Basic question

In article ,
cavelamb wrote:

Orval Fairbairn wrote:
In article
,
wrote:

As I have only ever flown Cessnas, I have a basic question. When
flying a stick plane like an RV-7. What hand do people fly with? On
a yoke I generally used 2 but if I had to use one to do something else
I would keep the left on the yoke. However, I don't know how
comfortable I would feel flying exclusively with the left hand on a
stick. I ask as I am playing on flight simulator and would prefer to
learn how it is actually done. If I have to learn to use the left
hand I will.

Thanks

Barry

Either hand works equally well. I have a 2-plc side-by-side and fly with
left hand on stick, right hand on throttle. Some of my friends fly their
SX-300s from the right seat.

The AF Academy had their TG-14 Ximango motor gliders set up with the PIC
in the right seat, so the stick and throttle configuration resembles
that of fighters.

The big things to remember when transitioning up to an RV-7 (moreso with
a Glasair) a

1. You fly them with your fingertips/toe tips, by pressure, not control
movement

2. You have to plan much further ahead of the plane, as things go by
three times as fast.

3. You will realize that the Cessnas/Pipers, Beeches handle like trucks,
compared to your homebuilt.


3. Continued
If all you have ever flown is Cessna and Piper (stable airplanes) your
homebuilt will feel totally squirrelly - until you get used to it.

THEN the spam cans will handle like trucks...

Actually, the homebuilts are stable -- it is just the controls that are
much lighter.

The early B35 Bonanzas had nice controls, but got heave about in the
1960s. I guess that too many pilots got into trouble when they went VFR
into IFR conditions and needed heavy feel to tell them that they were
maneuvering too hard.

--
Remove _'s from email address to talk to me.

Orval Fairbairn wrote:
In article ,
cavelamb wrote:

Orval Fairbairn wrote:
In article
,
wrote:

As I have only ever flown Cessnas, I have a basic question. When
flying a stick plane like an RV-7. What hand do people fly with? On
a yoke I generally used 2 but if I had to use one to do something else
I would keep the left on the yoke. However, I don't know how
comfortable I would feel flying exclusively with the left hand on a
stick. I ask as I am playing on flight simulator and would prefer to
learn how it is actually done. If I have to learn to use the left
hand I will.

Thanks

Barry
Either hand works equally well. I have a 2-plc side-by-side and fly with
left hand on stick, right hand on throttle. Some of my friends fly their
SX-300s from the right seat.

The AF Academy had their TG-14 Ximango motor gliders set up with the PIC
in the right seat, so the stick and throttle configuration resembles
that of fighters.

The big things to remember when transitioning up to an RV-7 (moreso with
a Glasair) a

1. You fly them with your fingertips/toe tips, by pressure, not control
movement

2. You have to plan much further ahead of the plane, as things go by
three times as fast.

3. You will realize that the Cessnas/Pipers, Beeches handle like trucks,
compared to your homebuilt.

3. Continued
If all you have ever flown is Cessna and Piper (stable airplanes) your
homebuilt will feel totally squirrelly - until you get used to it.

THEN the spam cans will handle like trucks...

Actually, the homebuilts are stable -- it is just the controls that are
much lighter.

The early B35 Bonanzas had nice controls, but got heave about in the
1960s. I guess that too many pilots got into trouble when they went VFR
into IFR conditions and needed heavy feel to tell them that they were
maneuvering too hard.


Most of the higher performance homebuilts that I've flown are the same.
The controls load up at high speeds.

At least the Tailwind and T-18 did...
But at low speeds they are both light as a feather.

wrote:
As I have only ever flown Cessnas, I have a basic question. When
flying a stick plane like an RV-7. What hand do people fly with? On
a yoke I generally used 2 but if I had to use one to do something else
I would keep the left on the yoke. However, I don't know how
comfortable I would feel flying exclusively with the left hand on a
stick. I ask as I am playing on flight simulator and would prefer to
learn how it is actually done. If I have to learn to use the left
hand I will.

Thanks

Barry



Kind of depends where the throttle is but in the 601XL I'm building it
will be left hand on the stick right on the throttle which is pretty
much like I flew every Cessna, Piper and Beech I ever flew.

I put the throttle in the middle and opted to not use the center Y stick
in my 601 because I'm very right handed and wanted the hand that is free
to do things like write notes, and adjust GPS, Radios and such to be my
right hand.

You say you flew the Cessna with both hands but when you really needed
fine adjustment (on take-off and landing) I'll bet you flew left on yoke
and right on throttle.

wrote:
As I have only ever flown Cessnas, I have a basic question. When
flying a stick plane like an RV-7. What hand do people fly with? On
a yoke I generally used 2 but if I had to use one to do something else
I would keep the left on the yoke. However, I don't know how
comfortable I would feel flying exclusively with the left hand on a
stick. I ask as I am playing on flight simulator and would prefer to
learn how it is actually done. If I have to learn to use the left
hand I will.

Most aircraft with sticks are flown right hand on the stick, left hand
on the throttle.

In an aircraft with a wheel, most instructors will yell at you if you
use both hands on the wheel... left hand on the wheel, right hand on
the throttle.

Switching from one to the other is no trouble, you get used to it very
quickly.

If it's a center stick, you can switch hands if you need your right
hand for something. That's more awkward if it's a side stick like on
my plane.

I learned to fly with a wheel but prefer (and currently fly) a stick.

-Dana

--
There are 3 kinds of people: those who can count & those who can't.

On Fri, 13 Feb 2009 06:07:59 -0800 (PST), wrote:

As I have only ever flown Cessnas, I have a basic question. When
flying a stick plane like an RV-7. What hand do people fly with?

Which hand do you beat your meat with?

Use the other.
--
Bear Bottoms
Private Attorney General