Ross7A-builder
Member
Looking at the Infinity MILITARY style grip. Any comments on this one, competitors, advice on grips in general?
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Infinity Aerospace grips?
- Thread starter Ross7A-builder
- Start date
I love mine but not flying yet (does garage/workshop flying count?). I made the decision based on:
1. How the grip fit my hand (best of all the ones I tried)
2. The functions I wanted. PPT trigger, AP disconnect top right, CWS top left, COM Swap thumb. There's an extra pinky finger button not used. Even though I'm using manual pitch and roll trim (simplicity and reliability) I wired the trim hat switch anyway for possible future use.
I rotated both mine about 30* towards the aircraft center for more natural grip.
They are difficult to mount to the RV sticks and the cable is quite large. I fed the cable thru a grommet on the aft side of the stick just above the stick boot top so it is hidden. Lots of posts about where this exit point is and whether it weakens the stick or not. It doesn't in my case (analyzed it). Very difficult to feed the wires in the cable out the bottom of the stick and I don't recommend it.
Most important is #1. Suggest you try out the feel of all the stick grips you are considering.
1. How the grip fit my hand (best of all the ones I tried)
2. The functions I wanted. PPT trigger, AP disconnect top right, CWS top left, COM Swap thumb. There's an extra pinky finger button not used. Even though I'm using manual pitch and roll trim (simplicity and reliability) I wired the trim hat switch anyway for possible future use.
I rotated both mine about 30* towards the aircraft center for more natural grip.
They are difficult to mount to the RV sticks and the cable is quite large. I fed the cable thru a grommet on the aft side of the stick just above the stick boot top so it is hidden. Lots of posts about where this exit point is and whether it weakens the stick or not. It doesn't in my case (analyzed it). Very difficult to feed the wires in the cable out the bottom of the stick and I don't recommend it.
Most important is #1. Suggest you try out the feel of all the stick grips you are considering.
Carl Froehlich
Well Known Member
I used Infinity Grips on all three builds, and will again on #4.
There are tricks on how to run the cable - it depends on the stick. Clock the grip so that your hand is in a resting position. For right hand (RV-8 or co-pilot on side by side) this means the grip is slightly counterclockwise. Opposite for the left hand.
Carl
There are tricks on how to run the cable - it depends on the stick. Clock the grip so that your hand is in a resting position. For right hand (RV-8 or co-pilot on side by side) this means the grip is slightly counterclockwise. Opposite for the left hand.
Carl
KatanaPilot
Well Known Member
Infinity grips are well built and I find them capable and comfortable. Have them in both the RV-7A and the RV-10. They are a PITA to assemble and install as others have mentioned. (So are a lot of things when building an airplane, so don't let this dissuade you.)
Order form is (was) complex and not terribly intuitive. Suggest you never call them unless you want to be on the phone for a very long time listening to the owner ramble on about various unrelated things...
Order form is (was) complex and not terribly intuitive. Suggest you never call them unless you want to be on the phone for a very long time listening to the owner ramble on about various unrelated things...
Avengerboss
Well Known Member
Infinity grips
I have two for sale. PM me if interested.
I have two for sale. PM me if interested.
rmartingt
Well Known Member
And it will be late at night when he calls you back...
I'm not flying yet either but I have flown someone else's airplane with these grips and they are quite comfortable. PITA to assemble but I'd happily do it many times over if it meant I didn't have to fill and sand fiberglass...
dmattmul
Well Known Member
Infinity Stick Grips
I love mine but as others have mentioned a little bit of a PITA to install. The stick has literally thousands of different locations and combinations of type of switch and location, but the order form is "OK" based on the complexity. After installing 3 sets and now a fourth I am finally getting the hang of working on these. JD (owner Infinity Aero) is a Navy F-14 pilot who suffered through a hard landing and has had medical issues to battle through these last 20 years plus. I'm sure it has not been easy on him. He makes a swivel grip (For the stock Infinity grip he sells) that I love and used on my 14 and will on my 10. I made one myself for my sailplane and really like an angle that is comfortable but does add a little to the complexity to the install. Order an extra couple feet of length of wire just in case. He includes grounds for every function, and some have cut these off to reduce the number of conductors. I would not recommend this, and his bundle will fit through your stick if wired carefully. To do this (remove grounds) you need to cut the outer blue sheathing off exposing some pretty small wires to possible damage when you pull though the stick. Again, I would recommend but to each his own.
