Left or right Stick Handling?

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cooty monster
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by cooty monster »

I used to be all about right handed "stick handling" like most people on this site. Then almost by mistake I experienced left handed stick handling. It blew my mind! Almost like a stranger took control of the vessel. Best thing that I ever did!!!
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CFR
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by CFR »

This thread made me think about something that up until now has been unconscious action. My plane has throttle on the left and one in the bottom center of the instrument panel with flaps (and manual trim) between the seats. Most flight is right hand on the stick, left on throttle, but to adjust radio's, switch tanks, etc I fly left handed and when flying an approach I switch hands back and forth so I can operate the flaps and side throttle. On a touch and go I am using my left hand so I can move the flaps to T/O and then push in the console throttle and carb heat to get rolling. Seems natural either way. I will now have to try aerobatics left handed.
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CID
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by CID »

The term is "side by side".
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PilotDAR
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by PilotDAR »

Don't think about what your hands are doing, think about what you are commanding the plane to do, it'll just happen, or you should re-think flying ;).

I have a hydraulic mini-excavator as a toy. I'll go and trench with it. I know what I want the bucket to do, so my mind operates the machine, my hands are just in the circuit - I don't think about what they are doing at all. Indeed, sometimes I'll look at my hands while I'm trenching, and there they are flailing all over the place, holding the two levers. How odd it looks that the bucket is going just where I want, and may hands are zigzagging all over!.

But then, when you want to move your hand, your brain does not think to move this than that muscle....., it just all happens without thinking about it - so should flying - with whatever hand....
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bmc
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by bmc »

I was up in a Robin DR400-180 last weekend. Dual sticks and dual throttles, meant to have the stick in the right hand, throttle in the left.

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/ph ... 7980L.html
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ahramin
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by ahramin »

AirFrame, I imagine that if Schooner is going to the trouble of putting the flight instruments on the right side, the removable stick will go on the left side. Agree on the resale value though, going to take a big hit.
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AirFrame
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by AirFrame »

ahramin wrote:AirFrame, I imagine that if Schooner is going to the trouble of putting the flight instruments on the right side, the removable stick will go on the left side.
Unlikely, unless he'll also weld up new sticks. The stick geometry is such that you can't just swap left for right.

Regardless, it only takes a bolt to fix the removable stick, and if everything goes wrong and it comes out, you can still reach over and fly with the other one.
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ahramin
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by ahramin »

Unlikely, unless he'll also weld up new sticks.
Like I said, if he's building it that way, I would imagine he'll build it that way.
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sidestick stirrer
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by sidestick stirrer »

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DanWEC
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by DanWEC »

Using my opposite hand, yesterday I tried wiping my ass then brushing my teeth, Neither went well- and the order proved suspect.
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AirFrame
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by AirFrame »

ahramin wrote:Like I said, if he's building it that way, I would imagine he'll build it that way.
The stick weldments come as a pre-welded unit from the factory. Jigging up 5-6 small pieces of thin steel tubing and plate and getting the alignment all just so to match the factory piece is a decidedly non-trivial task. For one thing, nobody building an RV needs welding equipment as those parts are all pre-made for you (and painted/powder coated for you as well).

From memory... The pilot's stick is ~1" dia from the weldment up to the grip. The passenger's weldment has a 1" tube as well, but it only extends about 2" above the last weld. There it's cut off, and the next size smaller tube with the grip on it slides in and is fixed with a bolt (or a quick-release pin if your passenger is on that side). Mine has a bolt, but I fly from the left seat.
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ahramin
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by ahramin »

I guess it depends on what kind of builder you are. The panel in the RV-6 I'm working on was machined from a solid block of aluminium. I don't expect people to go to that extreme, but personally I don't know any builders that are limited to assembling things exactly as they come from the factory. Fabricating and welding are still common skills in some circles, though the demographic is admittedly getting pretty old.
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Schooner69A
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Re: Left or right Stick Handling?

Post by Schooner69A »

When flying formation in the normal position - i.e. wingtip clearance - stick in the right hand, throttle in left hand is much preferred; I can do it the other way around, but it is work whereas flying from the right seat is a cakewalk. The sticks will not be changed as the "removeable" stick will not be; indeed, of all the RVs here on the field, there's only a few who have ever done so, even during the "COPA For Kids" events that we run. Further, having flown many hours in single-seat aircraft and several years of co-captain corporate work, my preferred hand for radio work, flaps, etc is my left hand. (The only time I had to switch hands to work the flaps was when flying the Chipmunk and that was because DeHavilland engineers hated pilots) It is interesting to note that I had no trouble upon commencement of flying left seat in aircraft fitted with a yoke: for some reason, yoke in left hand, throttle(s) in right was quite natural. Indeed, there was an initial feeling of "awkwardness" when switching to the right seat to instruct.

I don't consider resale value to be a problem, especially if the potential buyer has any throttle left/stick right time. It's kind of like building a RV-4, -6, -7, or -9: yes, you will lose potential sales to some folks who have never flown tail-draggers; however, there are enough drivers out there who love them.

PS Sulako: we used to natter when I was down east in NB; you still in ON?
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