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Group. Agreed - the lap belts are mainly there to keep you in your plane in turbulent air. Agreed - in a crash straight aligned with the longitudinal axis of the plane the shoulder harness will keep you from hitting the panel. (If attached well enough and provided the plane itself does not collapse) In all other cases, like hitting something sideways a loose shoulder harness will not give you the protection you want. Chances are that in a flip over accident one might be restraint to a upright position and while your canopy gets smashed, your face might too. An Aircraft unlike a car can hit the ground in various positions. Unless you really have a roll cage above you , you can't say you are safe because of the shoulder harness. And last not least, I was thinking after reading the recent accident report that this Gentlemen might just have walked away from it when he would have sit in a Cessna. The high wing with its sturdy beams down to the Landing Gear is like a roll cage. Much better than what a Coupe has to offer. To say it again, I think the shoulder harness will help you not to kiss the panel but in my humble opinion it does not add much safety in a roll over accident. I prefer the freedom of being able to move my upper body. I also am afraid if people just cry out loud enough about the safety issues with just lap belts in Ercoupes we will end up with another AD and I'll have to butcher my plane again. It should be everyone's choice. Hartmut N3330H - soon to be flying again. Darwin Girdauckis wrote: > ----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]---- > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > ----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]---- > > > > > I am adamant in my belief that shoulder harnesses in an aircraft with no > > > superstructure or roll cage > > > over the pilots head are more dangerous than the lack thereof. > > > > I must take issue with this. I had an acquaintance who suffered a relatively > > minor accident in a twin but died because his head hit the panel. It was > > estimated that the plane was only going 25-30 mph when it hit. Shoulder > > harnesses do not have to be so tight as to force the wearer into a completely > > erect position, just tight enough to keep you from kissing the panel. After > > seeing my friend, I'll take my chances with the harness. > > I have to agree with you John. I was in an accident with my shoulder > belt done up but not overly tight. > The plane (152) > hooked a power line under full power trying to climb out at 50 kts in > rising terrain. It caught the main > gear > & broke a power pole slamming the plane straight down prop first into > the ground , then flipped over on > it's back. > It did not slide on the ground at all! > Granted, this was a high wing plane & the wing did offer me protection > when it flipped & yes if > it were a coupe, I would have been pushed up into the cockpit but by the > time that happened I would have > been dead > because of the initial impact. You see, my right hand was on the > throttle & it went right through the DG > while my left hand > was on the left side of the yoke. On impact my left hand pushed forward > on the yoke , breaking the yoke > off > where it attaches to the column leaving a jagged shaft pointed at my > chest as inertia carried me > forward. I have a little > scar just left of my breast bone where that shaft just nicked me. With > no shoulder belt, the shaft would > have > gone right through me as well as blending my face in with the dash. I > was very lucky but the belt saved > my life > without a doubt. Needless to say, I always wear my shoulder belt & will > continue to in this coupe I'm > buying. > Darwin in Alberta > > > > > ================================================================== > > TO UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm > ================================================================== > TO UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm ================================================================== TO UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm
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