Momo Start Seat...out of date?

[JohnW8]

I have at my disposal a Momo Start seat that was manufactured in 2006 and meets the FIA 8599-1999 standard. It is a bottom mount seat and I'd like to try and fit it into my ITA Miata.

Does an FIA seat ever become outdated?

[Greg Amy]

SCCA does not require a seatback brace with an FIA-8855-1999 seat that is older than five years.

GA

[Chip42]

but there is a newer Momo Start seat (the Start 2007), homologated to the same standard. if and when the accepted certification changes in the GCR, then that seat will no longer be legal. for now it is fine.

[Greg Amy]

if and when the accepted certification changes in the GCR, then that seat will no longer be legal.

I disagree. Unless Momo or FIA pulls the FIA certification on that seat (a la Corbeau circa 2003, due to failures in design) then that seat retains its certification. The only time that the earlier seat will be unusable is if SCCA chooses to enforce the 5-yr life limit; at that point even the 2007 design seat will not pass muster eventually.

If you're implying that Momo has already withdrawn the cert on the earlier bottom-mount seat (which would be news to me) then that seat is no longer usable without a back brace.

GA

[Chip42]

The OP's seat sounds completely legal as it carries the right homologation (certified 03/2001)and it has NOT been withdrawn.

My editorial was because the GCR specifically calls out FIA 8855-1999 and 8862-2009 seats. there were standards before that which are no longer recognized, and a seat homologated to one of them is no longer acceptable as an FIA seat. Also, eventually SCCA MIGHT enforce the 5yr expiration, and eventually 8862-2009 or some other standard will supplant 8855-1999 as that recognized, and existing seats will likely be phased into expiration at that point. Not really what was asked but added info.

[joeg]

If it has the sticker, it's good to go without the brace.