explained that I have back injury, and I know what works for me. And they built a cushion set specific to my request. And it’s very comfortable. Enroute back from OSH last year, I did a 9.1 hour flight day, and wasn’t limping when it was done.

I don’t know the owners of OA, but I’ve had very good service from them.

As to Husky back seats, all my observers who were subjected to many hours in one of those loved them, compared to cub back seats.

Oregon Aero designed the first Husky seat set for me, by the way.

MTV

G44 wrote:Greg,

Sorry, my post above hijacked your thread..

Thanks Kurt. I know what I am looking for and was hoping for some suggestions that I had not seen before. Not sure why I even asked. LOL

Bigrenna wrote:

G44 wrote:Greg,

Sorry, my post above hijacked your thread..

Thanks Kurt. I know what I am looking for and was hoping for some suggestions that I had not seen before. Not sure why I even asked. LOL

Greg,

Come on, you know you asked cause you were looking for those hot pink fuzzy covers..... .

But I hope you didn’t expect a great deal of respect.

Honestly, the biggest issue I’ve seen with upholstery shops is lead time. There’s a lady here who does very nice work, but she’s booked months out.

Good luck finding “the one”.

MTV

mtv wrote:

G44 wrote:Greg,

Sorry, my post above hijacked your thread. Looks like both you and I are not impressed with Oregon Aero. Good luck to you in your search.

Kurt

Kurt,

Your comments are interesting. There’s no question that not every body is identical.

Which brings me to my PA-11 which has a PA-18 seat. I called Oregon Aero about a seat cushion set, and they started telling me what I needed. I explained that I have back injury, and I know what works for me. And they built a cushion set specific to my request. And it’s very comfortable. Enroute back from OSH last year, I did a 9.1 hour flight day, and wasn’t limping when it was done.

I don’t know the owners of OA, but I’ve had very good service from them.

As to Husky back seats, all my observers who were subjected to many hours in one of those loved them, compared to cub back seats.

Oregon Aero designed the first Husky seat set for me, by the way.

MTV

Mike, I am glad to hear they built you a seat suited for your needs. In the past and in my experience they were very firmly against doing this. I think a cushion as I described in my earlier post would be incredibly comfortable for me, too bad they would build one. They left such a bad impression I am hesitant to open this can of worms up again.

Kurt

G44 wrote:........ They left such a bad impression I am hesitant to open this can of worms up again.

There's an expression "you never get a second chance to make a first impression".
The same might be said (substituting rarely for never) about making a poor impression.
I guess when you're the acknowledged "best" in your field,
it's probably pretty easy to forget about how important good customer service is.

Edit: I also think it's pretty easy to forget about how big a role word-of-mouth plays in business.
One unhappy customer telling his tale of woe can negate a lot of positive reports.

That is indeed unfortunate, Kurt.

MTV

I used Ron Matta of Aviation Creations in Scottsdale. http://www.aviationscreations.com/aboutus.htm [email protected]. I read a lot of good things about his work on the Skywagons forum. My seats were pretty straightforward, but I think he can do just about anything. On the frames with springs, he can remove the springs and do a nylon blatt (I think it's like shrinking Ceconite) so the seat is drum tight and won't sag over time, and it saves some weight.

(You have to scroll the picture to see the seats. I couldn't size it small enough to see any detail and not have to scroll.)

Thanks PilotMikeTX for that link. I'm pretty sure I checked out their website when I was doing my previous 185 but I don't recall seeing actual seat replacements. One of the mods on the new one is to replace the articulating seat with a non-articulating one. I'll give em a call when the time comes.

Umm, isn't that who he was using??

Flying Dave wrote:Umm, isn't that who he was using??

yes

I've had one direct and one indirect dealing with Aviation Creations.
Based on those two dealings, I wouldn't deal with him again.

Greg,
I thought you where really pleased with this guy.....Without going into detail can you tell what was the problem, like product was not returned as desired, not quick enough turn around, prices went up ect. Reason I ask is I really liked your seats you had done by him. If needed you can pm me.