CREW SEATS

CREW SEATS

Seats for the captain, first officer and flight engineer are power operated to provide vertical and horizontal adjustment. This adjustment is accomplished by the occupant using a single control handle. A separate control is used to adjust the seat back to the desired recline position. The first observer’s seat is manually adjusted and can be swivelled to face inboard. The second observer’s seat is not adjustable and does not swivel. Each seat is equipped with a retractable shoulder harness and adjustable seat belt. The second observer’s seat contains provisions for stowing a life vest below the seat bottom. All other seats in the flight compartment have life vest stowage provisions in the seat back.

Flight Crew Seats: Flight compartment is furnished with seats for captain, first observer, flight engineer (if any) and the observers. There are consoles of the captain, first officer and observers (first, second observers, 3^rd occupants as per design). Typical layout of flight compartment is shown in Figure 2.1, 2.2, 2.3

(i) Captain’s/first officer’s/Flight Engineer’s seats: These seats are cushioned, upholstered-type, mounted on pedestals, and adjustable in a vertical, fore- and aft and lateral (inboard-outboard) direction (Figure 2.4). The upholstery is flame resistant material, removable for repair or replacement. Each seat is power operated and incorporates all direction of motion within the seat. The seats are left and right units. Both seats have all controls on the inboard side.

Backrest: Each seat is equipped with an upholstered backrest, a bottom cushion, and armrests. The seatback cushion is an individual flotation unit and is removed by lifting it out of the seat. The backrest is adjustable and contains provisions for a headrest. A positive type lock-and-release control, located on the inboard side of each seat pan, releases the back for recline adjustment. In a typical design, the backrest in the normal position is 7 degrees aft of vertical, and the full recline position is 27 degrees from the upright position.

Thigh Support: Approximately the forward half of each seat bottom is capable of being tilted upward to provide thigh support for the occupant. Adjustment is made by releasing a control lever located at the top of the seat pan on the inboard side and pulling up on the forward edge of the seat until the desired angle is reached. To lower, the control lever is released and the seat front is pushed down.

Armrests: The upholstered armrests are moulded, integrally padded units. The outboard armrest incorporates vertical rotation adjustment (angular sweep about the pivot point). Release and lockup are affected by a finger-tip control located under the forward edge of the armrest. Each armrest can be pivoted and rotated to a stowed position behind the seatback. The armrests can be removed for repair or replacement.

Seat Belts and Shoulder Harness: Each seat is equipped with seat belts, adjustable notch straps, and a shoulder harness with inertia reel. The seat belts are adjustable and equipped with a rotary-type, quick-release buckle. The shoulder harness is attached to the inertia reel located in the seatback. The inertia reel permits the occupant to move forward as desired and take up the slack when the occupant moves back. When sudden excessive loads are exerted on the harness, the reels lock automatically, preventing the occupant from moving forward.

Lumbar Support: A lumbar support is installed on each seat for the captain, first officer and flight engineer. The unit provides a mechanical means of adjusting the seat back cushion around the occupant's torso at the small of the back and sides for support of the kidney area. The unit is hand-operated and positive positioning is provided through a spring-loaded latch seating in the grooves of a serrated plate. The mechanical lumbar support is not required on a seat with a back cushion incorporating a pneumatic lumbar support.