Has anyone ever installed a control yoke in a RV instead of a control stick? I have 31 years flying with yokes and do not wish to convert to a control stick.
Has anyone ever installed a control yoke in a RV instead of a control stick? I have 31 years flying with yokes and do not wish to convert to a control stick.
Has anyone ever installed a control yoke in a RV instead of a control stick? I have 31 years flying with yokes and do not wish to convert to a control stick.
I think you might risk being voted off the RV island with that question.
Sticks are much more intuitive to fly than yokes, just point the thing where you want to go, and you are there.
If it is the safety thing you are worried about, a good harness w/ sub-strap should make you feel better about that.
Since you grew up with yokes, you are probably very comfortable with flying with your left hand, so that is not an issue.
As for the "transition" to yokes, what's to transition? You are transitioning to a new plane, with different switches, flight characteristics, etc. The stick is just part of it.
Regarding the right hand / left hand thing, I will occasionally fly my RV from the right seat. Not a big deal switching back and forth.
PS. Welcome to the VAF forum!
I am pretty sure that this mod would drastically reduce the value of the plane.
Vern, You may have something as the original question is the first and only post by lowing but in his defense his public profile indicates that he is a 172 pilot building a RV-6.You must be 'yoking!'
I had no problem going from the yokes in 150's and 172's (left hand yoke, right hand throttle) to sticks in the J-3 and Stearman (right hand sick, left hand throttle). Either one seemed as natural as walking. However, for some reason I'm not quite sure I understand, the one time a flew a side-by-side RV6 from the left seat I could not keep my right hand from wanting to grab the stick, and was always having to switch hands to operate throttle, flaps, radios, etc. It seemed especially awkward in the pattern. If I ever build a side by side, I'll seriously consider a left hand throttle quadrant, if not dual quadrants.
Thanks for all your replies. I guess I need to find someone with a RV who would give me some stick time to try it out. I suppose I should have supplied a little more information about myself and the reason for my question. First I should have mentioned it is a RV-6A. I have only seen a few RV?s in person and they had sticks and prompted the question for the yokes.
I have never been in an airplane with a stick yet alone to fly one. I have flown with yokes for 31 years and wonder at age 70 if an old dog can be taught new tricks. I want to be safe and would feel more comfortable with yokes. I am a mechanical designer and designing a yoke set up is not a problem. BD-4 planes have both options why not RV?s; at least the side by side models? On long cross country?s I like to move around a bit and it seems I would not have that freedom with a stick between my legs. I have read a post of a RV pilot not being able to land nicely with 100 hours in his plane. Also I see a lot of RV?s for sale with low hours since built; why I ask.
My reason for choosing the RV was it?s speed otherwise I would keep flying my Spam can 172. It may be a moot point though, because I may not live lone enough to complete the construction anyhow.
Steve Roper
N20074
Took us about 2 hrs...... but I suspect that you will adapt to the stick within ten hours or so. ...