X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Sender: To: lml@lancaironline.net Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 16:10:11 -0400 Message-ID: X-Original-Return-Path: Received: from linux1.spaceontheweb.net ([216.147.203.44] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.1.12) with ESMTPS id 2393955 for lml@lancaironline.net; Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:09:07 -0400 Received-SPF: neutral receiver=logan.com; client-ip=216.147.203.44; envelope-from=skipslater@verizon.net Received: from [70.91.86.105] (helo=Skip) by linux1.spaceontheweb.net with smtp (Exim 4.63) (envelope-from ) id 1IiXvC-0002A3-90 for lml@lancaironline.net; Thu, 18 Oct 2007 12:08:30 -0400 X-Original-Message-ID: <000a01c811a1$207fc370$1d12230a@Skip> From: "Skip Slater" X-Original-To: "Lancair Mailing List" References: Subject: Re: [LML] Infinity grips X-Original-Date: Fri, 9 Mar 2007 21:15:40 -0800 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0089_01C76290.16F64740" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.3028 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3028 X-AntiAbuse: This header was added to track abuse, please include it with any abuse report X-AntiAbuse: Primary Hostname - linux1.spaceontheweb.net X-AntiAbuse: Original Domain - lancaironline.net X-AntiAbuse: Originator/Caller UID/GID - [47 12] / [47 12] X-AntiAbuse: Sender Address Domain - verizon.net This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0089_01C76290.16F64740 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable A lot of well reasoned pilots have opined that putting the flaps on = the Infinity grip is a bad idea. I am not one of them. I put the flap toggles on my grips and have been flying with them for = four and a half years now. With the benefit of those years and now = pushing four hundred flight hours, I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Here are some of the advantages I've found in having the switch on my = stick: 1) First, to address one concern, by using a relay to allow only one = stick's inputs at a time to be fed to it's various components, there are = no accidental activations by the passenger. That's what I have and I = have NEVER had an inadvertant activation of anything on the passenger's = stick grip. 2) Having the toggle on the stick allows me to control the flaps = without having to look down into the cockpit unless I want to look at my = flap position indicator. When I'm turning to base or final, I don't = want to have to take my eyes off traffic or where I'm headed to add = flaps. 3) Since my thumb is normally around the stick and not unnaturally up = on the toggle, inadvertant activations are rare to non-existant. The = only accidental bumping of the switch I can recall is bumping it up, = which is immediately noticed and it takes a fraction of a second to = reverse the switch with my thumb and move the flaps back to where I want = them. In four years, this has happened once or twice and it was a = non-event. 4) One thing I hate to admit is that I have, on rare occasions, missed = extending takeoff flaps my before takeoff checklist. When I rotate, = this becomes immediately apparent when the plane doesn't want to fly. = Having the flap switch on the stick allows me to put them down with a = quick flip of the thumb without having to go heads down during liftoff. = Bottom line here is that this is a matter of personal preference. I = personally know many builders who have this switch on their Infinity = grips, including one who liked mine so much, he changed his grips to my = configuration. J.D. Newman, who makes the grips, sells them in whatever = switch configuration you want and I know a great deal of his customers = building of all sorts of experimentals have this arrangement. = Ultimately, it's up to each builder to decide for himself what he wants = on his plane. If you're worried about a passenger hitting the switch = from the other seat, either use a relay like I did or don't hook up the = passenger's switch! I don't criticize anyone for not having the toggle switches and with = my experience in my plane having validated my decision to install them, = I pay little attention to builders who criticize anyone who does. And = oh, by the way, while my ES doesn't have speed brakes EVERY tactical jet = I ever flew in the Navy had them and they were all activated by a switch = on the throttle (left hand). If I DID have them, on my plane, you can = bet I'd have the control for them on the stick.=20 Skip Slater N540ES=20 Flame me at will! ------=_NextPart_000_0089_01C76290.16F64740 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
   A lot of well reasoned = pilots have=20 opined that putting the flaps on the Infinity grip is a bad idea.  = I am not=20 one of them.
   I put the flap toggles on my grips and have = been=20 flying with them for four and a half years now.  With the benefit = of those=20 years and now pushing four hundred flight hours, I'd do it again in a=20 heartbeat.
   Here are some of the advantages I've found in = having=20 the switch on my stick:
1)  First, to address one concern, by = using a=20 relay to allow only one stick's inputs at a time to be fed to it's = various=20 components, there are no accidental activations by the passenger.  = That's=20 what I have and I have NEVER had an inadvertant activation of anything = on the=20 passenger's stick grip.
2)  Having the toggle on the stick = allows me to=20 control the flaps without having to look down into the cockpit unless I = want to=20 look at my flap position indicator.  When I'm turning to base or = final, I=20 don't want to have to take my eyes off traffic or where I'm headed = to add=20 flaps.
3)  Since my thumb is normally around the stick and not=20 unnaturally up on the toggle, inadvertant activations are rare to=20 non-existant.  The only accidental bumping of the switch I can = recall is=20 bumping it up, which is immediately noticed and it takes a fraction of a = second=20 to reverse the switch with my thumb and move the flaps back to where I = want=20 them.  In four years, this has happened once or twice and it was a=20 non-event.
4)  One thing I hate to admit is that I have, on=20 rare occasions,  missed extending takeoff flaps my before = takeoff=20 checklist.  When I rotate, this becomes immediately apparent when = the plane=20 doesn't want to fly.  Having the flap switch on the stick allows me = to put them down with a quick flip of the thumb without having = to go=20 heads down during liftoff. 
   Bottom line here is = that this=20 is a matter of personal preference.  I personally know many = builders=20 who have this switch on their Infinity grips, including one who liked = mine so=20 much, he changed his grips to my configuration.  J.D. Newman, who = makes the=20 grips, sells them in whatever switch configuration you want and I know a = great=20 deal of his customers building of all sorts of experimentals have this=20 arrangement.  Ultimately, it's up to each builder to decide for = himself=20 what he wants on his plane.  If you're worried about a passenger = hitting=20 the switch from the other seat, either use a relay like I did or = don't hook=20 up the passenger's switch!
  I don't criticize anyone for not = having the=20 toggle switches and with my experience in my plane having validated my = decision=20 to install them, I pay little attention to builders who criticize anyone = who=20 does.  And oh, by the way, while my ES doesn't have speed brakes = EVERY=20 tactical jet I ever flew in the Navy had them and they were all = activated by a switch on the throttle (left hand).  If I DID have = them,=20 on my plane, you can bet I'd have the control for them on the=20 stick. 
   Skip Slater
   N540ES =
Flame me at will!
 
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