Stick grips

[grayforge]

Tosten is at the top of my list too. While the infinity would be great for an RV-8 (being a tandem aircraft), I like the ambidextrousness of the Tosten.

[roee]

Originally Posted by grayforge

Tosten is at the top of my list too. While the infinity would be great for an RV-8 (being a tandem aircraft), I like the ambidextrousness of the Tosten.

That's interesting, I would have thought the opposite -- that it's tandem aircraft where you'd want an ambidextrous stick grip, not side-by-sides.

In the left seat of a side-by-side model, the airplane is flown with the left hand always, so the right hand (presumably the dominant hand) is free for writing and manipulating panel controls. So you can just go with a left-handed stick grip (I have a left-handed grip for the left seat and a right-handed grip for the right seat). That being the case, I see no advantage to an ambidextrous stick grip in the side-by-side, at least no for the left seat.

On the other hand, in a tandem aircraft that is normally flown with the right (dominant) hand, you may want to switch hands occasionally so you can use your right (dominant) hand to write and/or operate controls on the right side of the panel. So that's where an ambidextrous stick grip may be advantageous.

Though in either case, I don't see that as a major concern. If/when you do switch hands, it'll be for just short periods of time, and you generally wouldn't be manipulating any switches on the stick grip during that time. You'd be busy doing something else, whatever it is you're using your dominant hand for.

[Wayne Gillispie]

that I made. Both out of a 2" X 2" X 12" block. PTT and AP Disc(Pilot side only). I also fly with two or three fingers except for takeoff and landing. I adjust pitch trim on the panel rocker beside throttle before TO, at TOC, TOD and back in the pattern. I rarely use roll trim. I have hit ident maybe 10X in 100+ hrs.

[OLDSAM]

I bought the Infinity grips because of the way they fit my hand, and because the switch number and arrangement will let me run and execute the entire pre-landing checklist (assuming the tank was selected and the mixture set rich before getting close to the airport traffic pattern) without taking my hands off throttle and stick.

It will be a while before I need them, but I try to make one significant purchase at OSH each year while I wander around drooling.

[Loman]

I have Tostens though I have yet to fit them.

One advantage of the Tosten grips is that they are retained by a grub screw running in a groove around the base of the grip shaft. This means you can adjust the tension so that they can twist to the exact orientation needed by your left hand versus your right hand every time you switch, and the grip still can't come off. You get to keep your wrist straight on either arm .

Of course if you don't like the feeling of that, you can always tighten them up so that they are permanently oriented to your default hand.

[rdoerr01]

I will also vote for the Infinity Grips. I have 2 in my RV-10, the functions are as follows:

Toggle for flaps
Hat for Aileron and Elevator Trim, if pinkie switch held then Hat left/right is Rudder Trim
Top button is Com 1/2 Swap
Thumb button is AP CWS/Disconnect
Pinkie button is Com1 Act/Stby Swap


Thanks

Ray
N519RV 40250

[jjconstant]

...although they were called CH grips when I got them, way back when

One word of advice: whichever grips you get, just because there are buttons available doesn't mean you have to use them all I struggled to find a use for all of them and wound up putting radio toggle on the button below the trigger. On my first taxi out I was talking to ground and taxiing with the stick fully back. I realized after a while that things were a lot quieter on the radio than the activity I was observing. Turns out that I had inadvertantly toggled to the other radio because that button was under my middle finger and the trigger is under the index finger, which I was avoiding using as well.

Well, I'm a slow learner so it took two more times of inadvertantly changing frequecies before I just disconnected the button. I've never missed it

[grayforge]

Originally Posted by roee

That's interesting, I would have thought the opposite -- that it's tandem aircraft where you'd want an ambidextrous stick grip, not side-by-sides.

In the left seat of a side-by-side model, the airplane is flown with the left hand always, so the right hand (presumably the dominant hand) is free for writing and manipulating panel controls. So you can just go with a left-handed stick grip (I have a left-handed grip for the left seat and a right-handed grip for the right seat). That being the case, I see no advantage to an ambidextrous stick grip in the side-by-side, at least no for the left seat.

On the other hand, in a tandem aircraft that is normally flown with the right (dominant) hand, you may want to switch hands occasionally so you can use your right (dominant) hand to write and/or operate controls on the right side of the panel. So that's where an ambidextrous stick grip may be advantageous.

Though in either case, I don't see that as a major concern. If/when you do switch hands, it'll be for just short periods of time, and you generally wouldn't be manipulating any switches on the stick grip during that time. You'd be busy doing something else, whatever it is you're using your dominant hand for.

Good points Roee. Maybe it's just aesthetics to me. A tandem seems more like a fighter and a side by side, more of a commuter. That's why an Infinity seems more at home in an RV-8 to me. Also, in a side by side, I may be switching seats with my wife who's getting her pilot's license. It seems like it would be odd for the grip to switch orientations when I switch seats.

[Snowflake]

I mounted my Tostens pointing straight ahead, no twist to account for left or right seat. They're perfectly comfortable that way, and don't feel out of place when you switch hands.

[Rockyjs]

One more vote for Tosten grips. I fly aircraft with both Infinity (RV-8A, Wheeler Express) and Tosten (RV-7) grips. The switch tactile feel is much nicer in the Tosten grip. Just my $.02.