Hangar Flying => Hangar Flying => Topic started by: Dave in Eugene on March 07, 2005, 10:25:50 PM
Title: Seats
Post by: Dave in Eugene on March 07, 2005, 10:25:50 PM
My seats are old foam. I understand that "confor foam" has excellent shock absorbing value for a potential bad situation. I looked at oregon Aero' site to see what they have to offer:
(by the way for those that remember... 408EZ is back in the air after 4 months down after a nose wheel failure. It is great to be back in the saddle)
Title: Seats
Post by: Anonymous on March 07, 2005, 11:53:58 PM
And any thoughts related to the guest in back? Seems like the 2 bars on the canopy really maek their lives miserable?
Dave
Title: Seats
Post by: Snappy on March 08, 2005, 09:21:55 AM
Don't know about confor foam, only TemperFoam that is used on the Space Shuttles. If you know a good upholstry shop, I think you can get it from Aircraft Spruce.
Title: Seats
Post by: Anonymous on April 18, 2005, 11:48:39 PM
I used Confor foam with great results. Ordered from Skandia online, much cheaper than aviation dealers and it's the same stuff.
Rooster N762BH
Title: Conforfoam vs. Temperfoam
Post by: Guest in CT on April 19, 2005, 08:07:12 AM
These two foams are NOT the same thing. They are both viscoelastic "memory foam" meaning that when you press your finger into them, a divot remains which re-expands slowly. So, in effect they mold themselves to your butt. The comfort comes from this, not from any inherent springiness of the foam (side fact: a properly contoured hard seat is MUCH more comfortable than an uncontoured, bouncy cushion).
Temperfoam is better for crashworthiness because it will yield if deformed slowly, but is amazingly rigid under impact. If you ever get a chunk of it, try the following: Press your hand into it. Leaves a nice handprint. Now support the back of the foam and smash it with your fist. Almost no indentation. Conforfoam is more like foam rubber...it's still memory foam, but it doesn't hold its shape under sudden impact nearly as well as Temperfoam does and it springs back much more quickly. It's lighter.
The crashworthiness benefits come about because your body is fully supported by the foam contour, so loads are spread out evenly. Temperfoam does yeild some under impact, of course, but not like less dense foams do.
Drawbacks: 1) EXPENSIVE. 2) Heavy per cu. ft. (don't know the density). 3) When it's cold, it's HARD. Needs to warm up before it will deform.
Don't know if it's fire retardant or not.
You'll know it's Temperfoam if it's blue and feels heavy.
Conforfoam carries some of the benefits of Temperfoam, but not all as described above. It feels much softer. It is the stuff that TempurPedic mattresses (and their knockoffs) are made of.
You can buy mattress toppers made of it for about $130.
IIRC, Oregon uses a combination of both Conforfoam and Temperfoam for their seats. Great company, great products, but you do pay for the quality.
Title: Seats
Post by: miketdrew on April 19, 2005, 11:55:21 AM
Take a look at http://www.seatfoam.com/products.htm three levels of density. Brought from them couple years ago, great stuff.
Title: Seats
Post by: Anonymous on April 20, 2005, 10:52:33 AM
The seats made by Oregon Aero are cheap at twice that cost You can't even buy the material required to make the seat the way they do for $ 300.00 and what is the time worth. You can't beat their product . They use three different densities and have lumbar built in. Try that at home. They are worth every penny.