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Passenger stick SB

Zero4Zulu

Well Known Member
This Van's SB 07-2-6 Says "Affixing the passenger control stick permanently"

My passenger stick has the push button to release/remove the stick. Do I need to change this to a bolt?
 
This Van's SB 07-2-6 Says "Affixing the passenger control stick permanently"

My passenger stick has the push button to release/remove the stick. Do I need to change this to a bolt?

Need is an important word. I don't allow passengers to fly the airplane in the proximity of the ground, so I'm not worried about it popping out in the round-out or whatever. My stick isn't bolted in, pinned, in, or anything. I don't think it needs to be.

On the other hand, if you do training in the airplane or allow right seaters to perform takeoffs, landings, or formation flight, I'd bolt it in.
 
self locking pin

If the pin attaching the upper portion of the stick is installed correctly, it will not come out by itself. This is an example like a lot of others of a builder error becoming a service bulletin.
 
Feds view vs. experimental flexability.

A few years ago, we had an RV-8 double fatality in our area. During the FAA investigation, the AFT stick was noted to have a different retention than the SB callout, and they seemed to hover over this a bit. While it ultimately wasn't likely the cause of the accident it may play part in someone's case if there was a different outcome. While I don't believe the SB's are technically governed by the FED (in exp. aircraft), I would caution what is in the aircraft if the SB was documented in the logs. Since there are so many RV's being flown by non-builder owners, its worth seeing what your books say vs. what is actually there. This isn't just about the stick retention, but any VANS SB.
 
Couple of things-

The original design had no retention mechanism at all, just the stick stuck down in the socket. I believe there was a landing mishap where the right seater pulled the stick out, and that resulted in the Service Bulletin.

Second point. Even on Type Certificated aircraft, the FAA have no say in whether or not you comply with service bulletins. Even the ones that say "mandatory" really aren't unless they have been incorporated into and AD.

I say this because of the post a couple up from mine; Yeah, during an investigation they may want to see that the service bulletins are complied with, and yeah, the lack of compliance might be causal and open you up to some liability, but in this case, they aren't the boss of you...
 
Put a bolt in. Took mine out when I was doing YE. I started doing formation and the instructor tried to demonstrate a emergency maneuver and the stick came out. The look on his face was scary. He would not get in the plane again till he saw the bolt.
 
In Australia the regs say that if you have to undo a bolt to remove or replace the stick, you have to have a 2 person inspection when it is replaced. the silly thing is, that if it is held by a pip pin or similar, which allows easy removal, there is no need for a 2 person inspection.
I reckon the loads on the attaching method are so small that it doesn't matter either way.
 
I installed passenger stick with bolt. I have remove to remove the stick as required. This is experimental so the plans can be deviated from.
 
I use a locking pip type pin where the locking wire on the head goes around the stick and clips over the protruding portion of the pin. Seems to be pretty secure and makes it easy to install or remove the stick depending on the passenger needs (BFR/instruction or room to knit :D)
Figs
 
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