I love mine but as others have mentioned a little bit of a PITA to install. The stick has literally thousands of different locations and combinations of type of switch and location, but the order form is "OK" based on the complexity. After installing 3 sets and now a fourth I am finally getting the hang of working on these. JD (owner Infinity Aero) is a Navy F-14 pilot who suffered through a hard landing and has had medical issues to battle through these last 20 years plus. I'm sure it has not been easy on him. He makes a swivel grip (For the stock Infinity grip he sells) that I love and used on my 14 and will on my 10. I made one myself for my sailplane and really like an angle that is comfortable but does add a little to the complexity to the install. Order an extra couple feet of length of wire just in case. He includes grounds for every function, and some have cut these off to reduce the number of conductors. I would not recommend this, and his bundle will fit through your stick if wired carefully. To do this (remove grounds) you need to cut the outer blue sheathing off exposing some pretty small wires to possible damage when you pull though the stick. Again, I would recommend but to each his own.
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andoman
Well Known Member
The swivel grip option does away with the need to split the grip to install it. No indexing hole required. In short: a MUCH easier installation.
Pair it with a Pat Hatch Ultimate Trim Relay Board and you will have an easy install. The PH board is especially functional if you are wiring up a second grip.
Aesthetics hint: Go with all black buttons and it won't look like a clown grip...
Pair it with a Pat Hatch Ultimate Trim Relay Board and you will have an easy install. The PH board is especially functional if you are wiring up a second grip.
Aesthetics hint: Go with all black buttons and it won't look like a clown grip...
Ross7A-builder
Member
Always helps to hear from experience. Thx, guys!
I was going to use one, since I work on military planes in my day job, but decided not too as I really did not think I needed all those buttons. I opted for the standard 2 button wood one that vans sold. I am glad I did not get the infinity as I really don’t have my hand on the grip that often. Mainly for take-off and landing. Other times I usually have a hold of the stick below the grip so I can rest my arm on my leg. Or I have autopilot engaged.
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Mikeyb
Well Known Member
Big fan of the PH Aviation board with the HOTAS grip. In addition to being a great interface it solves the trim ambiguity problem.
There has been some concern about the location and size of the hole in the stick. I replaced the Infinity blue cable with 12 conductor 24 gauge multi conductor cable. This limits the hole to 5/16” and allows good strain relief with a grommet. I used all the switches and find it intuitive to use and have never inadvertently operated a switch. The starter and fuel pump use a separate 2 channel relay board.
There has been some concern about the location and size of the hole in the stick. I replaced the Infinity blue cable with 12 conductor 24 gauge multi conductor cable. This limits the hole to 5/16” and allows good strain relief with a grommet. I used all the switches and find it intuitive to use and have never inadvertently operated a switch. The starter and fuel pump use a separate 2 channel relay board.
Attachments
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grayforge
Well Known Member
A small correction: JD was an F-14 RIO, not a pilot.
Infinity grip
I have an Infinity grip in my -8 and although it works well and is pretty solid I think it looks too much like a computer stick grip. My grip is fit nice and tight but you can still see the seam down the middle. I was going to clock it correctly as the original builder has it straight mounted. It would have been a pain in the rear to take it apart, cut a new notch in the stick then trying to get it back together.
I am going to swap it with a Tosten Military grip which is a no brainer and you can reclock it any way you want after installation. The wire bundle is much smaller as well. It’s a really nice looking stick and comes preassembled and ready to mount.
I have an Infinity grip in my -8 and although it works well and is pretty solid I think it looks too much like a computer stick grip. My grip is fit nice and tight but you can still see the seam down the middle. I was going to clock it correctly as the original builder has it straight mounted. It would have been a pain in the rear to take it apart, cut a new notch in the stick then trying to get it back together.
I am going to swap it with a Tosten Military grip which is a no brainer and you can reclock it any way you want after installation. The wire bundle is much smaller as well. It’s a really nice looking stick and comes preassembled and ready to mount.
Roadjunkie1
Well Known Member
Infinity Aerospace stick grip
I love my Infinity grip! Makes me smile every time I get in the airplane! VERY comfortable and I wired all but two of the switches. I have it rotated a little counterclockwise to fit my hand. I really like the lateral "shelf" that my hand rests on when I'm not "gripping" the stick (which I do for landings and take offs). Is my hand under the grip when I'm cruising? Yes, but SuzieQ is so stable I really don't even NEED a stick when cruising!
Do I have an auto pilot? Yes: Paula in the back seat! I like the colored buttons as they correspond with the "on" lights on the panel: green for taxi light, red for landing light. The gun trigger (aka PTT) is red; china hat is black. Thumb switch: black; little finger (hook down ) is blue.
Was it a PITA to install? I don't have a clue! That was several decades ago! The cable ends in a Molex coupling and is easy to remove when I take out my center (radio, etc) console.
