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        Reading about the loss of N493K made me think back, way back in
time.          
When I arrived at the Glenview Naval Air station during WW 2 they had just
installed shoulder straps in all 250 Stearmans. When we inquired why?? They
showed us pictures and complete and gorry details of several accidents.

The first was of a student who crashed  with  a seat belt only. The force
of the impact was so violent they found his teeth embeded in the heals of
his shoes.

The second and third were a student and an instructer: the stick had
pierced their skulls.          

During the next 31 years of flying Navy Aircraft I wore a life jacket, used
a seat belt with a shoulder harness attached. All of our inertia reels
never worked 100% of the time. On those flights you losened the straps
slightly- when you could not reach the proper control you slipped the
shoulder out of the strap, moved the control and then put the strap back
over the shoulder.

I agree wih Bob Froelich install those shoulder straps and inertial reels
and always fly with them.

For Bob, Well done. You got down with your body in one piece. Sounds like a
great piece of flying.     George Lee
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