Control Stick Wiring and Routing

[Mark Dickens]

I've searched and can't find much about how people have routed their control stick wiring. At this time, I'm thinking I'd route the wiring for each stick through a hole drilled at the bottom of the vertical portion of the stick, probably the aft side of the stick and then route everything through the floor and up to the panel. Any other alternatives? Photos? Thanks!

[jaredyates]

That's how I have done it. Be sure to add a little grommet.

[AKKen07]

I did something a little odd, but I’m looking forward to trying it out. I just put a ptt on the panel in a central location and bypassed the whole conundrum. I got the idea after using a panel mount ptt in a 737 Max which I loved…
For the copilot to use it there is a mini toggle switch with a “left” or “right” option.
Might be weird, but I might dig it!

[Mark Dickens]

I love having my starter button on the stick too much to do that, but it would be a heck of a lot simpler!

[Bcone1381]

Ken, I also like the panel mic button on the Boeing I fly. I'm curious if you will be equipped to hand fly solo, move the throttle and key the mic all at the same time?

[AKKen07]

Yep Brooks, I mounted it just above the throttle such that in any throttle position that hand can operate throttle and push the button. Which is unlike the Max but like you’re thinking, necessary for single pilot ops.

[Mark Dickens]

I think what I'm going to do is bring the wiring straight out the bottom of the stick and feed it through the floor in front of the stick assembly with adequate slack to accommodate all movement

[rodsmith]

Here's how I exited the stick with the wiring. My plan is to mount a canon plug in the floor board leaving enough slack for full stick movement. If doing it over I would have ordered the stick grips with enough wire to get behind the panel. I don't plan on removing the floorboard for inspections, everything can be accessed from below.

DSCF1518.jpg

[Mark Dickens]

That's what I have in mind. I'll bring the entry point of the wiring back a little and go under the floor board at that point

[predragvasic]

Here's how I exited the stick with the wiring....

How many buttons/switches, and for which functions?

[jaredyates]

Yikes Rod, be sure to let go before you sneeze, no telling what all might happen!

[robcaldwell]

I think you forgot the sidewinder missile launcher button.

[predragvasic]

Wow!!

I'm guessing, if someone spends a lot of time in front of a MS Flight Simulator, controlling it with a joystick (with all those switches), one develops muscle memory for all that stuff.

Is the stick grip from a PC joystick, or was it custom built/3D-printed, or similar?

[Mark Dickens]

The grip that Rod has is from Infinity Aerospace. I have one on my RV-8. They are very configurable as to the type of buttons and where to put them. On the RV, I have a paddle switch for the flaps, a starter button, PTT, trim up/down (no aileron trim), A/P disconnect/CWS, and landing light. I use all of them when I fly.

[predragvasic]

Nice to know! I wonder, are there any standard layouts regarding the button / switch layouts, or do pilots simply pick whichever layout they choose?

Also, for those who prefer yoke over stick, are there any solutions for switches on yokes?

[Mark Dickens]

Pilots can choose what they want but the trigger switch and hat switch is fixed. You can put the paddle switch on either side and you can choose whether you want momentary or on/off switches for the other locations, as well as colors (black, blue, red). Check out the link. As I recall, they had a planning tool you could use to set the grip up your way.

[Battson]

route the wiring for each stick through a hole drilled at the bottom of the vertical portion of the stick, probably the aft side of the stick and then route everything through the floor and up to the panel.

I am worried that would be aesthetically unpleasing and likely to catch the cable with all manner of clumsy footwear. Entering and exiting a completed plane isn't so easy for the uninitiated, I see this as a real issue - catching hiking boots on the cable. Not to mention the risk of work hardening the cable, copper is flexible but only to a point.

I routed mine out the back of the stick, above the hinge joint. It was harder to run the cable, but worth it longer term. Once the cable is outside the stick, it runs down past the hinge bolt (wear-proof cover in place) and off the back of the sticks under the carpet (again, covered). It then enters the side of the fuselage, with a plug for easy removal, and under the door frame, up and around to the back of the panel.

With this routing, it hardly bends the cable with normal use, and the cable is fully protected by the control stick structure at all points.

[Mark Dickens]

I didn't do a good job of describing my routing plan as it does seem that it would be in the way as I wrote it. I cut a few verbal corners in my description. I'll be the first to admit I don't have it all figured out but I can promise that the final routing will not cause the problems you describe.

[OhioLSA]

Also keep in mind that the nearer the hinge point that the wire exits the stick, the less wear it will incur. If the wire exits the stick further from the hinge point, every movement of the control stick will cause more thrashing around of the wire.

[Mark Dickens]

Excellent point! I was just out there staring at it and pondering the next move.

[rodsmith]

Battson makes a good point. The Infinity Aerospace cable is not flexible enough to feed around the sharp corner where the control stick turns horizontal. I will look into a means of routing it aft, attached to the outside of the control stick.

[Mark Dickens]

Keep in mind that you can thin the cable down by consolidating grounds to one wire. You still need a separate audio "lo" ground, but standard grounds could be consolidated. You would have to cut the cover off of the cable he sends, but it's not that bad an operation. I did this on the RV-8 and it helped make the hole smaller where the cable exited the stick

[Light&Sweet]

I suppose most side-by-side seating arrangements will use a panel mounted push-pull throttle so this might be better applied to a Patrol or LSA, but PTT on the throttle feels very natural in the Yak 55.

85C0801F-9A9B-4EA1-BED6-05B591E60833.jpg35AB7702-C11C-46D7-B249-2F8FD5C55BF8.jpg

[kestrel]

I suppose most side-by-side seating arrangements will use a panel mounted push-pull throttle so this might be better applied to a Patrol or LSA, but PTT on the throttle feels very natural in the Yak 55.

A friend has a Birddog that as PTT on the throttle for the intercom. Once his passenger in the rear seat reached up to the rear seat throttle and pulled it all the way back so that they could push the PTT button to speak on the intercom.

[Sir Newton]

I know of a story were a passenger meant to shut off the heater on final approach & pulled power! They did not die. However the plane got new landing gear & props.