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Contol Stick Hits Throttle

D

DSmith

Well Known Member
Patron
My control stick hits the throttle when it is full forward and full right. I have the Affortable Panel XL (An inch lower than Van's panel) with the control mounting bracket centered and under the panel. I have the Infinity grip.

When I put the grip on I didn't have my seats yet so I sat on cushions and determined how much to cut off the stick so it would feel right and clear the bottom of the panel. I knew it bumped into the throttle but at that time I didn't have the wings on with all the push tubes hooked up - I figured the ailerons would limit the travel of the stick so it wouldn't hit anything. WRONG!!!

I don't see any way around this other than to pull all the control cables and build a new control mounting bracket. It appears that I'll have to move the throttle and prop control over (I don't have mixture since it's a FADEC) and maybe a second row for the cabin heat and parking brake. I looked at the many pictures on this site of panels and it looks like some of those should have had the same problem and I can't help but think I've missed something? Has anyone else run into this? Do you have any suggestions?

I'm getting close to engine start and I'm not happy about this!
Danny
 
You need to cut the stick to your application...


DSmith said:
My control stick hits the throttle when it is full forward and full right. I have the Affortable Panel XL (An inch lower than Van's panel) with the control mounting bracket centered and under the panel. I have the Infinity grip.

When I put the grip on I didn't have my seats yet so I sat on cushions and determined how much to cut off the stick so it would feel right and clear the bottom of the panel. I knew it bumped into the throttle but at that time I didn't have the wings on with all the push tubes hooked up - I figured the ailerons would limit the travel of the stick so it wouldn't hit anything. WRONG!!!

I don't see any way around this other than to pull all the control cables and build a new control mounting bracket. It appears that I'll have to move the throttle and prop control over (I don't have mixture since it's a FADEC) and maybe a second row for the cabin heat and parking brake. I looked at the many pictures on this site of panels and it looks like some of those should have had the same problem and I can't help but think I've missed something? Has anyone else run into this? Do you have any suggestions?

I'm getting close to engine start and I'm not happy about this!
Danny
Click to expand...
 
Darrell is right. Cutting the stick is the most practical solution. I have cut off the stick in my -6 much more than most and it's never been a problem. Most of the time you will fly with your hand resting on your thigh at least half way down the stick.
 
I have the same panel and noticed the same interference while building but when the aileron and elevator control stops are installed, the stick throw is less in all directions and the stick does not hit anything, although it comes close to the panel in the most forward direction.

I would resist the urge to cut the stick until the aircraft is fully assembled and you've flown it the way it was designed. Initially I felt the stick was much to tall but decided to fly it the way it was designed and am quite happy.
 
RE:Cut

Hi Danny

I had the same problem. Fussed about it for a week and then made the decision based on some research......local flying RV7A was used as the template for how much to cut.....

As I sit on my Abby @ Flightline seats with my arm resting on my leg my hand fits on the stick just below the stick grip.

It took some time and hassel removing the wires/cutting/rewiring/resetting the grip but the fit is great with no obstructions for the FAA/DAR to note.

19 plus hours in to phase one and the system works great!!!!!

Frank @ 1L8 & SGU ...RV7A... Phase 1
 
I had to cut about 2" off my control stick to clear the throttle.
Not a problem.

Me too, Rosie
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Don't cut the stick!

Do a search on cutting the stick, there is no reason to do so.

I too have the AF panel, with the switch sub-panel and a center throttle quadrant. Once you connect the controls, you will not hit anything.

As for cutting the stick, I did cut mine down but only so the top of my wood grip was the same height as the original stick.

Van's wrote a great article some time back why you shouldn't cut the stick down. Do some research, find it, and read it. Basically the longer stick makes the plane less twitchy as more movement is required for a little control displacement. In cruise I find myself holding it low but on landing, I hold it up by the top.
 
DAR

Mel... chime in here but, just sitting in the hangar, if the stick will make contact with anything panel or otherwise, I don't think a DAR will give you a ticket for the aircraft.
 
LifeofReiley said:
Mel... chime in here but, just sitting in the hangar, if the stick will make contact with anything panel or otherwise, I don't think a DAR will give you a ticket for the aircraft.
Click to expand...
You may be correct but once he connects all the control surfaces, it shouldn't contact anything.

Besides, he can always cut down after everything is installed, including the stick wires. I cut an inch off the top of mine just before moving to the airport, again, only to bring the top of the stick grip down to the same height as the original stick. It doesn't contact anything with the plane assembled.

I suggest he wait until it is assembled and then if it hits anything, cut it down a little. After he does some flying, he can cut it again, if he likes the feel of a shorter stick.

