K8 Seats

[Mike Schumann]

Our club has a K8 with extremely uncomfortable seating arraignments.
Basically we are using a combination of foam pieces and misc cushions to try
to make the glider usable. After about 2 hours, it is pure torture.

The basic glider has a metal seat pan that covers the landing wheel. The
seat back basically is the tubular frame structure of the glider.

Is this the way the glider came from the factory, or is there some kind of
seat that is installed in the cockpit. I am trying to figure out what the
original seating design looks like, so I can investigate some upgrades.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Mike Schumann

--
Mike Schumann

[Markus Gayda]

Hi Mike,

i just uploaded a picture of the "original" Ka8 seat found in all 3 Ka8's at
our airfield.
Find it at
www.texelferien.de/markus/fotos/CRW9508.jpg

Greetings,
Markus

Mike Schumann schrieb:
> Our club has a K8 with extremely uncomfortable seating arraignments.
> Basically we are using a combination of foam pieces and misc cushions to try
> to make the glider usable. After about 2 hours, it is pure torture.
>
> The basic glider has a metal seat pan that covers the landing wheel. The
> seat back basically is the tubular frame structure of the glider.
>
> Is this the way the glider came from the factory, or is there some kind of
> seat that is installed in the cockpit. I am trying to figure out what the
> original seating design looks like, so I can investigate some upgrades.
>
> Any suggestions would be helpful.
>
> Mike Schumann
>

[Markus Gayda]

Forgot one underscore:

www.texelferien.de/markus/fotos/CRW_9508.jpg

[Sarah]

Hi Mike... so, that 5hr flight ended at 2hrs, eh? I'm afraid our K8
was designed to accomodate a parachute cushion. You might check with
Stephen Nesser - when he was serious about K8 xc he made up some
cusions from "memory foam" high tech material. He may have some other
suggestions about how to relieve the torture.

Sarah Anderson


Mike Schumann wrote:
> Our club has a K8 with extremely uncomfortable seating arraignments.
> Basically we are using a combination of foam pieces and misc cushions to try
> to make the glider usable. After about 2 hours, it is pure torture.
>

[Mike Schumann]

That's exactly what the seat looks like in our K8. What do you use for
cushions?

Mike Schumann

"Markus Gayda" > wrote in message
...
> Forgot one underscore:
>
> www.texelferien.de/markus/fotos/CRW_9508.jpg

[Mike Schumann]

My flighted ended at 3.9 hrs. While it was torture, the lift ended.
Otherwise I would have finished.

Mike Schumann

"Sarah" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi Mike... so, that 5hr flight ended at 2hrs, eh? I'm afraid our K8
> was designed to accomodate a parachute cushion. You might check with
> Stephen Nesser - when he was serious about K8 xc he made up some
> cusions from "memory foam" high tech material. He may have some other
> suggestions about how to relieve the torture.
>
> Sarah Anderson
>
>
> Mike Schumann wrote:
>> Our club has a K8 with extremely uncomfortable seating arraignments.
>> Basically we are using a combination of foam pieces and misc cushions to
>> try
>> to make the glider usable. After about 2 hours, it is pure torture.
>>
>

[Whitson Bush]

I did 3hrs in the front of a K-7, that was torture. I came down from cloud
base just to get out. Being 6'1" it was a little cramped. Ended up doing my
5hrs in a K-18.
"Mike Schumann" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> My flighted ended at 3.9 hrs. While it was torture, the lift ended.
> Otherwise I would have finished.
>
> Mike Schumann
>
> "Sarah" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>> Hi Mike... so, that 5hr flight ended at 2hrs, eh? I'm afraid our K8
>> was designed to accomodate a parachute cushion. You might check with
>> Stephen Nesser - when he was serious about K8 xc he made up some
>> cusions from "memory foam" high tech material. He may have some other
>> suggestions about how to relieve the torture.
>>
>> Sarah Anderson
>>
>>
>> Mike Schumann wrote:
>>> Our club has a K8 with extremely uncomfortable seating arraignments.
>>> Basically we are using a combination of foam pieces and misc cushions to
>>> try
>>> to make the glider usable. After about 2 hours, it is pure torture.
>>>
>>
>
>

[Markus Gayda]

Hi Mike,

in our club, we even have some folks that fly WITHOUT cushions for several
hours. And those folks prefer the Ka8 to a Discus ... hehe... unimaginable,
isn't it?

I myself use whatever cushion is available... and sometimes fly without.
But the problem isn't so accute with me, since i mostly fly our glas ships.

CU
Markus

Mike Schumann schrieb:
> That's exactly what the seat looks like in our K8. What do you use for
> cushions?
>
> Mike Schumann
>

[Sebastiaan]

Last Saturday I flew 6.5 hours in my Ka-8. It is fitted with a one-piece
seat, nicely curved like a racing car chair, to include both the seat
and the back.

