I often wonder about this. My seats are still good although the LHS one has a few cracks in the leather.
The thing is that for some reason and despite the simplity of the Socata seats, I don’t get a bad back even after say 7hrs (I think my max was 8 actually in the seat) and there is simply no chair I have ever seen which would be as good.
So I wonder if a 3rd party job would be as good. It would look better but that’s not the question…
The UK has a top notch automotive customising and refurbishment sector and finding a company that produces very good work is not hard so as long as you assure yourself that the fire retardant issues are covered then there are unlikely to be any issues with the soft furnishings.
What I did find was a wide variation in price for a job of the same quality with some of the big names in car restoration pushing their luck on price, We have found a company on an unfashionable industrial estate that have done a very good job on three aircraft for us.
The seat structure is a place that often gets ignored , it is essential that a very deep inspection is carred out and any small defects addressed as you don’t want to go back the covering after it’s done . The last time I did a Cessna seat there was lots of welding small cracks and replacement of bolts, bushes and bearings as well as the seat rollers.
WilliamF wrote:
Finished Seat
Looks comfy
Can anyone have a guess at the current cost of a competent job for a TB20?
I also wonder whether some of the very comfortable looking seat jobs, which would look great in a furniture shop, or in some cases in this guy’s pink Rolls Royce, are actually comfortable for some hours. The Socata GT seats are quite “economically” done but they are fine even for the longest possible flights – over 8hrs in the seat in my case.
Dear all, sorry for picking up this thread again:
I would like to use conventional car seat covers. Does anybody know if this is allowed in “EASA Kingdom” or do I need an inflammable certificate for trivial car seat covers e.g. sheep skin or the like aswell?
Technical if the seat is just a slip on cover it is not part of the aircraft fittings so there is no legislation to cover such items.
The flight manual however requires a pilot so do your clothes have a fire certificate ?
Any views on my post above?
Perhaps there are no good shops in the UK, or perhaps CV19 has postponed all aircraft improvements 
Peter, your plane is FAR23, mine is CAR3, so not sure if applicable, but I ended up paying around 100 EUR per front seat – the job was to replace the foam inside the seats with some automotive stuff with a burn cert the IA said was OK, and to refresh the leather, which after 40 years is still good. Also, the old Mooney seats I have are as simple as can be, just two roughly square pieces, each on its own frame, which makes the job easier.
Chris wrote:
Dear all, sorry for picking up this thread again:I would like to use conventional car seat covers. Does anybody know if this is allowed in “EASA Kingdom” or do I need an inflammable certificate for trivial car seat covers e.g. sheep skin or the like aswell?
You can do it using CS-STAN:
Standard Change CS-SC152b
CHANGES TO SEAT CUSHIONS INCLUDING THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE FOAM MATERIALS
1. Purpose
This SC is for the installation of alternative materials in the construction of seat cushions. For the refurbishment of seats with new seat cushions, alternative foam materials can be used.
2. Applicability/Eligibility
This SC is applicable to aeroplanes and to rotorcraft that are not complex motor-powered aircraft, and to any ELA2 aircraft.
This SC is not applicable for installations in/on dynamically tested seats (according to CS 23.562, CS 23.2270 or equivalent).
Note: In cases of uncertainty, check with the TC or STC holder.
3. Acceptable methods, techniques, and practices
(a) The following standard contains acceptable data: — FAA Advisory Circular AC 23-2A, Change 1.
(b) Seat cushions can be changed, including using new materials, under the following conditions:
(1) The design of exchange seat cushions should follow the geometrical dimensions of the original seat cushions.
(2) If the geometrical dimensions are altered, it must be ensured that access to and egress from the seat will not be altered. On pilot seats, it must be ensured that the new cushion has no influence on the use of any of the controls.
(3) The ‘flame-resistant’ capability of the material installed on aircraft other than sailplanes, motor- powered sailplanes, LSAs, and balloons must be demonstrated. The ‘flame-resistant’ capability can be demonstrated by:
(i) compliance with the ‘flame-resistance’ requirements proven by means of FAA AC 23-2A Change 1 §8 b, or the equivalent, and documented by appropriate test reports released by the material suppliers; or
(ii) compliance with any other more stringent flammability tests (e.g. the vertical tests of FAR/CS-25 Appendix F); or
(iii) the successful execution of the following ‘Flame Resistant’ test, referenced or recorded in EASA Form 123:
‘Flame Resistant’ test
(A) Test specimens. Three specimens, approximately 4 inches wide and 14 inches long, should be tested. Each specimen should be clamped in a metal frame so that the two long edges and one end are held securely. The frame should be such that the exposed area of the specimen is at least 2 inches wide and 13 inches long, with the free end at least 0.5 inches from the end of the frame for ignition purposes. In the
CS-SC152b — 1
CS-STAN
Annex to ED Decision 2019/010/R CS-SC152b
case of fabrics, the direction of the weave that corresponds to the most critical burn rate should be parallel to the 14-inch dimension. A minimum of 10 inches of the specimen should be used for timing purposes, and approximately 1.5 inches should burn before the burning front reaches the timing zone. The specimen should be long enough so that the timing is stopped at least 1 inch before the burning front reaches the end of the exposed specimen.
(B) Test procedure. The specimens should be supported horizontally, and tested in draught-free conditions. The surface that will be exposed, when installed in the aircraft, should face downwards for the test. The specimens should be ignited by a Bunsen or Tirrill burner. To be acceptable, the average burn rate of the three specimens must not exceed 4 inches per minute. Alternatively, if the specimens do not support combustion after the ignition flame is applied for 15 seconds or if the flame extinguishes itself and subsequent burning without a flame does not extend into the undamaged areas, the material is also acceptable. (Federal Specification CCC-T-191b, Method 5906, may also be used for testing materials of this type, but the material should not exceed the above-mentioned 4-inches-per-minute burn rate.)
To improve occupant safety, it is recommended to use energy-absorbing foams in the construction of seat cushions. Energy-absorbing foam materials have the potential to reduce the possibility of spinal injuries in cases of hard landings or minor crash landings.
4. Limitations
N/A
5. Manuals
N/A
6. Release to service
This SC may be released by the pilot-owner subject to compliance with AMC M.A.801 in the case of sailplanes, including powered sailplanes.
Peter wrote:
Can anyone have a guess at the current cost of a competent job for a TB20?
Circa 4500€ for the seats (frame, cushion, liner).
