At the EAA convention in Oshkosh during the summer of 1999 I visited the Oregon Aero booth and approached Mike Dennis.  I explained our program, our needs, and asked for assistance.  Mike was enthusiastic and offered help. He explained that Oregon Aero did not have a seat template for a Zenith 701 but that this offered the opportunity to show students how a seat was designed, developed, and produced.  We would have to construct a cockpit mockup and bring it down to to Scapoose. 

    It took a couple of tries to get it right.  The first mockup looked like a cockpit but not exactly like ours.  It was off by more than an inch in several dimensions, the angle of the seatback was wrong, and the seat structures wouldn't have taken much abuse while developing the seats themselves.  We had a long discussion with the seat team and reiterated the importance of creating an exact replica.  We would be building seats that fit the mockup and they would have to come home and fit the actual airplane.  Further, if the templates were accurate, Oregon Aero would keep them on file to construct seats for sale.  
    They went back to work and started over.  The experience of building the first mockup helped quite a bit while building the second.  It was stronger and a perfect duplicate of all the seat area with all critical measurements within an eighth of an inch.  
    They reinforced the space under the seat by stacking wood under the aluminum and filling the curved spaces with construction foam.  The mockup lasted through the entire process with hundreds of people getting in and trying it out.  

    When we had the mockup finished we called Mike Dennis.  He arranged a Saturday, told us to be there by 9:00 and we made preparations.  Barb Gilchrist arranged for a rental van, Steve assembled the team, I bought road food at Costco, and we waited for Saturday.  On the big day, we loaded the mockup into the van, checked the map, and headed south.  On the trip was Dave Scott, one of our parent mentors, his daughter Teresa, Jeff, Mike, Megan, and myself.  

    We arrived at Scapoose at about 8:45, found the airport, found the Oregon Aero hangar/factory, and met Tony Erickson.  If there is a better guy to teach kids how to build airplane seats, I can't imagine who it might be.  Tony is first and foremost an expert in his field.  He understands the flight environment, aircraft construction, human anatomy, and the specific materials available to construct seats and has designed seats for commercial, civilian, and military aircraft.  Next, he has an infectious enthusiasm for his job.  Finally, he's a natural teacher.  Tony was able to clearly explain the process of designing and building a seat, and also the specific reasons for doing everything he did.  

    He gave the kids and Dave and I a quick tour of the Oregon Aero facility and then got to work.  First, Tony used cardboard and a hot glue gun to construct a flat replica of the curvature of the seats.  The advantage of the replica was that long strips of foam could be laid across it, rearranged, assembled, and glued without interference from the sides of the mockup.  Then he sent the kids to racks and bins to fetch long wedges of Temperfoam.  Using these wedges, he showed them how a seat was constructed; where to place firm support, where to place soft padding, where to locate the thigh and lumbar supports, and how to glue everything together.  

Trimmed a little large, the seat was placed in the mockup and everyone was given a chance to try it out.  We looked for comfort, support, and clearances.  We checked to make sure there was enough under the butt for support on long flights, enough under the front of the seat so the aluminum edge couldn't be felt, enough under the thighs for lateral support, and enough lumbar support so that our backs wouldn't get sore.  We also considered clearances.  If we had a ten inch thick seat (which, given that wonderful foam a couple of us were arguing for . . .) there wouldn't be enough clearance for a 5' 10" pilot or passenger.

    With the foam layup finalized the seat needed to be trimmed to its final dimensions. Tony supervised the construction of a second, cardboard mockup giving the seat the contour of the original, wood and aluminum mockup.  It was smaller so that the seat could be placed on it and the edges trimmed.  With the second mockup next to the first, Tony showed the kids how to create a cutting template.  Once this was laid over the built-up seat foam in the second mock-up it was a simple (?) matter to cut on the dotted line with an electric knife.  

    Our first seat was done.  We set it in place and very gingerly sat down on it.  It was perfect!  And way comfortable.  Tony said that sometimes his job required setting a seat in the shade of the hangar and sitting on it for a few hours.  While I volunteered for this duty, we didn't really have time.  We needed to start on the second seat.  The process here was simple.  Tony turned to the kids, asked if they had any questions, and pointed to the templates, foam, glue sprayer, and electric knives.  

    While I certainly trusted the students, this took me a little by surprise, but my apprehensions were groundless.  They had paid attention, knew right what to find and do, and in very short order had created a pilot's seat that was indistinguishable from the passenger's, except in its right/left orientation.  They worked quickly, cleanly, cooperatively, and with purpose.  They had been paying closer attention than I had. 

    While the kids were working Dave and I were treated to a tour of the facility by Jude Dennis, one of the owners.  It was her generosity, along with her husband Mike's, that allowed us to spend the day at Oregon Aero, teach the students how this part of the industry functions, and walk away with two supremely comfortable seats for that day when our 701 takes wing.  We are extremely grateful for their support.