Just one guys $.02
 
N941WR said:
You may be correct but once he connects all the control surfaces, it shouldn't contact anything.

Besides, he can always cut down after everything is installed, including the stick wires. I cut an inch off the top of mine just before moving to the airport, again, only to bring the top of the stick grip down to the same height as the original stick. It doesn't contact anything with the plane assembled.

I suggest he wait until it is assembled and then if it hits anything, cut it down a little. After he does some flying, he can cut it again, if he likes the feel of a shorter stick.

Just one guys $.02
Click to expand...

Original poster stated the aircraft is assembled with wings and controls attached.
 
Right!

LifeofReiley said:
Mel... chime in here but, just sitting in the hangar, if the stick will make contact with anything panel or otherwise, I don't think a DAR will give you a ticket for the aircraft.
Click to expand...

The stick should be able to move to the limit in all directions without obstruction.
 
What grip?

Does your grip add any height above the stick tube? If it does at least that amount of the stick needs to be cut off. I have the TOSTEN grip, which I love, and it sits on top of the stick and required quite a bit of the stick to be cut off. I don't remember exactly but the top of the grip is now 1 or 2" lower than where the top of the original stick height had came too. Now with my arm resting on my thigh my 2 flying fingers grip the stick just on top of the rest at the bottom of the stick.

N96FS%20Ready%20to%20Fly%20081123%20017.jpg
 
And if you by chance cut the stick too short, it's still not a problem..... maybe,,

When I switched Ray Allen grips, the new grip had a longer base, which required another stick cut.

L.Adamson ---- RV6A
 
I had to cut my stick shorter on my RV-6 a little late in the game for the same reason as you. I was able to do it without removing the stick grip wires. If you can remove the grip and expose the tube with the wires still running down through it, you can just cut the required amount off using a conduit/copper tube pipe cutter. Once the cut is made, use a cut-off wheel in a dremmel tool to slice the cylinder you have, bend it open and remove it. It's quick and for me anyway was much easier than trying to unthread, then re-thread the wiring harness.

Scott
RV-8 FB
 
Scott Hersha said:
I had to cut my stick shorter on my RV-6 a little late in the game for the same reason as you. I was able to do it without removing the stick grip wires. If you can remove the grip and expose the tube with the wires still running down through it, you can just cut the required amount off using a conduit/copper tube pipe cutter. Once the cut is made, use a cut-off wheel in a dremmel tool to slice the cylinder you have, bend it open and remove it. It's quick and for me anyway was much easier than trying to unthread, then re-thread the wiring harness.

Scott
RV-8 FB
Click to expand...
Scott,

That is exactly how I cut mine down.
 
Control Stick Hits Throttle

I had a similar problem and I did not want to cut my stick down as I would had to pull all the wires out that were hooked to my Ray Allen grips. My solution was rather than having throttle, mixture and prop in a line, I put throttle on the left, prop on the right and made a new plate with the mixture below the prop/throttle. It gives me more room for each knob and I did have to rewire my sticks. In other words, it was easier to make a new throttle/prop/mixture plate than cut down the stick, for me.

S S Anderson
RV 7A Flying
Lafayette, La.
 
Everything is hooked up now but it still contacts the throttle.
Danny

reak said:
I have the same panel and noticed the same interference while building but when the aileron and elevator control stops are installed, the stick throw is less in all directions and the stick does not hit anything, although it comes close to the panel in the most forward direction.

I would resist the urge to cut the stick until the aircraft is fully assembled and you've flown it the way it was designed. Initially I felt the stick was much to tall but decided to fly it the way it was designed and am quite happy.
Click to expand...
 
I have my Classic Aero Design interior now so I'm going to put the seats in and see if I can cut the stick any more and still have it tall enough. I'm not looking forward to wrestling the switches, etc. in the Infinity grip but I sure am not looking forward to pulling all the control cables and fabricating a whole new throttle/prop/brake/cabin heat bracket.

Thanks for all the suggestions and you've just confirmed for me that there is not an easy answer.

Danny
 
No need to rewire.

If you have any slack in your wiring (and you should) it is not necessary to rewire to shorten the stick.

I had exactly the same situation when finishing my 7A. At full forward and to the right, my stick would contact the throttle control. While the number of times I will EVER put the stick in that position in flight is quite limited, I shortened the stick to remove the interference.

First, loosen the grip and extend it away from the control stick.

Second, tubing cutter to make the cut.

Third, aviation snips to cut the separated section so you can pass the wires through it. I did it a half inch at a time until I got the result I liked.

Just my two cents.

Yes, snips will happily cut the mild metal the control sticks are made of. :)

JP
 
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