Stick or yolk. Whats your thing?

[Geoff_H]

From memory the FAA require at least 10pound of stick force per g of aircraft load. With a stick it would appear easier to pull 6g, 60lb with your arm free to move. My question is is that still the case with a sidestick when you appear to be just rotating your wrist. Or Have I got the sidestick wrong?

[skippydiesel]

Whatever ! - I trained in GA yoke control aircraft - no prob!

Converted to RAA centre (shared) stick bit weird but got there in the end and moved on to conventional, between the legs "joy" (pun intended) stick.

I use two hand positions - GRIP TOP OF STICK for all significant manoeuvres, max control situations (take off/landing/turbulence/circuit, low level, etc) Hand/forearm on thigh TWO FINGER bottom of stick for cruise, gentle relaxed manoeuvring (I dont have auto pilot).

They all seem to work pretty well, all have +/- features - just love flying!

[kgwilson]

I learned in GA & flew for years with a Yoke control column in the left hand & right for everything else. We used to have monthly competitions & while I was training once we had a swap sides comp & the first time I remember stuffing it up completely as I now had the yoke in my right hand. Transitioning to sticks later was no problem, either centre or between the legs. I now much prefer a centre stick. I have never used a side stick but can see their advantages. Boeing still use Yokes but Airbus have used side sticks ever since the first FBW aircraft.

[Flightrite]

Side stick controls are becoming more popular from GA to Jets. Airbus are going to have company? My own two birds ha e a floor mounted stick/s, they work well.

[Discus647]

When i fly my sailplane (Discus turbo) stick in between your legs airbrakes and undercarriage and trim on the left, then with my Savannaha Y stick in between the seats throttle with my left hand and flaps in between your legs, and then my trike move the control frame to the left to turn right push forward to raise the nose push with your right foot to increase the throttle and on the ground push with your left foot to go right easy

[Geoff_H]

Does any airbus driver have any comments on the forces needed verses the g the aircraft pulls?

[facthunter]

ALL feel on modern jet transports is artificial where they are Fly by wire or Powered. There are programmes to prevent accidental overstressing of the Plane built into the design parameters of the control system. On earlier Boeing hydraulic powered systems there's artificial FEEL applied to the Controls making them heavier as the airspeed increases.. Nev

[Flightrite]

I know a lot of people bag the Airbus with its multiple flight envelope protections (can't stall it in normal law) but I found the 'bus' easy to drive and not having to trim was oh so sweet??

Edited May 31, 2020 by Flightrite

[facthunter]

The airframes of all of them are not built for high "G" forces so the design protects them from overstressing by pilot induced forces. Nev

[Geoff_H]

What I am after is what is that artificial quantity, I know it for stick/ yoke but not sidestick. Is there a difference. My design will have artificial feel done by hysteresis in rubber springs. Any pilot that has used sidesticks for aerobics?

[facthunter]

Do you wish to dance all over the sky? Nev

[onetrack]

With rubber springs planned, I have this minds-eye picture of Geoff H doing a Wiley Coyote act through the sky, with ACME springs attached to his feet.

[Geoff_H]

Do you wish to dance all over the sky? Nev

Well maybe ?. But I don't wish to rip the wings off doing some aerobics. The trim systems maybe two rubber springs opposing each other. Their centre position the trim position. Steel springs would not add to the control force for g's pulled. The hysteresis in rubber may be able to do just that, it's a design thought at the moment.

[facthunter]

Dancing is a well recognised form of Aerobics. Rubber blocks are used in clutch centres and rear wheels of motorcycles for damping.

Being a bit more serious, the actual FEEL of the controls in an aerobATic plane is very important as it is in all planes if you can achieve it. It's really difficult to achieve in heavy stuff. Servotabs can work well. You can make them assist or hinder (oppose) control forces. Nev

Edited May 31, 2020 by facthunter

[Snoopy]

I learnt to fly with stick (either a center stick or one between the knees) in the right hand and throttle in the left. The first and only time that I flew with stick in the left and throttle in the right, I could not land the airplane even after eight attempts. If I didn't have an instructor next to me I would have crashed. I subsequently flew a 172 with yoke and center throttle. I could handle that ok but kept moving my right hand back and forth between throttle and yoke at touch down instead of keeping it on the throttle.

 

BTW that stick aeroplane with the centre throttle was no worries when I flew from the right seat. But one day I'm going to have to get with an instructor and learn to fly cacky handed. Oh yeah the original question. I prefer stick.

[facthunter]

I guess if you become used to only the one arrangement you will have initially at least some difficulty. Same as with indicators/wipers with different cars Perhaps having say 5 different planes in a day occasionally is an instructor, you get used to different ones or crash. I can only speak for myself here. Nev

[snarf007]

My preference is a stick. I started with a stick in RAA and moved on to GA with a yolk. My biggest hurdle was getting used to landing an aircraft with a yolk. Flaring / hold-off with a stick is easier and XW inputs are more intuative. A yolk makes getting in and out easier and you can put charts in your lap.

[Student Pilot]

Snoopy, you'd probably have no trouble now with a bit of flying under your belt.