Seat Belts

[Stinson driver]

My 170 is in for MPI (anual inspection ) My A & P jaust called and said that all Cessna seat belts have to be replaced evry 10 years - Is this true ????

A set of certified Cessna 172 belts are going to cost me about US$ 2000
in South africa

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Not here in the U.S.

As long as the tag is readable and one could determine they are FAA/PMA approved belts there good to go.

[Stinson driver]

Thanx I got on to the A & P and he faxed me a page out of the Cessna service manual - page 2-22 -- item 2-33 Componant time limets- revision 1 dated Feb3 /2003

Under Table 1 item 1

It states the belts must be replaced evry 10 years and may no be overhauled

Now I am confused

Cheers Doug

[cessna170bdriver]

If you have to spend that much money, think about the BAS inertia reel shoulder harnesses for the front seats. Their website is http://www.basinc-aeromod.com/. They are still under a thousand bucks. You might also check with them and see if they can allow a longer service limit than "Cessna" brand seat belts.

Miles

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Service bulletins are NOT manditory for FAR part 91 flights in the U.S.

In very very simple termsflying for pleasure in the U.S. is done under FAR 91. If you are flying for compensation, with a few exceptions, it is done under other FARs which may require completion of service bulletins.

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

I just reread your post. What service manual has your A&P using? The only service manual that comes close to applying to our 170s is the Cessna 100 serious '62 and prior manual.

Bottom line. In the U.S. you do not have to change the belts every 10 years for pleasure flying.

[steve grewing]

A repair station in Dallas, TX rewebs seat belts for $25 per set provided the buckle and attach hardware are TSO approved. (TSO C22 for belts, TSO C114 for shoulder harness.) The money is in the hardware not the webbing. Surely no one still has the original metal-to-fabric belts installed. Though mine did when I bought it in 1990.
The "1962 and prior" Cessna 100 Series life limited section for components is a gray area for interpretation. If one were inspecting a specific model listed on the cover sheet which had Cessna belts installed, then the life limit applies regardless of the components preceived condition. To me it could be argued it pretains to Cessna provided components only. If TSO requirements are met for non-Cessna replacement belts/restraints, it could be argued they are an "on condition" component and the general guidelines of 43.13-1B 9-46 b. would be in effect. That is a question for the individual IA to ponder and decide. Bottom line for me is the condition regardless of age. My seatbelts were brand new but set in storage for more than ten years during my extended refurbishing project. My IA did not have a problem with them. Contamination, wear, fraying, loose stitching, fading (from sunlight exposure), etc. all weaken the webbing which in theory is designed to hold by backside in one location. I will not discuss the lack of strength of the attach points in the floor. That is a different matter entirely on a TC'ed aircraft.
My two cents.

Steve

[GAHorn]

Thanx I got on to the A & P and he faxed me a page out of the Cessna service manual - page 2-22 -- item 2-33 Componant time limets- revision 1 dated Feb3 /2003

Under Table 1 item 1

It states the belts must be replaced evry 10 years and may no be overhauled

Now I am confused

Cheers Doug

Doug, please forward that fax to me. 830-693-2013
The seat belts are NOT life limited in Cessna 170s, provided they are metal-to-metal buckles (and not the old clamp-onto-fabric types, which were outlawed by an Airworthiness Directive a couple of decades ago....but NOT by any life limitation.) If you have a mechanic/inspector who is so un-informed about Part 91 aircraft operations, I'd seriously have a talk with him and/or find another mechanic/inspector before he prices you completely out of the game.

[PilotMikeTX]

George,
The original poster is in South Africa and may be playing by different rules.

I also bet the mechanic has some nice "new" seatbelts for sale. Reminds me of how I always seem to need new wiper blades on my truck when I get it inspected--even if they're only a week old.

[spiro]

If you have to spend that much money, think about the BAS inertia reel shoulder harnesses for the front seats. Their website is http://www.basinc-aeromod.com/. They are still under a thousand bucks. You might also check with them and see if they can allow a longer service limit than "Cessna" brand seat belts. :roll:

Miles

from the BAS Instructions for Continued Airworthiness:

"Upon expiration of the service life (total life) of 84 months, The webbing must be replaced. This may performed only by the manufacturer." [sic]

service life is defined as total time since manufacture, whether installed or not. 84 months is 7 years...

- paul

[Stinson driver]

Thanx guys- We have an aviation forum like this in S/Africa http://www.avcom.co.za/-- We have been discusing the issue there- seems our CAA enforces all SB s here- the fuel drain thing was a big issue here
and when our motors reach TBO we have to overhaul them-

I just got a shock when I found out about the seat belt thing- it will afect all Cessna owners in South Africa- I have found a local company that makes up belts to our CAA s satifaction for about US $ 700-
I bet this guy is very happy about the SB - he is going to make a lot of money

[Stinson driver]

Doug, please forward that fax to me. 830-693-2013

I will fax it today- I got back on to the A & P about this its not an SB-
Its a mandadary thing taken from the Cessna mainenace manual for 100
series cessna s - Manual rvision 4 of 2003 no d138-1-

Now I am evan confused

[GAHorn]

Doug, please forward that fax to me. 830-693-2013

I will fax it today- I got back on to the A & P about this its not an SB-
Its a mandadary thing taken from the Cessna mainenace manual for 100
series cessna s - Manual rvision 4 of 2003 no d138-1-

Now I am evan confused

In such case, then I'd recommend you replace the belts with those of another manufacturer, such as Aircraft Belts, Inc., of Kemah, Texas.
I have just now hung up the phone from talking to Terry Phillips there and she assured me that the aircraft seat belts of their manufacture do not require replacement on any calendar basis. Their belts are replaced only ON CONDITION (if they become damged, frayed, etc.) and are FAA approved and TSO'd. (Their standard lap-belt is priced at $73.35.)

http://www.aircraftbelts.com/index.html

Aircraft Belts, Inc.
2000 Anders Lane
Kemah, Texas 77565

281.538.1284 phone
800.847.5651 toll free
281.538.2225 fax

A.O.G. 24/7
713-208-4879 phone

FAA Repair Station YB1R632K

[johneeb]

George,

How do I check for the latest revisions to my 100 series Service Manual, the revision that Doug is refering to?

"I will fax it today- I got back on to the A & P about this its not an SB-
Its a mandadary thing taken from the Cessna mainenace manual for 100
series cessna s - Manual rvision 4 of 2003 no d138-1- "

The latest revision to my manual is dated 1977. I checked McCurtin's listing and that is the latest they have for the 100 series Service Manual.

If this seatbelt replacement requirement is true I see a bright future in Re-Webbing Seatbelts.

[mit]

Get a new mechanic, this guy sounds like a technician.