Seat Sliders

[manhattan]

Has anybody planned a cockpit layout only to discover that allowing for the centre console, and the width of the seats, there is no room to get in, to sit down? The gaps between the sides of the seats, and the console are too small to walk between!!
In a real aircraft, the seats can be slid back on runners to allow access. Anyone tried to do this - or do you leap over, or hang from the overhead to get in??

TONY. U.K.

[Trevor Hale]

Funny you mention that.

I personally don't have a problem stepping on my seat over the pedestal, but my dad is almost 60 and he has trouble.

I use car seats and they are still on their rails. The slide back about 8-10 inches and this helps. But still a bit of an issue. It would be easy enough to create your own sliders if you wanted.

Trev

[manhattan]

Funny you mention that.

I personally don't have a problem stepping on my seat over the pedestal, but my dad is almost 60 and he has trouble.

I use car seats and they are still on their rails. The slide back about 8-10 inches and this helps. But still a bit of an issue. It would be easy enough to create your own sliders if you wanted.

Trev

Thanks Trev. I am in the workshop now trying to design a slide-out system, but as my car seats are fitted to 8 inch high boxes, it's going to be "fun".


TONY

[Trevor Hale]

8" High boxes?

I got mine out of an Acura Integra, They were mint condition and I think I paid 50 bucks for the pair. If it would help you I could describe what I did with mine.

But by the sounds of it you may not have Rails to go with yours.

I added 11.5" 3/4" Plywood the same width of my seat on an angle forward and backward. these were anchored to the floor with L brackets and the rails were bolted with Large fender washers to these wooden pieces.

I wish you lots of luck, but keep it simple, you shouldn't need anything fancy, just something that will allow you to pin the seat when it is in the flying position and be able to unpin and slide out when your done.

Trev

[Westozy]

I designed my sim to be like an arcade racing sim with easy access from the outer sides. Eventually I will make cockpit sides that swing open on hinges like car doors. Ok if you have the room to make the doors.

Gwyn

[bindook]

At the moment my car seats are on the rails & i have alot of trouble getting in the sim. As i can't move my seats sideways, someone suggested putting small wheels on the base with the front 2 having brakes so u can move the seat all the way back to get in.



Michael

[NicD]

See our solution here (scroll down abut 1/2 way) http://www.insitesolutions.com.au/737project/construction_diary_06.htm

I also designed the cockpit to be about 30cm wider than the real thing to enable easy access. With the seats back and slid-over to the side this allows just about anyone to walk into the seating position quite easily.