Oregon Aero Update Eliminates Seat Replacement Requirement for Cessna Owners
Scappoose, OR(March 26, 2014)-Thanks to extensive funding, research, and development on the part of Oregon Aero, Inc., owners of Cessna (formerly known as Lancair or Columbia) aircraft outfitted with Oregon Aero® High-G® Safety Seats no longer have to replace the seat cushions every five years or 2,500 hours as formerly mandated by the FAA. Owners can now conduct annual inspections and one more detailed inspection every three years to assess the cushions.
"We know this has been very important to a lot of our customers, which is why we’ve worked so hard to make this happen," said Tony Erickson, Chief Operating Officer for Oregon Aero. "This change makes it easier on owners and cuts out aircraft downtime while maintaining Oregon Aero’s renowned commitment to safety and quality."
The update was completed in conjunction with the Seattle Aircraft Certification Office. Before the update, owners of specified Cessna models faced an FAA-imposed life limitation on their Oregon Aero® High-G® Safety Seat cushions of five years or 2,500 hours. Since 2011 Oregon Aero and Cessna have shared the costs of replacing cushions affected by the life limitation. However, customers had to remove the seat cushions themselves and keep their aircraft out of service in the interim.
To improve customer experience while maintaining quality, safety, and value, Oregon Aero funded the research and development behind the recent update. The new FAA-approved Instructions for Continued Airworthiness include mandatory owner inspections of the seat cushions in the following Cessna aircraft models: LC40-550FG (300), LC41-550FG (400), LC42-550FG (350), and T240. The updated ICAs require annual visual inspection of the seat cushions. They also require a seat thickness measurement for the front and rear seat bottom cushions every three years to detect breakdown or distortion of the foam core. Cushions no longer within the stated tolerance will need to be replaced.
"We are really pleased with the way this has worked out, and we are confident that our customers will be, too,” Erickson commented. "This update will not only help them keep their aircraft properly maintained, but it cuts out a lot of downtime, too. That means they’ll be able to keep flying in comfort, which is exactly what we all want."
The complete ICAs for the High-G® Safety Seats can be downloaded here EM-01-01-Rev-F.pdf