I am trying to find an affordable seat pad (under $50) to give me 2-3" of boost so I can see over the nose a bit easier with the tundra tires. I tried one from Aircraft spruce but it is too thick and small for my seat. think it may be a child seat
basically what I got
http://www.pilotshop.com/premium-flight-seat-childs-red-booster-cushion-p-7955.html?utm_campaign=google-simple&utm_medium=product_search&utm_source=google-simple

anyone have any suggestions-or know someone that custom makes them?
I saw NORAL anyone use this one?
http://www.tagpilotsupply.com/noralseatcushionswithoutback.aspx
I also tried patio furniture cushions but they are too soft
Thanks for any ideas!

Hey Nate,

Years ago I needed a cushion for the work plane I was flying because the seats were so bad and it was screwing up my back. My father-in-law is a rural letter carrier and had this gel seat cushion that he used in his truck because of all the time he spent driving it. I got one and it was great! It is made out of this gel that is formed in a grid (like a Belgian waffle). If I remember right, you can get them in varying thickness...or worse case, you could just put two layers of the gel in one case. Mine is 1-1.5" thick. I'm on the road right now, but when I get home, I'll send you a picture. If I remember right, these cushions are used a lot by people in wheelchairs, etc. I paid around $40 bucks for it.

When I got mine, I actually went down to where they are made, which is here in northern UT at the Skypark Airport. I went in, told them what I needed, went to the shop and watched the guy cut the gel pad for the size I wanted. He slide it in a case, took my check, and I was on my way. It is a very comfy pad and I still use it on chairs at home. I don't know if they have a website or anything like that. I'm out of the country right now, but as soon as I talk to my wife via Skype, I'll see what the brand name is and forward it along.

I am sorry it is four times your budget. Oregon Aero is the best. I bought one eight years ago with a one inch lift cus of a bad back. Still use it. Lumbar support is real good.

http://www.oregonaero.com/products/best-value-combo

Tim

A surprising source for a good pad turned out to be Walmart for me. I think it was designed for a wheel chair. It has a zippered blue cloth cover. Fits the plane perfectly and is temper foam, though not Oregon Aero. Don't tell them it is for an airplane and they will order it online for about $25 bucks.
Check it out....

I forgot to mention... on the temperfoam pad, if you remove the cover and have at it with an electric carving knife from the kitchen..... you can shape the foam to any contour you want.
If it puts you a little too high.... trim an inch off. The extra fabric can be folded over and hot glued in place. Or, if you are handy with a sewing machine... just take it in a bit.
I ordered the Spruce temper foam blocks and made a complete set this spring. Sewed the covers out of some upholstery fabric. Did the fireproofing with a spray on substance from an online source.
The Walmart cushion is for my wife... puts her at the right height to screw up her landings....
If she sees this, I'm toast. Signing off now.

flightlogic wrote:I forgot to mention... on the temperfoam pad, if you remove the cover and have at it with an electric carving knife from the kitchen..... you can shape the foam to any contour you want.
If it puts you a little too high.... trim an inch off. The extra fabric can be folded over and hot glued in place. Or, if you are handy with a sewing machine... just take it in a bit.
I ordered the Spruce temper foam blocks and made a complete set this spring. Sewed the covers out of some upholstery fabric. Did the fireproofing with a spray on substance from an online source.
The Walmart cushion is for my wife... puts her at the right height to screw up her landings....
If she sees this, I'm toast. Signing off now.

Thanks! I'll go have a look at it! too funny! hope she doesn't read this

To be honest, if I were looking for a cushon today, Walmart would be where I would look first. The reason I went with Oregon Aero was that I stopped at Scapoose, Or for fuel in summer of 2001. My back was killing me in the crappy Cessna seat in the 59 182. Pain shooting down my leg. Oregon Aero was on the field so I went in to see what they had.

I heard that they reapolster stock stock seats with this good foam stuff. They wanted 1000 bucks to do one of my seats and after they noticed the shock on my face they handed me a 1" and 2" cushon with lumbar suport for my seat and said take it to the plane and try it out. I liked the 1" best and paid the 100 bucks (back then) and said that on my return trip south if I thought 100 bucks was too high they said they would give me my money back.

After that my back has never hurt, no pains down my leg and I sit just an inch higher. If I got the 2" lift I would have to get an EZ Flap

Today 200 bucks is a bit high but to be able to fly without pain, What is that worth.

Tim

Today 200 bucks is a bit high but to be able to fly without pain

Amen !!!!

As a back surgery survivor, I can tell you whatever is needed to sit in an airplane seat for three hours is worth more than a mere $200.

For those of us who are vertically challenged, a boost to be able to see over the cowling may not be a requirement but makes life way better.

