Infinity grip

[Ron B.]

I would have asked Infinity, but it's clear on his site he's busy, so I'll ask the experts here. We are looking into the option of having a co-pilote disconnect. Our options are;
(1)ability to disconnect the stick grip functions to co-pilot.
(2) ability to switch from both, to pilot only , to co-pilot only.
(3) no disconnect at all

We are a build group of four building an RV-10. My personal preference is # 1 as I do not like having an extra possible failure mod on the pilots control (broken switch).
A partner choses #2 as he says if the co-pilot has control and the pilot is looking up information on a map etc, he could inadvertantly hit the functions like trim and cause a situation. My take on this is for the flight crew to take precautions. But no precaution can forsee a switch failure and with such all stick functions could ber lost on both sticks.
I also do not like #3 as with none pilots this could be a problem.

What is the consensus?
Thanks Ron

 

[Pat Stewart]

Grip

On the last RV8 I built I ran the grounds to a switch so I could control the back stick. On a side by side or the RV10 I'm not sure it's needed. I am currently building a 10 and plan on both sticks being active.

My 2 cents

Pat Stewart

 

[[email protected]]

I choose number 1 for when I have kids in the front seat.

 

[orchidman]

Like Pat, on my -10, I have a mini-lock-out switch on the instrument panel connected to the common ground on the co-pilots stick. I can enable or cut-out the co-pilots stick switches.

 

[Ron B.]

Thanks for the responces, does anyone implement # 2? My partner says infinity recomends # 2 but I can't find where they state that on their web page?
Ron

 

[dhall_polo]

switch for the motor functions

I have a "copilot grip" on/off switch which controls only the motor functions on the copilot stick: flaps, both trims, smoke. Like others, I'm just toggling ground for those switches. The copilot PTT and com-flip always work, as does cws (control wheel steering).

The next question is if the copilot stick is enabled, can anything bad happen if pilot and copilot apply opposite inputs for flaps or trim? Test it. I verified that if you apply opposite inputs like trim-up and trim-down simultaneously to those ray allen trim motors, nothing bad happens. IIRC, the motor just stops until there's only one input, up or down. The same behavior is true if you're using the vans flap controller, (good job on the design by afs). For smoke, there's no such thing as opposite input, so if either switch is on, smoke is on.

 

[Bruce]

Ron,

I did not hook up the flap switch on the co side.
This was my only concern when someone else
was flying and hit that.
I have these all hooked up:
coolie hat
ident
smoke
PTT
auto disconnect

Note: I did not ground the flap switch co
side and that is an easy fix or hook it to
a small switch on panel for when GOOD
pilots are flying with you and you can use
it.

Boomer

 

[Ron B.]

We are installing the safety trim and safety flaps to deal with opposite control inputs. We are also going to have the grounds switched on the co- pilot side for sure. Probably only switching the trims and flaps.
Thanks Ron