Cargo Nets

[B2C2]

Does anyone know if there is an STC or other method to add tie points and cargo nets to the interior of a 337? I am interested in setting up the plane for two front seat occupants, a couple of dogs and baggage and want to make sure the baggage/cargo is tied down properly. I'm currently removing a middle and aft seat for the dogs and this creates enough room for them. Id like to take out the other mid and aft seats and use that side of the plane for cargo, but may want other configurations as well. It seems like an arrangement that provides tie points in the ceiling and floor would permit this.

[Jerry De Santis]

What model and year is your Skymaster? I have a P337G 1975 unit and it has tie down clips in the cargo area in back of the bench seat (2nd row). The bench seat swings upward in a vertical position in back of the pilots seat for more cargo loading. How is your plane configured?

Jerry

[B2C2]

The plane is a 1969 T337D. All six seats are independently installed on seat rails and relatively easily removed.

[JimC]

These guys custom make cargo nets in any size & strength you want, with tiedowns where you want them. I'd get one rated for 10x my cargo weight.

http://www.cargocatch.com/cargo-nets.html

I'm not sure how you'd get tiedown points in the ceiling.

[hharney]

Are they STC'd?

[JimC]

No. Does a cargo net need to be STC'ed?

[hharney]

Well ............................ check with your A/P - IA

[JimC]

AC 43.13-2B, Chapter 12, Section 1203 (a) (1-3) covers "Cargo Tiedown Devices." It says "Cargo tiedown devices may be assembled from webbing, nets, rope, cables, fittings, or other material that conforms to a FAA-PMA, TSO, NAS, AN, or MIL-SPEC standards[sic]". Note that the AC covers the raw materials, not the finished net.

No mention is made of an STC requirement.

The website of the manufacturer I cited says they make nets for "military, police, fire, government, aviation and marine applications."

I leave the rest of the exercise to the reader.

[B2C2]

Thanks for the pointer to the cargo net supplier. Looks like a first class outfit. I can use the existing seat belt tie down points for attaching the cargo net to the floor. I'm sure they are strong enough. I asked my A/P about ceiling attach points and he suggested I post a question here. Looks like it's not something that is commonly done for this airframe.

[JimC]

Do you have to have them in the ceiling? How much cargo do you have? Can you just secure it downwards with a net, seat belt attach points, and these http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...eatTiedown.php where you lack seat belt points?

How much does your cargo weigh?

[B2C2]

Those seat rail tiedowns look very handy. thanks for pointing those out as well. The cargo is really just baggage, probably in soft duffels. Not particularly heavy, just bulky. And I would put the lighter stuff on top. It is just that I would like to be able to pile it up to the ceiling for packing space efficiency and not have it fall down on the dogs if the ride gets bumpy.

[JimC]

I've had success with stacking compressible baggage high and cranking it down hard using a net. It stays put in turbulence. The trick is to secure the rear of the net to the floor, stack the bags up, and then drape the net forward and crank down the front with rachet straps or something similar. This method obviously requires baggage that can really take a compressive force.

Don't forget to strap the dog crates down as well.

Good luck.

[B2C2]

I had been thinking about doing exactly what you describe. Im glad to know it works. So for now I think Ill try the cargo net and seat rail tie downs and see how that works. thanks for your help.