While we do CRS repair for a variety seat bases, we are always amazed at the Cessna owner stories that accompany their worn and broken crew seats they send us for repair. Recently, a 206 owner had a seat pawl partially fail on take-off that reclined the seat back to dangerous recline angle during take-off. Fortunately it was isolated to only one side which allowed the pilot to maintain control until he landed. Another pilot, a 180 owner, had the seat track adjustment pin mechanism completely fail which sent the seat to rear most seat track position.
The graphic below shows the three most common fails for the 150-210 series. Please chime in with your story of a similar instance as a way to remind everyone that the popular moniker of "Cessna Rocking Chair" is in not the normal nor safe condition.

The C180 didn’t have the inertia reel strap or trigger lock to prevent a failure from causing the seat to go back?

"The C180 didn’t have the inertia reel strap or trigger lock to prevent a failure from causing the seat to go back?"

James, Good observation! Those are both excellent, time-tested secondary seat stops to prevent seat slippage.
These devices were part of a series of Cessna Service Bulletins beginning with SEB-89-2 but not the original AD, AD-87-20-03 which requires checking dimensions and inspecting the seat latching mechanism for wear, pin engagement and cracks every annual or 100 hours.

pic below of an Aerostop device installed on our Cessna seat track testing jig

I had my seat slide all the way to the rear in a C205 right as I was passing about 50 mph on TO. Couldn't reach pedals or throttle, but could just barely reach the yoke. I managed to rotate and fly while folded in half until I had enough altitude to release the yoke and reposition my seat. It was "interesting". Happened back in mid '70s.

Any experience with the flat secondary stop that looks almost like a rifle trigger?

Earlier, James mentioned an inertia reel restraint. Pic below is what one looks like. It is a strap that prevents the seat from transiting back on the seat rails without input to do so.

James, We are not familiar with the trigger style, do you have pic or manufacturer? Thanks!

Before my Dad would let me solo his 180 on Floats (I was 16) he made do
a full pattern with me clinging to the the panel with a death grip around the structure under the throttle and the seat slid all the way back...
I was strong enough /light enough then to hold my self in a squat position pushing on the rudder pedals and supporting myself with the right arm.

Could not do that today...

Any experience with the flat secondary stop that looks almost like a rifle trigger?

I think he's talking about this one, p/n 0513558-9. I think there was also a grommet to cover the edge of the carpet when this was installed.

CAP installed them in a lot of planes. We griped about it because it was change and it was new, but it wasn't really a big deal. Before sliding the seat back, you pull the "trigger" back to get the device out of the way. Pretty easy, as long as you remember that it's there.

I think he's talking about this one, p/n 0513558-9. I think there was also a grommet to cover the edge of the carpet when this was installed.

CAP installed them in a lot of planes. We griped about it because it was change and it was new, but it wasn't really a big deal. Before sliding the seat back, you pull the "trigger" back to get the device out of the way. Pretty easy, as long as you remember that it's there.

I just had a pilot-side seat rail on my 182 fail inspection for wear during the last annual. $600 for the rail, 5 hours labor to replace. I was not a happy camper with a two hours of labor estimate.

But worn holes in the seat rails are nothing to mess with or defer too long. I do have the Cessna inertia reel strap installed as a back up.

I've had several different seat stops over the years and by far I prefer the inertia reel. It just works. I always thought all the others added some risk. In the event of an accident, they added a step to extraction.

I fixed my seat back cams myself.

Dave

Dave,
Share with us the aluminum alloy and thickness you used for your owner produced part.

Paul