Oregon Aero Seats

[Mog]

So after an 8hr trip in the M4, I am realizing how bad my old seats really are. I have researched most options from making my own foam cushions to buying Oregon Aero cushions from Maule to just dropping the cash on having Oregon rebuild my seats. I think I have decided to have Oregon rebuild them at this point, but I am curious if anyone has some long term input or reviews to share. I’m tall, 6’5â€￾ and a hefty 265lbs at the moment so I am thinking about asking for the thinnest cushion they will recommend but I don’t want to go overboard and end up with a really expensive seat that still hurts my back after long hauls.

So, what do you guys know about Oregon seats???

[gbarrier]

All the Oregon Aero stuff looks nice and cushy but haven't tried one. With the nice and cushy in mind question if it sits any lower. I think it's a loosing battle. We took the standard foam off a seat base and added a much thinner layer of NASA foam. Looks lower but because of the different in compression you sit the same height. Super skylight seems to be the only relief for headroom.

[st8cop166]

I can only speak for my experience with Oregon Aero. I'm built much closer to the ground than you are (I do have about 6" on a midget) and I needed a seat cushion so I could "see over the steering wheel". I bought the 1" cushion with the lumbar support and I can fly for several hours and still walk when I land. I find them to be very comfortable. I talked a SuperCub buddy of mine into one and he loves his as well.

Everybody is built different and has different back ailments as they age but I think it might be worth a shot. The cushions are pricey enough and the Oregon Aero seats are really pricey.

[TomD]

I had Oregon Asro rebuild my seats ....yikes!... about 12 years ago. Good support and some side thigh support. I too am vertically challenged and popped for a 1.5" booster seat. Amazingly there is a runway out there.

Quality work, but not cheap.

[Joe Crecente]

I purchased the 2" model and the problem is that the front brings your thighs up so that the yoke hits them sometimes on turns and you have to be careful and spread your legs to avoid this.

[andy]

The 31" ABW tundra tires on my MX-7-180 put the nose up so high that I need a 3" cushion. Since the Maule seat slopes down from front to back, the cushion puts my knees high enough to interfere with the yoke. What is needed is a cushion that is 3" in the back and slopes down to about 1" in the front. I haven't found anything like this yet.

[Chris in Milwaukee]

The 31" ABW tundra tires on my MX-7-180 put the nose up so high that I need a 3" cushion. Since the Maule seat slopes down from front to back, the cushion puts my knees high enough to interfere with the yoke. What is needed is a cushion that is 3" in the back and slopes down to about 1" in the front. I haven't found anything like this yet.

That’s a good idea. My knees and yoke often conflict with each other with a stock seat cushion.

[Mog]

Glad to hear I’m not the only person with these problems. That said, I really don’t have much issue anymore since OA rebuilt my cushions. Seats are super comfy now. Had a fairly small guy fly with me a couple months back and he didn’t have any issues. That said, I don’t think adjusting your cushion to see over the cowl while on the ground in 3point is the best idea. There are many planes that you can’t see forward in almost at all in 3point. Pitts would be one good example. Spirit of Saint Louis of course as well. I know, you want to see ahead while slamming down into those crazy back country strips, but that’s what 3point to wheelie landings are for. Have your seats made for comfort and safety in flight and just accept the view out the side window when in 3point.

To be fair though I’m 6’5â€￾ and can see over the cowl with 31’s.

[Joe Crecente]

I found a solution that works for me. It was on Amazon and is the Kölbs Cushions Premium Orthopedic Coccyx Foam Cushion, Black. Cost: $20.00. It is 3" in the back and slopes down to about one inch in the front. Works just right for me. There may be other sizes. Fits the Maule seat perfectly.

[Gary Raser]

I am as well not real tall, The other day I had this hair brain idea, if I moved the seat back a little I could hold the yoke all the way back with less effort. Needless to say I did not have a long enough leg to get full right rudder. Luckily there was a grass runway the left of where I was and the resulting ground loop caused no damage to the plane. When I was taxing it felt like I had the ability to get full right rudder but wile pushing the yoke forward to raise the tail I must have slid back in the seat. I am sure I will not forget this lesson.

[andy]

The cushion is for better visibility during takeoff before there's enough airspeed to force the nose down and while taxiing - not for landings where I have plenty of visibility until the tail comes down. My 180 hp engine isn't powerful enough to raise the tail with the brakes on during takeoff. I have to taxi out of my hangar onto a ramp where there are other aircraft parked in order to get to the runway. S-turns work fine once I'm away from the parked airplanes but there's not a lot of room to do them on the ramp so I'd rather have a cushion that gives me some visibility over the nose. I also like to be able to see what's ahead of me on short airstrips during takeoffs and landings when the tail is down. Rebuilding the seats would be a good option except for the expense and the fact that if I ever try to sell the airplane, a taller pilot might not like the way the seat is built up.

[andy]

Joe, thanks for the tip about the wedge shaped Kolbs cushion. I've seen these on Amazon but I wasn't sure if they were too soft and ineffective in raising you up high enough. I ordered one and will try it out.

[CaseyM]

I found a solution that works for me. It was on Amazon and is the Kölbs Cushions Premium Orthopedic Coccyx Foam Cushion, Black. Cost: $20.00. It is 3" in the back and slopes down to about one inch in the front. Works just right for me. There may be other sizes. Fits the Maule seat perfectly.

Thanks for the PIREP Joe. I ordered one directly after reading your post. I have been in need of another cushion so hopefully that'll do the trick. I like the slope.

[Andy Young]

I approached the problem from a different angle (sorry; bad pun). I use an angled cushion on the backrest, with thicker part at the top, and thinner part at the bottom. This reduces the Maule’s semi-reclined seating position significant, and makes a surprisingly large difference in view over the cowl. Also, since it’s not under my butt, it’s easy to remove or re-insert in flight should I desire (sometimes on a long cross-country I’ll slide the seat all the way back and remove the cushion for maximum space and comfort while a co-pilot flies).

For reference, I’m 1.75 meters (about 5’8â€￾) tall with an average torso length.

I went to a local “back healthâ€￾ store, where they had a variety of cushions to try out right there. They even let me buy a few to try, and return the ones I didn’t like.

[DeltaRomeo]

"My 180 hp engine isn't powerful enough to raise the tail with the brakes on during takeoff"

Mine has no problem doing this; how much "stuff" do you keep in the cargo C area?