We’re not alone with this issue. Look up Cessna and 172’s having a physical stop kit added due to similar issues, some resulting in crashes.
I haven’t really read that anybody is blaming anybody else in this thread. It’s a phenomenon not specific to Cirrus and it happens if you’re not 100% judicious about it.
Thanks John, I appreciate all the comments about the bar not mentioned by my mechanic nor cirrus mechanics at Duluth.
Bob…shall we meet? See s you ha e a lot to say about seats.
And do you work for Cirrus and still treat people on COPA with disdain.
I can meet you in 30 minutes I’m in New Braunfels,
Crawford Robert
Cirrus Software · Austin, Texas
7906 Peaceful Hill Lane, Austin, Texas, 78748
Be nice 
This is now just a habit of mine, when I pull the bar up and slide the seat up, I automatically push the bar down and feel for it snapping in place. I don’t even think about it. It’s just habit.
It shouldn’t be this way. For something as dangerous as a pilot seat sliding back on rotation, I think that there should be more to this mechanism that just this spring loaded bar locking mechanism.
Thanks Jim, just surprised Cirrus didn’t mention this in my 55 minute phone call. Have a great night and blue skies!
Does anyone know if Cirrus changed the mechanism? I always did the same thing on my G3 during preflight. Maybe 1 in 10 times that push down would actually lock the seat in position. Had I not done that I would have had a similar situation as the OP. It’s a simple maneuver but oh so important.
I’ve now taken ~115 flights in my G6, and it has never not been locked. Perhaps they use a stronger spring now, or it’s a redesign.
Wow. Just rude. Too many Type-As in COPA sometimes. I have no idea what would possess you to write that to a guy who’s asking for advice.
Christopher,
I appreciate you keeping the peace but the above comment is blaming me the pilot. Do you disagree? Why do people (not you) basically have to be a**h****s when they are hidden behind their screens? Do guys like Crawford who it looks like is associated with Cirrus not think their online ridicule such as not being smart enough to understand a seat is compatible with having a good reputation?
I wish people on the list serve could be more gracious. 90% have wonderful comments but there always a few who have to be Dicks. It really bothers me when they discuss a fatal accident and cavalierly blame the pilot and brush it off. Pilots are often awesome but some are the worst humans I have met, I am an emergency physician and I have met a lot of steeet people and great a d sour humans…Crawford you know what list you are on,
Kirk,
i for one didn‘t know much of what you explained later.
But i would not fly the airplane until this is solved.
I hope you agree that it was a mistake to fly although you were not sure the seat would be ok. Don‘t take chances.
Thank you john polson. Rude comments for somebody looking for constructive advice is just not productive. And I think he may work for cirrus. Not to worry, when I am about to put my down payment on the Vision if Crawford works for Cirrus this will be brought up in the sale meeting…people be nice …
Someone correct me if I’m wrong, I don’t know of anyone that works for Cirrus and posts on the forum.
I hear you, again, critical tone, I think I will have to fly to get it fixed and fly from the right seat which has never slid. Also, I mentioned to Duluth blocking the seat from going back IF it happened (it was 1/20 but quickly more common ) and I can’t say they said YES do that but I thought I got tacit approval that a large hard suitcase would block seat movement. It unfortunately happened and that safety measure failed.
Stay safe have fun in the sky, be sure to remove the rock in your eye before attempting it in others…Happy New Year and GN for this thread…now I remember why I don’t post much here, thanks to all who offered real advice and encouragement,
Maybe you‘re a little oversensitive here?
I think it is good advice to not fly the airplane in this condition.
Also: Removing the seat is a 5 minute job and ANY AP could do it and check the mechanism.
If you don‘t care about our opinion, why don‘t you keep the problem to yourself? I have not insulted you - i only said it‘s a mistake to take off with this condition. And i stand by that.
And somebody correct me about the US - but flying an SR22 from the right seat is prohibited where i live. I do it with a student in the left seat, to practice landings from the right seat. But i would never do it solo.
Alexis, I missed your post above that the seats are mentioned in the checklists. Of course you’re right.
Hope you’re feeling better!
I am not aware of any Right Seat prohibition in the US. In fact, I enjoy flying from the right seat solo. The only issue is when I forget to switch back the headset jacks, and wonder why no one can hear me!
Kirk,
There is an old Zen saying: “You can’t fill a cup that’s already full.”
If your intent was to seek wisdom from the many experienced COPA members, you received it. Unfortunately, your attitude was defensive. It appears you came to complain, not learn.
Pushing the seat lock bar down is a basic maneuver we teach pilots early in their training. Then you wiggle the seat to make sure it is locked.
I hope you learned something, and will make positive identification fo the seat lock bar down each time you get in the cockpit.
Best of luck!
Why?
Kirk,
Let me just say that I was taken aback by your response after I tried to help answer your question above. You asked whether this had happened to anyone else. Indeed it had, and it led to at least one non-fatal accident that I could recall off the top of my head. The details of that accident investigation are cited in my post, including uploads from the NTSB report and docket. Both are worth reviewing.
I should also point out that it was the NTSB - not I- that assigned pilot error as probable cause, after the seat in that particular aircraft was found conforming to the Cirrus AMM.
For the benefit of others, please consider updating your thread with inspection results, and/or whether advice re the latching mechanism has helped.
I’ve flown lots of times from the right with another pilot but I was PIC I don’t know any regulations saying you can’t fly from the right it makes no sense?
