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control stick grips

K

Karee Brinlee

Active Member
Hey group,
What are most doing for control stick grips. I looked at Van's store and did not see what I felt I wanted.
Do you control flaps trim and push to talk on the sticks. Seems to me that would be convenient.
Karee
 
Hey Karee

Infinity stick grips are my choice. I have used them on six different planes.

Not cheap, but very useable.

Carr
 
+1

Carr said:
Hey Karee

Infinity stick grips are my choice. I have used them on six different planes.

Not cheap, but very useable.

Carr
Click to expand...

Great grips.
 

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Tosten

Mine are Tosten Military grips.
PTT, Hat, Flaps, Flip/Flop, and CWS (Control Wheel Steering)
One unused switch for future.
Midwest Panel did the laser etching.
20231009_155404.jpg
 
I liked the Ray Allen grips. It’s totally personal preference. I was looking for grips that were soft and not too “military” looking.
 

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I recently replaced my Ray Allen grips with Pioneer Lite grips. I like them and good customer service.
 
I went wit a Tosten Military grip on the pilot side, and since I didn't put any switches at all on the copilot stick I'll eventually stick something simple on there.

Caution; It's easy to get button happy with these stick grips because they are so easy to customize and add stuff to. I've flown a couple of planes over the years where if you were unfamiliar with the airplane you're afraid to make a move because you might ident or flip flop comms etc. by accident. Now guys are putting the flap switch on the stick because they can. 'm not a fan.
 
Stick grips are another topic for unending debate. Do a search and you will find many threads.
For general aviation there is no need to have all the buttons of a military style grip. My Keep it Simple philosophy makes only PTT and pitch trim on the stick. I used the wood two button grip Van sells on pilot side and one button grip on passenger stick. The varnished wood looks great and appropriate.
 
+1 for nothing more than a PTT on the stick. The grip on mine is a simple foam sleeve from a Zimmer frame (not mine...yet!)

I think it would be risky to put flaps on the stick in case of inadvertent deployment above VFE.

The other plane I fly has trim on the stick (Ray Allen G205) but I don't care for the awkwardness.

But it's your plane! So decide what YOU want and go with it...:)
 
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I also thought it was cool to have all this stuff on the grip. One day I am in rough turbulence and after a while wondered why haven't I heard fom ATC. In all the bouncing and grabbing, I had hit the flip flop button. Button was gone the next day. I often hit the AP button accidently on rough wx landings, but keep it there as it is one of those things that can require an immediate disconnect.

My recommendation is to keep only the stuff there if you can accept an inadvertent application that you may not be aware of. I will never understand why someone would put a flap or starter button on a grip. Almost zero benefit with all sorts of downside. My flap switch is accessible while my hand is on the throttle whenever I would want flaps, so why put it on the grip. Boost pump the same. Better to lay out the panel this way than throw a bunch of stuff on the grip.
 
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Stick grip

Karee,

I see that you are interested in an RV-4 from your personal info. Having owned a tailwheel RV-3, RV-4 and now an RV-8 I absolutely endorse having the starter on the stick. Trying to hot start a tail dragger on a windy day and doing the throttle/mixture dance with only two hands, taking my hand off the stick is not an option. I once saw a taildragger using a key switch on the right side try a hot start on a windy day. The engine roared to life (not sure of his hot start technique) and I guess he couldn’t get his right hand to the stick fast enough. You guessed it, nosed right over on the prop. He eventually got the engine overhauled and a new prop. If he would have had the stick full aft the whole time during start it would have been a non event. Maybe having the starter on the left would have helped.

Easy to incorporate a consent switch of some type that has to turned on to enable the starter button on the stick grip.

I also have the flap switch on the grip but don’t particularly like that option, would rather have it somewhere near my left hand. Haven’t had any issues because the flap switch is up high on the grip but all these options are user preference.

I’ve used old military grips, the Infinity grip in the plane now and a Tosten Military grip that was engraved by Midwest panel sitting in my hangar with a new stick ready to go. I haven’t put it in yet but I really like it being fully assembled when I got it. Installation on the stick is also simple unlike the Infinity. You can easily clock it to your preference and if you don’t like it you can rotate it and clock it again to a different position with a simple Allen wrench. You can’t do that with the Infinity- it’s one and done or you have to take the whole thing apart and cut a new slot in the stick to remount it. Yes it can be done but a real pain in the butt.

Lots of different techniques and products to choose from, use whatever works for you.
 
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Unsuccessfully tried to 3D print one.
Ended up using one from an old game controller joystick.
Hat switch for trim (and positioning spot light after pressing a select button).
Trigger is PTT.
Autopilot engage/disengage.
Button to select alternative engine monitor display page.

Flap switch is on end of my throttle handle.

Starter switch reachable with hand on throttle.

All engine, transponder and radio controls (switches) are on left side.

Finn
 
Flap switch

The system can be set to prevent flap deployment over set air speed. Also all sorts of trim settings.
By the way, it's an RV14 stick design so I suspect there's more than mine built that way.
Incan always move the switch to the panel. No sweat. I built an airplane. :D
 
I used the Infinity grip on all three flying RVs, and will do so again on the current RV-10 project.

