A stick between your knees.......or?

[john smith]

Center stick, throttle on the left.

Some of us fly more unusual aircraft.
The Osprey II has a center stick with the throttle mounted on the center console.
(Kind of like flying an ultralight... you butt is less than a foot off the ground.)

 

[AWACSEng]

I've never flown a stick aircraft, but there just seems something right about it.

 

[jesse]

Yep, I do. Along with some backpressure on the yoke.

I hope that is only when you need backpressure on the yoke during taxi--because with a strong tailwind--that'll promote the tail getting picked up. This is a bigger problem in tailwheels as you don't have anything to stop the forward rotation. In real strong winds--it'll still pose major problems in a nosewheel with incorrect taxi inputs.

 

[KennyFlys]

I hope that is only when you need backpressure on the yoke during taxi--because with a strong tailwind--that'll promote the tail getting picked up. This is a bigger problem in tailwheels as you don't have anything to stop the forward rotation. In real strong winds--it'll still pose major problems in a nosewheel with incorrect taxi inputs.

Nope, that's just with wind relatively mild. Just trying to save a little on the nose shimmy if the plane gets a tad fast.

 

[gprellwitz]

All I can say is that if either Leslie or I put the 496 where the "other pilot" couldn't readily reach it, there'd be hell to pay!

And the left-joystick seems ideal --- unless you're left- handed!

 

[Bob Noel]

> And the left-joystick seems ideal --- unless you're left- handed!

I'm left-handed and definitely don't like the sidestick.

Interestingly, I was told that the Lancair owner is also left-handed. Go figure.

 

[Dave Krall CFII]

> And the left-joystick seems ideal --- unless you're left- handed!

I'm left-handed and definitely don't like the sidestick.

Interestingly, I was told that the Lancair owner is also left-handed. Go figure.

One of the first things I taught myself during commercial in prep for CFI was with practice, I've found it doesn't matter whether it's my dominant hand on the flight controls or on the throttle and switches.

 

[jmaynard]

One of the first things I taught myself during commercial in prep for CFI was with practice, I've found it doesn't matter whether it's my dominant hand on the flight controls or on the throttle and switches.

I'm reaching that point, but it is still going to take some more practice.

 

[John Baker]

It seems that a 'stick' is the favored method of control, even by pilots who have little or no stick time. The yoke is also a more preferred method of control, with the little joy stick coming up last. I wonder if aircraft designers follow this forum? Would the method of control be a major factor in a pilots decision to buy or not buy a particular aircraft? That is probably a new thread question.

John

 

[Dan Thomas]

It seems that a 'stick' is the favored method of control, even by pilots who have little or no stick time. The yoke is also a more preferred method of control, with the little joy stick coming up last. I wonder if aircraft designers follow this forum? Would the method of control be a major factor in a pilots decision to buy or not buy a particular aircraft? That is probably a new thread question.

John

The yoke came about, I think, for two reasons: (a) It made the airplane's cockpit look more like an airliner, and (b) many women were entering aviation in the '50s and most of them wore skirts or dresses. Such apparel does not go well with a stick, either in flight or getting in and out. The makers of airplanes had to address this somehow if they were going to sell airplanes to flight schools and women.

The stick, of course, has the fighter-plane feel and look about it. So men who want to be "guys" (see Dave Barry's book on the subject) are attracted to stick airplanes. You know, the same idea that you're not a real pilot unless you can fly taildraggers.

I prefer the stick. Our Citabrias have sticks. My old Auster had a stick. My Jodel has a stick. Stick systems tend to be simpler and lighter and there's less slop due to all the pulleys and cables or bellcranks and so forth involved in the yoke setup. Except for the Auster, which, being a Taylorcraft on steroids, had replaced the yoke with a stick simply by shortening the column frame and plugging a bent stick into the yoke hole so that the stick curved down and forward under the panel. Getting in our out was much easier; just shove the stick up against the panel and everything was clear. It would make a good skirt/dress airplane. Of course, the complex yoke systems are all still there.

If it's to be a stick, it better be a BIG stick. None of this pencil-sized stuff. In my Hummel Bird I think I'll make a really big handgrip for that 3/4" tube.

Dan

 

[poadeleted20]

To me, how the plane flies is far more important than whether it's stick- or yoke-controlled.

 

[stingray]

For me:

Yoke, trigear configured, experimental aircraft, costs less than $10,000 to build, goes about 140 knots on < 5gph.

There is no such plane though. So stick will work just fine.

You could get a Tailwind to do this if you so desired.

Dan

 

[Bob Noel]

ok, I mis-spoke a bit. I'm a weird ambidextrous (and a bad speller).
I write left handed, I throw right, bat right, played hockey goalie
left handed but shot right handed...

 

[maddog52]

Working airplane, center stick. Travelling airplane, side stick, though I would prefer it in my right hand.

I'm with Henning! Center stick in the right hand for yanking and banking. However, a side stick on the right console gives you more room to flex your legs on long cross countries. Sticks in general seem to be more intuitive to me.

 

[PittsDriver]

I fly a Columbia (side stick) and a Pitts (stick between the knees) and they're both perfect for the application. However, I'd like to try out the right side stick like in an F16/F18/F22 before making my final decision?

 

[poadeleted20]

However, I'd like to try out the right side stick like in an F16/F18/F22 before making my final decision?

The F/A-18 has a traditional center stick, not a sidestick. As for getting a ride in one, well, if you're in Annapolis, maybe you have the connections, although no Navy planes (yet) have a side stick (I think the F-35 does, but it's a ways from being operational, and unlike the F/A-18, I don't think there's a 2-seat trainer version).

 

[RudyP]

Not surprisingly those who dislike side sticks are the ones with the least experience using them. I'm not surprised because I once disliked them too. Until I used one. For a traveling machine with a good autopilot, they are by FAR the best control method. Easy, intuitive and fun when you need it, out of the way, the remaining 95% of the time when you don't need it. They take seconds to get used to and are just as precise and effective as any other method but they really free up a lot of cockpit/panel space.

Also unsurprisingly, I agree with Henning. For a fun plane, I prefer a center stick. It has the best ergonomics and visceral interface when you're focused on the actual fun of flying. For a traveling plane, give me a side stick. I'm not sure why we still have yokes. I guess because people like to hang their portable Garmins on them.

I have pretty strong preferences but they wouldn't necessarily prevent me from buying a plane outside of my preferences - it would just be a negative that needs to be balanced against other attributes.