cjensen

cjensen

Well Known Member
I LOVE this idea of the left hand throttle quad and manual trim in this 6, as seen in Doug's photo report from the TX flyin this weekend...

VAF_2614.jpg


This is the airplane...

VAF_2612.jpg


I'd love to see a pic of the setup without the stick in the way!

TIA!!

:cool:
 
Chad,

I flew with a left hand throttle for a while and switched back to a center throttle, the reason is in the photo you posted.

The radio and transponder are such that they have to switched with the right hand which means taking the left hand off the throttle to hold the stick while frequencies are being reset. That was a monumental pain in the butt for me. Unless you can reach everything on the panel with your left hand while flying with the right hand, it won't be as neat as you think.

Just my 2 cents....worth maybe less.
 
David-aviator said:
Chad,

I flew with a left hand throttle for a while and switched back to a center throttle, the reason is in the photo you posted.

The radio and transponder are such that they have to switched with the right hand which means taking the left hand off the throttle to hold the stick while frequencies are being reset. That was a monumental pain in the butt for me. Unless you can reach everything on the panel with your left hand while flying with the right hand, it won't be as neat as you think.

Just my 2 cents....worth maybe less.
Click to expand...

The only thing on my panel that won't be reachable with my left hand is the Xponder, and that will only be set once or twice (if at all) during a flight. My comm is more or less right in front of me.

The only thing that does concern me, and may sway me back to a traditional center quad, is the fact that I do have manual flaps.

I'm still stewing over this, but want more info on this setup...if I can get it.

:)
 
Left throttle

Hi Chad,

I went left hand throttle in our 7A, actually went dual quadrants. Lots of photos etc on the website - specific questions email me.

Web_Img_6521.jpg


As a summary after flying it - I really like it - feels more natural and more relaxing on my shoulders - the left hand is supported by the arm rest if nothing else. There is a little crossing up for go arounds but otherwise I really don't find it a problem.

The change I would make if 'doing it again' would be consider a middle ground - put push/pull controls in the center of the panel plus quadrants on the left. I flew an Alpha 160 for a few hours before the RV and it had dual push/pull like this. Works nicely with whichever hand is most convient.

Just another $0.02

Carl (still waiting for paperwork to go back to flying....)
 
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Thanks Carl! I'll check out your site to get a better idea how you have all that set up. Are the quadrants the one's that Spruce sells?

:cool:
 
ACS - yes, although I ended remaking the levers from stainless steel and we only need black and blue - no red knobs.... Three levers might start to impinge on knee space a bit.

The key is the support / structure for the cable end under the panel along with getting the heights / spacing right.

Carl
 
I spent a lot of time on your site last night Carl...I hadn't been on it since your first flight! Always great info!

I have an idea in my head about supports for the cables, but I wondered about the side posts where the quad is mounted. I didn't find any pics on your site that show how it attaches. Platenuts?

Thanks!

:cool::cool:
 
Don't do it

Hi Chad,

You can certainly built it how you want but there is no need to be concerned about flying with your left hand.

I mentioned this in the past, but I was initially concerned about this as well. With more helicopter time (cyclic in Rt. hand) I thought the transition might be awkward. I can tell you it is no big deal. About 2 hours of time and you'll never know the difference.

As was noted, one of the important aspects is your right hand is free to change work radios, program a GPS etc.. All basic concepts of Cockpit Resourse Management, i.e. Safety. This is the primary reason most helicopters are Right seat PIC. The collective will pretty much stay put leaving your left hand to be free for the above reasons.

The other thing to be concerned with is potential resale. Don't seek a solution for a problem that doesn't exist!!
 
It's not a concern whatsoever...more of a preference. I fly our Diamonds left hand stick/right hand throttle all the time, but I prefer the stick in the right hand like the Cub I did my TW training in. It pretty much feels the same either way, but I prefer left hand throttle/right hand stick.

This is all somewhat exploratory at this point anyway.

I suppose if I sold it someday, I could just put in conventional push/pulls or move the quadrant to the center.

We'll see...it's all "up in the air" at this point.;)

:D
 
Dan C....

Chad,

Don't forget to look at all the info Dan C has about the left-handed quadrant. He's had two different styles now.

C-ya,
 
Questions

Chad,

http://www.rvproject.gen.nz/cockpit.html has the history / development of most of this.

The side plates were drilled and nutplates added to the lower outboard bolt locations, two additional counter sunk screws where added the outboard plate of the quadrant which went into two more nutplates.

Web_Img_4975.jpg


The actual pivot location was made from a small steel disk with a tapped thread which was riveted in place.

Web_Img_5691.jpg


The lower cross bar is screwed to the cable support brackets which are riveted to the skin.

Web_Img_6506.jpg


Make sense?

Carl
 
zkvii said:
Make sense?

Carl
Click to expand...

For the most part...I don't know what this is though...:eek:

Web_Img_5691.jpg


Never seen one before...

I read the entire cockpit page last night, but it was late, so I may have missed some things...

So, there are four nutplates in the side cover to mount the quadrant to? Seems logical, but I have to ask...

I won't have a crossbar under my panel, so if I do something like this, I'll have to adapt a bit.

What size is the quadrant? Looks like the standard Model 2, but could be the half size?
 
Lathe chuck

cjensen said:
For the most part...I don't know what this is though...:eek:

Web_Img_5691.jpg


Never seen one before...
Click to expand...

It is a small milford lathe 3 jaw chuck - just a way of making a small stainless steel tapped bush that could be mounted into the frame. ( http://www.rvproject.gen.nz/dailylog/dailylog_2005-11-04.html - I even have some words to go with the photos! :eek:)

cjensen said:
So, there are four nutplates in the side cover to mount the quadrant to? Seems logical, but I have to ask...
Click to expand...
Yep - sounds like what I did (it was a while a ago.... :eek:) CAD layout that I used is here: http://www.rvproject.gen.nz/reference/ZK-VII-Quadrant.pdf Obviously check before using any layout - but might give you ideas.

cjensen said:
What size is the quadrant? Looks like the standard Model 2, but could be the half size?
Click to expand...

I think it was 'standard' - not sure if it was a VANs or ACS, but all the same size AFAIK.

Carl
 
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