I posted the same thing on Skywagons.org, but thought I might see if people here have had similar experiences...

I finally got checked out in the family '77 185 this week.

One of the things I noticed is that I was having issues keeping my size 12's from accidentally tapping the brakes when using the rudder pedals - with my heels on the floor!

I was wearing my favorite pair of hiking boots, which have a veeeery slight heel to them. With my heels on the floor, the bottom of the pedals comes right into my arch and the balls of my feet are about in the middle of the pedal.

The best thing for me seemed to be holding my heels on the bottom of the pedals (several inches off the floor) so that the balls of my feet weren't bumping the brakes. I had a lot more control of it that way. The only thing I worry about like this is getting my feet bumped off the pedals on rougher strips, and then I'm back to square one.

Anyone else had this problem? Any simple solutions?

When we first got our Found Bush Hawk, I had the same thing happen - turns out there was a kit from Found to extend the brake actuator rods that angles the pedals farther forward (they were practically vertical before), making it a lot more comfortable for ground handling and it solved my problem.

I fly with heavy patrol boots every day and it gets easier with practice. It took some time to get used to big feet, mine are 14-15's. It is much easier to fly with a a comfortable pair of running shoes that are flexible. Good luck.

I scoot my feet back and use my tippy toes on the bottom of the peddles. You'll find the brakes if you need them.

I struggled with this as a student pilot. Old timer instructor made me take my shoes off. Problem solved.

Time to go Kung fu

I've also got big feet and wear boots about 95% of the time.

The tippy toe method works ok for me but I've never been comfortable with maintaining directional control while trying to slide my feet up the pedal to actuate the brakes. This was a big deal in twins, I imagine it's as big of a deal in taildraggers too. Not a big deal in the trikes I've flown.

The best method for me is to either pack a pair of minimal shoes (NB Minimus are my favorites) or to keep my heels on the bottom of the pedal and my toes flexed back toward my shins until I need brakes. It feels weird at first but you'll get used to it. Or start packing light shoes. Either way!

There is some adjustment to Cessna pedals. Screw the forks on top of the master cylinder plungers down, making them shorter, that'll make the tops of the pedals closer to the fire wall. Be sure to check they don't get to close with max rudder throw and max braking.

Getting your head up in there to get the pins in and out of the rudder pedal is the fun part.

gbflyer wrote:I scoot my feet back and use my tippy toes on the bottom of the peddles. You'll find the brakes if you need them.

I struggled with this as a student pilot. Old timer instructor made me take my shoes off. Problem solved.

That is Absolutely, positively the best advice you'll get on this topic.

I've checked out a number of people in the 185, and every one of them I told to keep their feet almost totally on the floor. If you need brake you can slide your foot up really quick and catch a brake.

But, keeping your foot on the pedal, I guarantee at some point SOMEthing is going to cause you to push on the top of one pedal.....and that's when the excitement starts.

As Tom Wardleigh, a gent with close to 40,000 hours, much of it in tailwheels, once told me: "The one thing that NO flight instructor can fix in a Cessna taildragger is a student with his size 12's on the tops of the pedals while landing". That was the day after he experienced that very thing at Merrill Field in a 180.

Keep your feet almost flat on the floor, with just your tippy toes on the bottom of the pedals.

MTV

+++++1

As a student I was constantly told to get off the brakes. It took me a while to gain confidence that my feet would stay on the pedals with only my toes on the lower part. I fly that way all the time now and always find the brakes if I need them. Heels on the floor is not low enough for me with size 12s. I think toes on the pedals is a better description.

Feet flat on the floor works, but if you have long legs as I do you need to adjust and overcome. I keep my toes on the bottom of the pedals and slide them up as necessary, however, in strong crosswinds I have to adjust my feet. I know a size 12 sounds big, but try a size 15 and having long legs. You learn through trial and error to adapt and change based on the needs. The reason I mention long legs is that my knees can often get in the way of the yoke in crosswinds and that's why I have to use a different approach. It can be done many ways but takes practice. Needless to say I don't fit in small aircraft well!

Do you have a vertically adjustable seat?

