Nothing is more basic to aircraft and automotive safety than seatbelts. But it took the FAA awhile to figure that out. It wasnt until 1978 that the FAA required all pilot and co-pilot seats to have lap belts and shoulder harnesses. After 1988, all cabin seats were required to have shoulder restraints.
ing is more basic to aircraft and automotive safety than seatbelts. But it took the FAA awhile to figure that out. It wasnt until 1978 that the FAA required all pilot and co-pilot seats to have lap belts and shoulder harnesses. After 1988, all cabin seats were required to have shoulder restraints.
Nonetheless, many older aircraft still don’t have shoulder belts, depriving their occupants of a significant degree of crash protection. The real shocker for many owners, h owever, is that the belts they do have even with shoulder harnesses are worn beyond serviceable limits and should be replaced. And when replacing a belt system, it makes sense to upgrade both the design and the materials.
In this article, we’ll examine aftermarket kits and supplies for doing just this. In a subsequent article, we’ll look at a new product: airbags for the cockpit, incorporated into the seatbelt design rather than the airframe itself.
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