Jay Honeck wrote:


Well, yesterday I decided that it was time to replace the damned things,
and ordered new replacement inertial reels at the bargain price of just
$299 per side. It sucks, and we could sure use that $600 elsewhere --
but I've decided that our faces are worth it. Considering that many of
us are now flying bonafide antique aircraft (Atlas is now 34 years old),
these types of choices are necessary for people of ordinary means to
keep them in the air.


Hey, at least Atlas came with shoulder harnesses in the front. My
airplane, a 1965 model, had no shoulder harnesses whatsoever. It cost
me about $1700 in 1997 to put them in the front seats using Piper
seatbelt hardware from a salvage aircraft. Hopefully I'll never need
them, but if I ever do I'll be glad I spent the money. I had all my
belts, including the shoulder harnesses rewebbed in 2004 by Southern
Safety. That came to about $850 for all 7 seats, and included
inspection and repair of the inertial reels on the shoulder harnesses.
Couldn't you have done the same and saved some $? I think the shoulder
harnesses were $125 each for the reweb and repairs.