Would I get another one if I thought of building another airplane? Absolutely!
I love my Infinity grip! Makes me smile every time I get in the airplane! VERY comfortable and I wired all but two of the switches. I have it rotated a little counterclockwise to fit my hand. I really like the lateral "shelf" that my hand rests on when I'm not "gripping" the stick (which I do for landings and take offs). Is my hand under the grip when I'm cruising? Yes, but SuzieQ is so stable I really don't even NEED a stick when cruising!
Do I have an auto pilot? Yes: Paula in the back seat! I like the colored buttons as they correspond with the "on" lights on the panel: green for taxi light, red for landing light. The gun trigger (aka PTT) is red; china hat is black. Thumb switch: black; little finger (hook down ) is blue.Was it a PITA to install? I don't have a clue! That was several decades ago! The cable ends in a Molex coupling and is easy to remove when I take out my center (radio, etc) console.
Would I get another one if I thought of building another airplane? Absolutely!
rapid_ascent
Well Known Member
I did quite a bit of rewiring on mine. Brand new they are very difficult to assemble, but with some lacing or wire ties to organize the wires in the grip mine are much easier to assemble now. I ended up combining some of the grounds and using smaller wire so I could have a smaller hole in my stick. Depending on how you use the switches determines how things can be combined. This is not really required but many people do make this change. The cable that comes with the stick is a large diameter.
The actual assembly and positioning on the stick is a little tricky, but not really that bad once you figure it out. It is difficult to determine the stick / panel clearance without it being installed on the stick and to install it on the stick you are basically committed to the position.
The actual assembly and positioning on the stick is a little tricky, but not really that bad once you figure it out. It is difficult to determine the stick / panel clearance without it being installed on the stick and to install it on the stick you are basically committed to the position.
dmattmul
Well Known Member
Keeping the original insulation on
The OEM cable has a very nice outer protective insulation I did not want to disturb. Besides modifying runs the risk of wiring issues. Polish the hole edges and slightly round said edges. You can also coat with a thin epoxy mixture. Having dedicated grounds for each function has its advantages. (Pick and choose which functions to wire copilot grip switch disabling)
The OEM cable has a very nice outer protective insulation I did not want to disturb. Besides modifying runs the risk of wiring issues. Polish the hole edges and slightly round said edges. You can also coat with a thin epoxy mixture. Having dedicated grounds for each function has its advantages. (Pick and choose which functions to wire copilot grip switch disabling)
Attachments
Mikeyb
Well Known Member
Hole in stick
It’s worth bringing this up as some of the most experienced RV types bring up the danger of a hole in the stick near the pivot.
https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=39696
Paraphrasing the thread:
Vans guidance:
“Any hole anywhere in the control stick will reduce its strength. The nearer this hole is to the pivot point of the stick (where the bending forces are higher), the greater will be the severity of the strength loss. Van's recommends that builders do not drill holes anywhere in the control stick, particularly near the pivot point. Generally, the accepted routing for electrical signal wires is through the opening on the bottom of the control stick.”
“I tested a 3/4 x .035 section of moly I had handy, drilled 7/16 hole. Stuck it in a vice, Hole 1" high and pulled-- Did fail at the hole!( ripped) Just started to bend at 100 lbs on my crude pull scale and failed at about 120 lbs pulling 12" from the hole.”
It was argued this was plenty of margin for flight using the 5lb per G number but could be exceed in the event of a control jam.
In retrospect running it outside the tube on my -8 would have been safer option and it really isn’t in the way or visible.
It’s worth bringing this up as some of the most experienced RV types bring up the danger of a hole in the stick near the pivot.
https://vansairforce.net/community/showthread.php?t=39696
Paraphrasing the thread:
Vans guidance:
“Any hole anywhere in the control stick will reduce its strength. The nearer this hole is to the pivot point of the stick (where the bending forces are higher), the greater will be the severity of the strength loss. Van's recommends that builders do not drill holes anywhere in the control stick, particularly near the pivot point. Generally, the accepted routing for electrical signal wires is through the opening on the bottom of the control stick.”
“I tested a 3/4 x .035 section of moly I had handy, drilled 7/16 hole. Stuck it in a vice, Hole 1" high and pulled-- Did fail at the hole!( ripped) Just started to bend at 100 lbs on my crude pull scale and failed at about 120 lbs pulling 12" from the hole.”
It was argued this was plenty of margin for flight using the 5lb per G number but could be exceed in the event of a control jam.
In retrospect running it outside the tube on my -8 would have been safer option and it really isn’t in the way or visible.
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