I agree that your lap belts are to far back. This can be very important. Let me explan by recounting an experiance I had. I'm flying a glider, an Open Cirus, turning my last turn point at 50kt with enough hight for a fast final glide to the gliding strip. I'm about to push the spead up so I tighten my belts. I push the speedup to cruising along at 90kts 5000ft in turbulant condition. I only have about 2in cleance on the canopy. It's quite rough so I pull hard on the harness ends and get the harness even tighter. Five minutes pass then I hit this "pot hole" that jams my head into the canopy and busts the canopy open, I'm daised by I manage to grab the canopy so I don't loose it (AU$2000 to to replace), gently pull the speed back to best glide, and try to clear my head. I do a gentle check of the controls and make a radio call to glide base stating my situation and ask a tug (tow aircaraft) to do a fly by. I'm wearing a chute so at this height I can getout, BUT Everything looks OK, I'm at 3000ft so I lower the undercariage and gently pull the airbrakes. Still all OK so I do a one handed landing (still holding the canopy). I'm told it was one of my better landings and all is OK. I'm left with a sore neck for several days. The lap hardness mount points were to far back and all they did was hold me back not down. I'm lucky I wasn't knocked out. The aircaft has since been fitted with a 5 point harness (one strap beween the legs).
I'd ensure that the lap belts hold you down! Regards and safe flying Barry Kruyssen Cairns, Australia k...@bigpond.com AUF Registered 19-3873 http://users.tpg.com.au/barryk/kr2.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Colin" <crain...@cfl.rr.com> To: <kr...@mylist.net> Sent: Friday, November 21, 2003 9:51 AM Subject: KR>Lap belts Netters, I appreciate the responses thus far about my belts. I made the decision not to mount the belts to the rear spar due to the reverse angle created by the seats and such, as well as the weakening of the spars with more bolts drilled and mounted. Although the previous builder had mounted the lap belts (no shoulder belts were in yet), they had ridiculously small brackets and AN3 bolts which I knew would be inadequate. Brackets around the spar already cause sharp angles and opportunities for the belts to get frayed and twisted, reducing their strength and life. I do not desire a major structural failure by mounting the belts into the spar with large appropriate bolts for strength, but reduce the integrity of that spar. My real questions are related to improving/strengthening the existing mounts without the addition of too much weight, to allow the belts to withstand a "normal" survivable crash. I do not wish to make them, nor do I think I can make them withstand a major airframe destruction crash, due to too many other variables. Like the KR2 that crashed right after takeoff and the pilot walked away, but not before exiting the aircraft through the BOTTOM of the aircraft, I think it is nearly impossible to protect against every eventuality. Kind of like adding seat belts to a motorcycle: it is a good thing in alot of the cases of a crash, but not all of them. These belts are rated for the automotive industry, so they are designed for what Scott Cable mentioned in his reply. I desire to have them basically cause airframe damage to the area they are mounted, because if I am receiving that much impact, so is the plane, and I don't expect much of it to survive anyhow. Not being a fatalist, just realistic about a major uncontrolled collision. Colin & Bev Rainey KR2(td) crain...@cfl.rr.com http://kr-builder.org/Colin/index.html Sanford, Florida KR Gathering 2004-see ya in Mt Vernon_______________________________________________ see KRnet list details at http://www.krnet.org/instructions.html
