Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Other / Unknown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft; Company Policy; Procedure; Incorrect / Not Installed / Unavailable Part; Human Factors
Some Cessna CE560XL aircraft have been modified by installing what appear to be non-OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer's) cockpit seats. These newer seats will not adjust downward sufficiently to accommodate a safe seating height for taller pilots. This condition is known; but not acknowledged by Air Carrier Management. This day I was assigned to Aircraft X; a CE560XL aircraft that has been modified with the newer non-standard seat. Upon entry to the cockpit I found that the seat; at its lowest position; was excessively high. This height forces me into a position from which it is unsafe to operate the aircraft. Specifically the safety issues include: 1) The excessive height places my head into dangerous proximity to the stainless steel cockpit visor rail. In Aircraft X this day; the visor rail was below my eye line. Should in-flight turbulence occur (it was both forecast and observed along our route this day) the possibility of head injury due to my head bouncing off this rail would be extremely high. 2) Due to the excessively high sitting position; the top half of the engine instruments panel is obscured by the glareshield. Normal posture and reasonable head and body movements will not bring the panel into a normal scan. In order to see the instruments I have to scrunch down and turn my head sideways in order to look under the glareshield. 3) Due to the excessively high sitting position the flight control yoke contacts my legs and knees during some actuations. I am not able to operate the flight controls through their full range of motion. In a crosswind landing situation this problem would be even worse due to the control position requirements.4) I am not able to adjust the seat to obtain a usable alignment of the fixed reference marks (orange balls on the windscreen center rail) as required by FAR 25.773.d I brought this situation to the awareness of the CE560XL Assistant Chief Pilot (ACP) on duty. Additionally I mentioned that even among the new seats this aircraft seat is excessively high. I indicated that I wanted to request Maintenance because I suspected a jammed adjustment mechanism. In response; my assignment was quickly removed from my duty line. I was told not to write the aircraft up since I no longer have custody of it. Management is fully aware of the problems caused by the installation of these non-standard seats. I first encountered the issue in December 2011. In a phone conversation with my Chief Pilot I learned that the situation was known. Twelve weeks later I was brought to ZZZ1 for a meeting with my Chief Pilot. The purpose of this meeting was to 'take body measurements' and determine if the seat height issue was valid. These 'body measurements' were limited to a highly inaccurate measurement of my sitting height performed by the Chief Pilot. This was done with me sitting on a bench with a tailor's fabric tape measure. I was not shown the measurement or told the results. A blurry photograph was taken at the time. During our meeting; the Chief Pilot insisted that the new seats had the exact specifications of the OEM seats; even though they were clearly higher than the OEM seats. The Chief Pilot suggested no alternative solutions to this problem during our meeting. I believe the purpose of this meeting was to lay the groundwork from which to discipline pilots for refusing to fly these unsafely modified aircraft. I believe that due to my safety objections on this day the company may subject me to discipline for refusal of a flight. Suggest that: First; acknowledge that there is a significant problem with the seats chosen to replace the CE560XL OEM seats. They are clearly not the same and pose a significant safety threat. The problem exists among most pilots who are 5 FT 09 inches or taller. Management is fully aware that a problem exists; yet there has been no communication with the affected pilot group or solution proposed. Management seems to want to deal with this only when a pilotspecifically brings it to their attention - and then only for that pilot. I believe there are many affected pilots who have not expressed concern to management and therefore continue to be placed into potentially unsafe situations. Second; replace the non-standard seats with seats that conform to the OEM specification. In the interim compile a list of the affected aircraft and do not assign pilots above a certain height to these aircraft.
A pilot reports that some of their Cessna CE560XL aircraft have been modified by installing what appears to be Non-Original Equipment Manufacturer (Non-OEM) cockpit seats. The newer; non-standard seats will not adjust downward sufficiently to accommodate a safe seating height for taller pilots. Visual and flight control yoke restrictions were also noted.