I’ve never had a switch failure on this grip (first flight was 20+ years ago). On the first plane I had the start switch on the stick and immediately figured out that was a mistake and deactivated it (so don’t do that). On the second RV (RV-10) I did add a trim and flap permission switch (center bottom of the panel) to select the pilot or co-pilot having control of the flaps and trim. Simple enough to do by having the selector switch control the grip common ground. I recommend doing this on any two grip installs. You don’t want a non-pilot in the passenger seat putting out flaps or playing with trim. The other byproduct is having a backup grip if you somehow manage to break the pilot grip. I did add a flap permissive switch on the panel to enable lowering the flaps (flaps up still worked no matter the switch position) as I was concerned the new owner at the time might mess this up. Never happened and I don’t add that panel switch any more.

I do not have any incidents of a switch being inadvertently activated - other than when I used the bottom pinky switch for engine start (my leg got it once very early on when doing control checks before takeoff). After that I don’t use that switch for anything. If you want, using it for XPDR ident should be safe enough.

I’ve flown with other grips, so pros/cons on each and a lot of personal builder preference goes into this selection. I can state I did not like the RC Allen G205 grip - and do not recommend it.

One last point - look at the wire gauge on the grip cable. I would not use anything smaller than #22. This is for robustness to wear and tear more than current handling.

I forgot to add labeling. On the first build the local FSDO office signed it off (wouldn’t be nice if they still did this?). His one comment was the switches on the grip were not labeled. I printed out a color coded switch guide and used clear packing tape to mount it on the panel. The guide was perhaps 1”x1”. Simple like “RED - PTT, TOP HAT - TRIM, TOGGLE - FLAPS, BLACK - COMM F/F, GRN - AP DISCON). He was happy with this.

Carl
 
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Infinity Aerospace stick grip

Karee Brinlee said:
Hey group,
What are most doing for control stick grips. I looked at Van's store and did not see what I felt I wanted. Do you control flaps trim and push to talk on the sticks. Seems to me that would be convenient.
Karee
Click to expand...

Grips are a personal preference thing depending on what you like the looks of (you will be looking at it for a long time!) and what you want it to do. As with the above posts, some people want it to be a place to put ones hand while flying. Nothing else. Others like the functionality of the grip.

I am really a fan of my Infinity grip. I sat for a long time in the cockpit moving it around until I found just the right position. And, after several decades and 1200+ hours, I still like how it sits and "fits". And the functions of the switches.

Can one get "button happy" with this style of grip? Yes. Keeping it simple and what you might need to use without taking your hand off the grip is what one needs to consider. Mine: trigger: PTT; red thumb: landing light; green thumb: taxi light (both through a relay); China hat: left: radio frequency list; right: flip-flop; forward: ident; aft: nothing; blue pinky: midair fueling disconnect; black pinky: air brake. OK: the last two are for my imagination. :p

I like having everything I have on the stick on the stick. I like the looks of the stick. I don't remember accidently flip/flopping or channel change, nor ident. Those buttons are actually a relatively long distance from where my hand usually sits. I would not put starter on without an isolation switch (one more failure point). My flaps are manual. I can see those on the China hat. Yes, I do have switches I don't use but really like having those that I have. No plans to hook anything else up but that is why these airplanes can be done how one likes them to be done! I have, since this picture was taken, labeled my grip. And done a bunch of other things (like painting the throttle and mixture knobs;)); this was taken about 1000 hours ago. :) Have fun figuring yours out!:D
 

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I like the HOTAS approach and the Infinity grip and used all the functions including the starter. It took little time until I could control everything without thinking.
Besides the possibility of inadvertent operation (which has not been an issue for me) the other thing that you have to come to terms (grips?) with is Vans concern about the wiring through the stick and the effect of a large hole near the stick pivot. The stock infinity cable needs a hole that is pretty big. I retired mine to minimize the hole but if I was to do it again I would run it on the outside of the stick. On a -8 the stick boot covers almost the entire stick.

https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=39696
 
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Mikeyb said:
SNIP…..the other thing that you have to come to terms (grips?) with is Vans concern about the wiring through the stick and the effect of a large hole near the stick pivot. The stock infinity cable needs a hole that is pretty big.
Click to expand...

I agree - for any grip cable. I used a piece of the stick that got cut off to make a doubler for this hole. The hole come out the forward side of the stick, a few inches about the pivot point. The cut off piece of stick is cut in half and it is welded over the hole in the stick. The end product should be stranger than the stick with no hole.

Carl
 
Ray Allen for me.

I had a problem with one of the switches on mine recently, and they put it right. No question.

Can't ask for more than that.

- mark
 
newt said:
Ray Allen for me.
I had a problem with one of the switches on mine recently, and they put it right. No question. Can't ask for more than that. - mark
Click to expand...

It's been years ago but I had a problem with my Infinity Aerospace grip China hat switch. At least I thought I did. I notified JD and a new switch arrived several days later, no questions asked.

I found out it was my installation that was the problem, not the switch. I called him and asked if I should send it back and he said keep it in case I needed it later. Can't beat that, either.....:) Have not had to replace it.
 
I always kind of wanted military-style grips like the Tostens (because cool) for my airplane, but the original builder had other ideas and went with the Ray Allens. I've contemplated re-doing them to something more fighter-pilot-ish, but wasn't interested enough to do all that re-wiring (all I have on the left-side grip is PTT and autopilot disconnect). After reviewing my priorities, I'm just gonna leave it alone. The Ray Allens are great grips. They're not fighter-pilot cool, but they're reliable and very functional.
 
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