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ground adjustable or in-flight adjustable pedals

Rv8bill

Member
Just took delivery of my QB fuselage. Trying to decide which rudder pedal option is best for me. Anyone know what weight penalty comes with in-flight adjustable pedals? I'm 6'3" so the ability to stretch my legs on a long CC flight may be worth considering. What else should I consider?
 
Installation of the ground adjustable pedals will be more difficult on the QB fuselage. The kit and instructions are really set up for the in-flight adjustable pedals. Holes are pre-punched, just install nut-plates. QB probably has the nut plates already there.

I'm installing the ground adjustable pedals into my standard build fuselage right now. It involves drilling out, possibly moving and adding a whole bunch of new rivet holes. Nothing is pre-punched. The drilling chips and deburring will be a pain with the fuselage bottom skins riveted on. Nothing abnormal when the fuselage is still in pieces.

Not sure what the weight savings are, I can weigh the whole bag later today as a point of comparison. Hopefully someone with a brand new bag of in-flight adjustable pedals can weigh their kit to offer the difference.

I'm likely to be the only pilot flying my plane, so the weight and cost savings are what affected my decision.
 
I bought the inflight adjustable originally but decided they looked like a kind of wobbly affair so returned them and went with ground adjustable. I did include the underfloor nutplates for the inflight ones in case I ever changed my mind. They would be hard to put in after since they are inside the cooling ramp.

Added a hole in the baggage compartment wall at each adjust station to get a socket on the right side nuts without having to remove the baggage compartment wall. In case I ever did need to ground adjust.

So far - have never had to adjust pedal position since currently I’m the only pilot. My son did fly the RV early on (I’m 5-7 he’s 5-11) but he just removed the back rest cushion. I’m happy with the solid feel of the pedals.

If different height pilots will be flying the inflight adjustable would be good if not the ground adjustable are fine - IMHO.
 
I think you have to have the in-flight adjustable in order to put in the rear seat rudder pedals. Having the option of getting an instructor back there some day seems like a good idea to me.

C Dominey
Alvin, Tex
 
I think you have to have the in-flight adjustable in order to put in the rear seat rudder pedals. Having the option of getting an instructor back there some day seems like a good idea to me.

C Dominey
Alvin, Tex

I've read that the rear pedals aren't very good because they require about 4 times the force as the front pedals. My dad is a CFI and was thinking about adding RV-8 to his instructor repertoire. It seems most people are given RV tail dragger training from the right side of RV-7's though because of the limitation of the back seat of RV-8's.
 
The ground adjustable pedals are designed to work with the rear pedals.

I would suggest anyone planning on using the ground adjustable pedals install them early in the build before you rivet the firewall or gear leg towers to the floor. There are conflicts with the existing rivet locations that make it very frustrating to install them later.
 
The ground adjustable pedals are designed to work with the rear pedals.

I would suggest anyone planning on using the ground adjustable pedals install them early in the build before you rivet the firewall or gear leg towers to the floor. There are conflicts with the existing rivet locations that make it very frustrating to install them later.

This ^^ !

I had planned on ground-adjustable. But, didn't realize this until after I riveted the bottom skins. The idea of drilling into a void that I'd just fay-sealed put me off so much, that I decided to go buy the "in-flight adjustable" rudder pedal kit.

I don't like that the handle just flops around when the pedals aren't fully extended. I'm going to have to do something about that.
 
Perhaps things have changed, but there was no difficulty installing ground adjustable (fixed) pedals in a circa 2006 QB fuselage.

At 6'-3", you're not going to move fixed pedals, and there is more free floor space to move around.
 
GA pedals weight 54oz

My ground adjustable rudder pedals weigh 54oz. That's the whole kit as it comes from Vans, just took the bag of parts and set it on the scale.
 
You make a good point that I had not considered. I was thinking that on long CC flights I might extend the pedals for comfort but my height may necessitate the pedals be in the farthest position anyway. Oshkosh is only a few months away. I'll get a first hand look at both arrangements then decide. A lot of good points. Thanks for making me think.
 
is somebody else ever going to fly your plane

If other pilots will be taking your plane up, changing the pedals is a PIA.
I'm 6'6" so went with the ground adjustable route. On long flights I was able to put my feet underneath the pedals and rest them on the firewall, pretty comfy overall. It also allowed me to get the pedals forward as far as possible, which shouldn't be a consideration at 6'3", unless your torso is strangely disproportionate to your legs.
 
Pedals

If other pilots will be taking your plane up, changing the pedals is a PIA.
I'm 6'6" so went with the ground adjustable route. On long flights I was able to put my feet underneath the pedals and rest them on the firewall, pretty comfy overall. It also allowed me to get the pedals forward as far as possible, which shouldn't be a consideration at 6'3", unless your torso is strangely disproportionate to your legs.

I’m 6’3” with a 34” inseam and I fly with the ground adjustable pedals in the furthest forward position.

Skylor
 
Do the ground adjustable pedals go further forward than the in-flight adjustable pedals?
I have the "no tools adjustable" pedals and in the most forward position they can just hit the firewall, so not sure how the "with tools adjustable" pedals can go further forward.
 
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