Question about legroom....

I hope someone can answer a question that probably has a very simple answer.
Obviously airlines can adjust the total number of seat rows they can have on
any given plane - thus giving differing amounts of legroom. I assume that
this is just a case of sliding the rows forward slightly to make space at
the back.

However - what do they do with the overhead light/air/call button panel? -
surely these are fixed. They always seem to directly above me, even on
planes that operate a 'cattle-class' system.

Any idea?

Nick

Nick wrote:

Obviously airlines can adjust the total number of seat rows they can have on
any given plane - thus giving differing amounts of legroom. I assume that
this is just a case of sliding the rows forward slightly to make space at
the back.

Airlines select the seat pitch they want, and leave the aircraft that
way. They don't change seat pitch on a whim. Therefore, it's not a
simple case of sliding seats around.

However - what do they do with the overhead light/air/call button panel? -
surely these are fixed. They always seem to directly above me, even on
planes that operate a 'cattle-class' system.

The overheads are designed for the seat pitch on each aircraft. If the
airline want's to change seat pitch, they replace the overheads.

If you look, you will see that sometimes those lights and buttons aren't
positioned "too well". I don't remember the exact pitching capability of
the seat track (I suppose I could go measure it, but...) I sort of guess 2
inches, thus seats are adjustable every 2 inches of pitch. There is the
option to put in spacers in the overheads to space out the lights and
buttons accordingly, but what is done is to design in the overheads based on
the seat pitch the airlines have supplied in their order. Most of the time,
there are REDUCTIONS in the number of seats ordered and it's pretty
difficult to reduce pitch below some some point (Japanese flying bus 747s
are a prime example - pitch set for "shorter than European/American legs"
Japanese and impossible for someone 6'-2" to sit in with their legs in front
of themselves)

Probably more info than you wanted

"Nick" wrote in message
...
I hope someone can answer a question that probably has a very simple
answer.
Obviously airlines can adjust the total number of seat rows they can have
on
any given plane - thus giving differing amounts of legroom. I assume that
this is just a case of sliding the rows forward slightly to make space at
the back.

However - what do they do with the overhead light/air/call button panel? -
surely these are fixed. They always seem to directly above me, even on
planes that operate a 'cattle-class' system.

Any idea?

Nick

Nick wrote:
However - what do they do with the overhead light/air/call button panel? -
surely these are fixed.

They are also on "tracks" and can be moved. You'll notice some "spacer"
plastic panels between each overhead light-air-oxynen panel. So when they
change the seat pitch, then need to move the overhead stuff and change the
spacer panels to a bigger or smaller one.