Tony, I have the feeling that 5 point harnesses are of very limited value
except in seating arrangements like those in modern gliders where you lie
almost horizontally and there is consequently a major tendency to slide
forward under the harness on impact. With the europa seat the lap element
has a good purchase on you pelvic bones and because of the angulation of the
body should have no difficulty restraining forward movement. I fly a
Bellanca Scout (as a tug plane) with a 5 point harness on a seat with
similar upright body & angled at the pelvis. The crutch strap goes almost
horizontally forward to get over the front end of the seat and is therefore
acting at almost right angles to the shoulder straps. Any tightening of it
tends to loosen the lap strap, which is all a bit of a pain! In any case in
an impact your crutch would have to tavel quite a way forward before it got
restrained, (ouch!). I find the Europa supplied harness very comfortable,
and convincingly secure in use, quite sufficient to do aerobatics with in
fact, (if of course we were allowed to!) I suspect that you will gain
nothing but a bit of weight by replacing it with a 5 pointer. Regards, David
Joyce
----- Original Message -----
From: Tony Renshaw <tonyrenshaw@ozemail.com.au>
Subject: Europa-List: 5 Point Harnesses
<tonyrenshaw@ozemail.com.au>
>
> Gidday,
> I am working on my cockpit module and am wondering about a 5 point
harness.
> I know some may think this overkill, but I fly an a/c now that only has a
4
> point, and there is a natural tendency as your shoulder harness tightens
> under load for your lapstrap to ride up above your hips. To achieve a safe
> outcome your lapstrap would have to be uncomfortably tight always. So, the
> problem arises in an impact where your abdomen is exposed to forces
> supposed to be contained by your lapstrap, but they aren't. So, I want to
> know if anyone has fitted a crutch strap and if so where it was mounted,
> either on the vertical face of the thigh support, or was it accomodated in
> the first 4-6" of the front portion of the thigh support on the seat long
> axis, or where? Any quick advice would be kindly appreciated.
> Reg
> Tony Renshaw
> Sydney Australia
>
>
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