TD

Grassstrippilot wrote:Hey Nate,

Years ago I needed a cushion for the work plane I was flying because the seats were so bad and it was screwing up my back. My father-in-law is a rural letter carrier and had this gel seat cushion that he used in his truck because of all the time he spent driving it. I got one and it was great! It is made out of this gel that is formed in a grid (like a Belgian waffle). If I remember right, you can get them in varying thickness...or worse case, you could just put two layers of the gel in one case. Mine is 1-1.5" thick. I'm on the road right now, but when I get home, I'll send you a picture. If I remember right, these cushions are used a lot by people in wheelchairs, etc. I paid around $40 bucks for it.

When I got mine, I actually went down to where they are made, which is here in northern UT at the Skypark Airport. I went in, told them what I needed, went to the shop and watched the guy cut the gel pad for the size I wanted. He slide it in a case, took my check, and I was on my way. It is a very comfy pad and I still use it on chairs at home. I don't know if they have a website or anything like that. I'm out of the country right now, but as soon as I talk to my wife via Skype, I'll see what the brand name is and forward it along.

Thanks Cory- This may be a good solution too! Have a safe trip

I have purchased a couple of the 3-layer pads from Jim and they work great. I will state that in cold weather it takes a while for them to form to your arse....they are literally rock hard until your butt warms up the faom.
http://www.seatfoam.com/

FLYNAKD wrote:

Grassstrippilot wrote:Hey Nate,

Years ago I needed a cushion for the work plane I was flying because the seats were so bad and it was screwing up my back. My father-in-law is a rural letter carrier and had this gel seat cushion that he used in his truck because of all the time he spent driving it. I got one and it was great! It is made out of this gel that is formed in a grid (like a Belgian waffle). If I remember right, you can get them in varying thickness...or worse case, you could just put two layers of the gel in one case. Mine is 1-1.5" thick. I'm on the road right now, but when I get home, I'll send you a picture. If I remember right, these cushions are used a lot by people in wheelchairs, etc. I paid around $40 bucks for it.

When I got mine, I actually went down to where they are made, which is here in northern UT at the Skypark Airport. I went in, told them what I needed, went to the shop and watched the guy cut the gel pad for the size I wanted. He slide it in a case, took my check, and I was on my way. It is a very comfy pad and I still use it on chairs at home. I don't know if they have a website or anything like that. I'm out of the country right now, but as soon as I talk to my wife via Skype, I'll see what the brand name is and forward it along.

Thanks Cory- This may be a good solution too! Have a safe trip

Sorry I haven't gotten you the picture yet. I had a very short time at home and it just didn't get done. I'll be home tomorrow night and will try to get some research done as to where I got it from. Dee says that there isn't a tag on the cushion. I'll do some digging.

Why not get a seat cushion made specifically for aviation? It is the AirHawk aviation air seat cushion. It comes from the same folks that make cushions for wheel chairs, hospital beds, etc. It costs more that $50 but it may solve your problem.
Pilots flying the Apache helicopter and B757 (which seem to have hard seats) buy this product regularly. See it here:

http://www.rlmotorcycles.com/cgi-bin/eS ... L-Aviation

Where did you guys find the wheelchair cusion in Wal-Mart? I did a cursory look at the local Wal-Mart and sure couldn't find it. I have tried the ones in the automotive section and they are not what I needed.

I've used this outfit several time, the right price and the right foam. http://www.seatfoam.com/

Mom and Pop business with great service. $70.00 bucks with a removable slip cover, just the right size for my S7-S. Then, the thickest most expensive real sheepskin I could find (New Zealand) over that and I am good to go, like 6 hours at a time with no discomfort, well except for having to take a leak, and that's a whole other topic, Bushwheels help there!

I had to go online at Wally World. Do a search for wheel chair cushion. Order online and it arrives at the store shortly....

What I have done in the past is gone to the dumpsters. You can always find foam rubber there. Trim it to fit. Its what I did to get me a little taller in the seat...


Ken

Y'all are free to laugh, but I went to West Marine and got two PFD cushions on sale. My loving husband got an Oregon aero cushion for me, but I needed something more to shove behind my back. I'm not as broad in the beam as him, so I actually prefer the PFD cushions, while he strongly prefers the Oregon Aero.

When camping under wing, the PFD cushions make nice pillows, too, and they do double duty in the bass boat and the john boat when fishing.

Dot,
I for one will not laugh! I actually did the same thing before getting a couple of the 3-layer pieces from Jim Fix. Only issue I have with the memory foam stuff is that is hard as heck on cold mornings. Takes a while for my butt to warm it up enough to conform to the butt cheeks.
Keith

I know a few pilots that use therma rests on top of firm seat cushions for comfort. Easy to get the right firmness by adding/releasing air and you can adjust the height by how many times you fold it. I have a therma rest I carry in the plane that I use as a cushion occasionally. I like it as a seat cushion, but I sweat more if I use it for back support.

man you all have given me so many options...time to go sit down and figure out which way to go...thanks alot!