The bucks needed to buckle up.
The value of seat belts and shoulder harnesses in automobiles is obvious. I've had seat belts in all the cars I've owned since 1955. I was convinced way back then that proper restraint was a precursor to saving my skin — and that of anybody with me — in the event of an accident. I welcomed shoulder belts when they became mandatory in automobiles all those years ago, too.
In my flying, though, I reconciled myself to cinching up the lap belt of my middle-aged Mooney. But every time I flew my Civil Air Patrol squadron's Cessna 172, which was equipped with both lap and shoulder belts, I felt, well, more secure.
Besides the potential safety benefits of having both lap and shoulder belts, I also found it helpful to be able to tighten up my shoulder belt for better restraint in anything choppier than light turbulence. This allowed me to do a better job of flying, reading my chart, or writing on my lapboard.
Finally, I decided to install a set of lap/shoulder belts in my Mooney.
First I called a Mooney shop to find out what it might cost to equip my airplane with shoulder harnesses. The price, including all hardware and inertia reels for the front seats, was close to $400 for both, with installation extra. In my particular model, I was told, there was no way to provide shoulder belts for rear-seat passengers.
However, the parts man advised me that Mooney would soon offer a different lap/shoulder belt setup at a revised cost. This it did, only the company deleted the inertia reels and raised the price to $425.17 for the pair.
To get a feel for the market, I called a Beech dealer and learned that the Mooney price could be considered a bargain. Depending on the Bonanza or Debonair model, the cost of the materials for the two front seats ranged from $1,810 to $1,979. Then there's an estimated 24 hours of installation involved. Part of this time is needed to beef up the upper cabin structure to allow support of the reels. At $40 an hour, that's an additional $960.
Expensive, yes. But for roughly the price of a new nav/com or GPS receiver, the shoulder/lap belt installation is certainly the better buy if it ever has to be used in the event of any serious mishap.
I checked out Cessna next, and found that the company was promoting the installation of shoulder belt assemblies by pricing them below cost. Incidentally, Cessna has been providing front-seat shoulder belts as standard equipment since 1971.
Complete packages, sans inertia reels, range from $133 to $174 per pair of seats. Generally the more expensive units are required on the older airplanes. Installation time is supposed to run .5 to 1.5 hours for each seat.
At this point, I decided it was time to check with some aftermarket suppliers to see what was available for airplane owners who want to blend top quality with a tight budget. I settled on one firm's product after making a number of calls and receiving information by mail. I sent the details to the mechanic who works on my airplane and gave him the go-ahead.
However, a problem quickly arose. He called back to say that not only would he have to do all the measuring and locating of attachment points, but that a representative of the Federal Aviation Administration would have to bless the installation. This was going to be a more expensive proposition than I had thought. Couldn't I locate a supplier who could provide approved materials?
After another call, I placed an order with Lake Aero Styling, a Mooney specialist. A lap belt/shoulder belt package ready to install, including approved hardware, was $100 for each seat.
The price rose to $250 a seat with inertia reels and black belts. Other colors increased the price $15 more. I figured that although the inertia reels would be nice, I could easily get along without them.
Average installation time was said to be 3.5 hours for each seat, or seven hours total for the two front seats. Incidentally, another specialty company offered its package for $125 a seat, with an estimated one-hour-per-seat installation time.
As it turned out, the mechanic required 6.3 hours at $32 an hour to install the pair of lap/shoulder belts. So including shipping and tax, I have approximately $425 invested.
After flying with them for six months, I can only say I only wish I had installed the shoulder belts years ago. The potential protection they offer is comforting to me and those who ride in the right seat.
Many of the general aviation airplanes flying today were built before the 1978 requirement for front-seat shoulder belts in new aircraft, and most were built before the 1986 requirement for shoulder belts for the rear seats, too.
The other day, I flew as safety pilot for a friend as he shot approaches under the hood. His airplane, almost as "mature" as mine, was immaculate inside and out, but didn't have shoulder belts. He did a great job of flying, too. But I just can't seem to completely relax any more in an aircraft without shoulder belts.
Why do many of us who own older airplanes still fly around without proper restraint? I can't answer that, but I'm convinced that every aircraft owner should be sure to have both lap belts and shoulder harnesses, and at all seats. Installing them can be both expensive and frustrating, but it will be well worth the trouble should you have an accident.
I hope my shoulder belts will never be needed. But if they are, I like the assurance of knowing that they will do their job.
Information
Here's a listing of aftermarket suppliers of lap/shoulder belts. No prices are given, because costs can vary so much between different models and years of aircraft. Be sure to ask whether your mechanic can simply follow the instructions provided to install the belts or whether FAA field approval will be required.
- Air Carrier Interiors, Incorporated, 22645 76th Avenue South, Kent, Washington 98032-1992; 206/872-7205.
- Aircraft Belts, Incorporated, Post Office Box 845, Kemah, Texas 77565; 800/847-5651; fax 713/538-1284.
- BAS, Incorporated (Cessna), Post Office Box 190, Eatonville, Washington 98328; 206/832-6566; fax 206/832-6466.
- Chief Aircraft, Incorporated, Grants Pass Airport, 1301 Brookside Boulevard, Grants Pass, Oregon 97526; 800/447-3408; fax 503/479-4431.
- Hooker Custom Harness, 30 East Jefferson Street, Freeport, Illinois 61032; 815/233-5478; fax 815/233-5479.
- Kosola and Associates, Incorporated (Piper PA-24, PA-30, J-3, L-4, NE, and PA-11), Post Office Box 3529, Albany, Georgia 31706; 912/435-4119; fax 912/888-5766.
- Lake Aero Styling and Repair (Mooney), 4725 Highland Springs Road, Lakeport, California 95453; 707/263-0581.
- Safety, Limited, DuPage Airport, 31W651 North Avenue, West Chicago, Illinois 60185; 708/584-9366.
- WAG Aero, 1216 North Road, Lyons, Wisconsin 53148; 800/766-1216.
Chester Peterson, Jr. is a freelance writer with more than 29 years of flying experience.
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