I flew with a parachute and I was still able to walk after the flight.
Next weekend i will try to make some pictures of the chair.

[Mike Schumann]

I would love to see a picture of your seat.

Thanks,
Mike Schumann

"Sebastiaan" > wrote in message
l...
> Last Saturday I flew 6.5 hours in my Ka-8. It is fitted with a one-piece
> seat, nicely curved like a racing car chair, to include both the seat and
> the back.
>
> I flew with a parachute and I was still able to walk after the flight.
> Next weekend i will try to make some pictures of the chair.

[mike vore]

That seat pan looks identical to the seat in the Ka8 I just sold. I would have
classed it as Fiberglass.

I'm 6'2 so I needed every inch of space I could get. For the seat back I used
some black foam that Kayak owners use for cushioning their ships. I just cut
two pieces about 1' high(Guessing right now) by 2' long and wrapped them
behind me.

One mod I made to the seat cushion - put some straps on it and fasten them
behind the "back" support. That will keep it from sliding forward and acting
as a "nose down bungee" on the stick.

mike
(ex Ka8b - MU )



Markus Gayda wrote:
> Forgot one underscore:
>
> www.texelferien.de/markus/fotos/CRW_9508.jpg


--
Mike Vore
http://www.OhMyWoodness.com
http://mike.vorefamily.net/twr

[Sebastiaan]

Here are the promised pictures:

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6264/dsc001949ux.jpg
http://img327.imageshack.us/img327/7543/dsc001952vl.jpg
http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/6972/dsc001967pv.jpg
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/1936/dsc001976me.jpg

Sebastiaan


Mike Schumann wrote:
> I would love to see a picture of your seat.
>
> Thanks,
> Mike Schumann
>
> "Sebastiaan" > wrote in message
> l...
>> Last Saturday I flew 6.5 hours in my Ka-8. It is fitted with a one-piece
>> seat, nicely curved like a racing car chair, to include both the seat and
>> the back.
>>
>> I flew with a parachute and I was still able to walk after the flight.
>> Next weekend i will try to make some pictures of the chair.
>
>

[Mike Schumann]

Nice looking glider!

Can you give me some additional feedback on how you sit in this seat? Do
you fly this with or without a parachute? When you sit in this seat, is
your but in front of the hump or on top?

How long can you fly before you start feeling uncomfortable?

Thanks,
Mike Schumann

"Sebastiaan" > wrote in message
...
> Here are the promised pictures:
>
> http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6264/dsc001949ux.jpg
> http://img327.imageshack.us/img327/7543/dsc001952vl.jpg
> http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/6972/dsc001967pv.jpg
> http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/1936/dsc001976me.jpg
>
> Sebastiaan
>
>
> Mike Schumann wrote:
>> I would love to see a picture of your seat.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Mike Schumann
>>
>> "Sebastiaan" > wrote in message
>> l...
>>> Last Saturday I flew 6.5 hours in my Ka-8. It is fitted with a one-piece
>>> seat, nicely curved like a racing car chair, to include both the seat
>>> and the back.
>>>
>>> I flew with a parachute and I was still able to walk after the flight.
>>> Next weekend i will try to make some pictures of the chair.
>>

[Sebastiaan]

Hi Mike,

I have flown only with parachute, I sit in front of the hump and the
parachute rests on it. It is quite comfortable, but the support for the
lower back is not optimal/fails. Therefore after a couple of hours your
lower back starts hurting (at least in my case)

Sebastiaan


Mike Schumann wrote:
> Nice looking glider!
>
> Can you give me some additional feedback on how you sit in this seat? Do
> you fly this with or without a parachute? When you sit in this seat, is
> your but in front of the hump or on top?
>
> How long can you fly before you start feeling uncomfortable?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike Schumann
>
> "Sebastiaan" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Here are the promised pictures:
>>
>> http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/6264/dsc001949ux.jpg
>> http://img327.imageshack.us/img327/7543/dsc001952vl.jpg
>> http://img467.imageshack.us/img467/6972/dsc001967pv.jpg
>> http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/1936/dsc001976me.jpg
>>
>> Sebastiaan
>>
>>
>> Mike Schumann wrote:
>>> I would love to see a picture of your seat.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Mike Schumann
>>>
>>> "Sebastiaan" > wrote in message
>>> l...
>>>> Last Saturday I flew 6.5 hours in my Ka-8. It is fitted with a one-piece
>>>> seat, nicely curved like a racing car chair, to include both the seat
>>>> and the back.
>>>>
>>>> I flew with a parachute and I was still able to walk after the flight.
>>>> Next weekend i will try to make some pictures of the chair.
>