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T-shaped Stick Question?Coming from the Broken Hill area in the early 90"s, I noticed a significant number of mustering gyros used a t-shaped cyclic (with the throttle on the stick)! Is this type of throttle/ control still used?Given you used two hands, rolling the throttle on (like motorbike) was there a tendency to over control in pitch? Or did you just get "used" to it? I note none of the traditional gyros at last years Nats had this system. Are there any of the T-bars still out there?Thoughts?Cheers Ben
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I must admit I haven"t seen any machines lately with a t bar twist grip throttle? I know many used it so they could fly with one hand, so they could have a free hand to use binoculars or at least have a free hand.... also, nearly everyone knew how to ride a motorbike so that was the natural throttle position for many people... The biggest downfall if you could call it that, is that a hand on a twist grip, without the arm being supported, could lead to PIR (pilot induced revving
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John Evans had one of these t-bars. It worked for him.I agree with Murray about the risk of pitch affected throttle changes.Your input gear should support your arms so that you always have a "steady" point by which to reference the input if and when you encounter G forces or erratic flight - maybe erratic "fright" is more appropriate. The "anchoring" is so you never lose grip of joystick or throttle in a "shaker". If you can anchor your elbow it helps to maintain control as it is harder to shake off just the forearm as opposed to a whole arm.Does a T bar do this?How easy is it to get in & out of the machine with one - I think this is the clincher.
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I"ve flown a few m/c throttle systems and found them perfectly natural provided you are right handed. It allows for two hands on the stick and allows for a free left hand to wave to the girls or fire your magnum or what ever turns you on.
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Yes, they are still used if you want that set up. It worked well for me & what I did but my new gyro is the stick & boat type throttle & I love it but they both have their pluses & minuses.I found that the T bar was great for very long days & I had the throttle on both sides of the t bar so I give a paw a rest for a while.
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I wouldn"t recommend it for a beginner, because they might not know that in turbulence the unsupported arm, along with a pump stick and the throttle changing as the stick gets moved, could amplify porposing, but experienced pilots like musterers who use it day in and day out and make corrections to everything without even thinking about it can easily handle it..... I usually fly with the wrist of the hand I am using on the stick, resting on the leg, often doing left and right movements of the stick more with the leg than the hand..... I just find that comfortable for me....
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I learnt gyros on a Rosco trainer fitted with the T set up and found that the wrist does get tired after a while but I also found it was very easy to keep the machine stable in pitch and roll attitude. My preference is standard control with a lever throttle control.Cheers, Des Garvin
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I learnt gyros on a Rosco trainer fitted with the T set up and found that the wrist does get tired after a while but I also found it was very easy to keep the machine stable in pitch and roll attitude. My preference is standard control with a lever throttle control.Cheers, Des Garvin
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as you need to be able to " feel " through the controls what your machine is doing as well as through your backside etc etc.Ummmmm Choppa.....
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my instructor told me " no matter how tight your ass muscles are it won"t make you fly any better. loosen your grip on the control stick "
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White knuckle fever?
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Ummmmm Choppa.....
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As I recall the T bar and twist grip throttle was first used by Igor Bensen back in the sixties. It was revived again in Australia in the seventies after a member punctured his chest with a pole stick in an accident. The stick height can be set identically to that of a pole stick (to use your leg as an armrest, if preferred) so over controlling due to the T bar was not an issue, in fact quite possibly the opposite with the ability to have both hands on the stick at the same time if desired. A high percentage of gyro students had some motorcycle experience so the use of a twist grip throttle came naturally to them. The side throttle on the other hand has caused many accidents with new-chums, at least one that I knew of was fatal.The "pump" stick is a completely different issue, and has distinct advantages that are not often realised. That should possibly be the subject of a different thread.
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Early Bensen.
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Backside has lots of uses Muz
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