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Rotary style seatbelt/shoulder harness help

KLOU

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I have decided to go with rotary style seatbelt/shoulder harness set up. I’ve been on the numerous websites that offer them, any personal experience and recommendations on brand would be much appreciated.
Thanks. Scott
 
I have decided to go with rotary style seatbelt/shoulder harness set up. I’ve been on the numerous websites that offer them, any personal experience and recommendations on brand would be much appreciated.
Thanks. Scott

I’m 5’6” and therefore I sit close to the stick. Some of the rotary buckles add almost 2” thickness between me and the stick. On those aircraft I have to fly with the buckle offset to one side.
 
The latest Crow rotary is much thinner and smaller than the original (which I still fly with and find no problem in my -8), and I have never had any issues with Crow - great support, even with prototype projects that had to get reworked. Fast turnaround and easy to work with.
 
My airplane came with the Crow old-style rotary knob. I was never a fan. It was getting hard to insert the buckles, and I found the knob a little slippery, hard to grasp, and awkward because it took a fair turn to release. I was able to persuade Crow to let me upgrade just the latch to the new-style lever lock, which I find to be completely satisfactory.

ETA: I'm 5' 6" too, but never found either the knob style or the lever style to be cumbersome for sitting in my -9A. I do agree that the rotary knob is more bulky than the slimmer lever knob, however.

I did remove both crotch straps since I found them to be kind of a pain, and I don't do aerobatics in my RV-9A. That seemed better at first, but I have since re-thought and will re-install the crotch straps next time I have the floor out. The crotch strap helps keep the belt lower, across the hips, and more out of the way, which IMHO outweighs the cumbersome-ness of buckling that strap.

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I did remove both crotch straps since I found them to be kind of a pain, and I don't do aerobatics in my RV-9A. That seemed better at first, but I have since re-thought and will re-install the crotch straps next time I have the floor out. The crotch strap helps keep the belt lower, across the hips, and more out of the way, which IMHO outweighs the cumbersome-ness of buckling that strap.[/COLOR]
I the unfortunate event of an off-airport landing, the crotch strap will also counteract the tendency for people to "submarine" under their waist belt and end up packed into the footwell. Belts with shoulder straps alone will get pulled up the torso by the shoulder straps as the body moves forward, leaving a rather large space underneath to pass through unless it's tied down.
 
I the unfortunate event of an off-airport landing, the crotch strap will also counteract the tendency for people to "submarine" under their waist belt and end up packed into the footwell. Belts with shoulder straps alone will get pulled up the torso by the shoulder straps as the body moves forward, leaving a rather large space underneath to pass through unless it's tied down.

Yes, thanks. I was warned about that here but I was/am less concerned about submarining than I am about the impairing the effectiveness of the shoulder restraints. As it turns out, the lack of a crotch strap does that, I think.
 
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... any personal experience and recommendations on brand would be much appreciated.
Thanks. Scott

To the original question, I enjoy using the Crow rotary 5 point knob belts. The knob can get in the way during the flair if you're shorter like mentioned, but that's no longer something I notice.

They make a good quality product at a good price. Highly recommended.

Cheers
 
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