Being able to lower the seat into the ideal position may help with the foot/ankle/pedal geometry. It definitely helped a friend of mine in his new 180 this year. He had a similar complaint, and changing to the articulating seat made all the difference.

I have them in mine and also like that I can see sideways out the windows without leaning down.

I went in sock feet for almost 2 years, finally moved to Pumas with flat soles. It has finally has become conforrtable flying with shoes on. I'd advise getting comfortable with something you feel proficient with first.

Flynengr

Size 12's here…
First got the plane and kept an old pair of deck shoes in the plane to change into for flights (along with 100 pounds of sand in the baggage compartment .
Now I use well broke in Hi-Tec hiking boots.
Another thing I did which helped a bunch, is I made a heel skid plate out of thin Stainless Steel and mounted it to my rubber floor matt.
It keeps your heels from digging into the rubber matt/carpet. Especially helpful during takeoff too!
I'll try to get a picture today.

SkyTruck wrote:Size 12's here…
First got the plane and kept an old pair of deck shoes in the plane to change into for flights (along with 100 pounds of sand in the baggage compartment .
Now I use well broke in Hi-Tec hiking boots.
Another thing I did which helped a bunch, is I made a heel skid plate out of thin Stainless Steel and mounted it to my rubber floor matt.
It keeps your heels from digging into the rubber matt/carpet. Especially helpful during takeoff too!
I'll try to get a picture today.

You know, we've got a new interior in our 185 with new wool carpets. I may have to take a look at that, too.

From what I've seen in the responses here and elsewhere, it looks like the solution is, "Removed and Replaced Pilot, Ops Check Good!"

**grumble** Hmmm... waitaminute!! Now I have an excuse to go fly the 185 some more!!

Wife: "You're going out to the hangar again??"
Me: "Yeah, we're working on a small problem with the 185's rudder pedals - you know, the things that keep us going straight down the runway..."
Wife: "Oh, that sounds pretty important, then. You better get it worked out for our camping trip!"
Me: "I think you're right! See, that's what I love about you - you're so smart!"

Interesting, I thought I was the only one with this issue. In my first 170, someone had screwed small pieces of .75" dowel on the bottom of the rudder pedals, worked great. No problem with a later 180; present 170, has similar spacers on the rudder pedals, no problem; size 15/16 shoes.

I really like the idea of spacers at the bottom of the pedals, filing that one away.

It also sounds like the generally accepted method is toes on the bottom of the pedals. I'll try it again next time I fly and see if I can get more comfortable with it. If hate to have to unlearn bad habits when I go to get my TD endorsement.

When I first started flying in the Arctic I tried every boot out there to try and keep my feet warm. In my Super Cub, C185, C206, or Sled (C207) if it was -40 outside, it registered -39 inside the cabin.

Bunny Boots, Sorel PACS, all of them. I finally found a PAC from Cabela's, their Trans-Alaska II PAC, rated down to about -150 or so. By far the warmest, driest, most comfortable cold weather boot I'd ever worn.

But, to keep you warm, they were thick. The sole on them is 3" thick, and you look like Herman Munster walking around. Every winter was a new adventure when I transitioned from summer boots to the PACs. It was at least a full day's flying with locked, screeching brakes as I tried to figure out pressure on the pedals through three inches of heavy foam insulation. It took some doing to get it figured out.

Feet on the floor, toes barely on the bottom of the pedals. And if brakes are needed fast, slide feet up and jam hard until shit stops moving.



Gump

GumpAir wrote:When I first started flying in the Arctic I tried every boot out there to try and keep my feet warm. In my Super Cub, C185, C206, or Sled (C207) if it was -40 outside, it registered -39 inside the cabin.

Bunny Boots, Sorel PACS, all of them. I finally found a PAC from Cabela's, their Trans-Alaska II PAC, rated down to about -150 or so. By far the warmest, driest, most comfortable cold weather boot I'd ever worn.

But, to keep you warm, they were thick. The sole on them is 3" thick, and you look like Herman Munster walking around. Every winter was a new adventure when I transitioned from summer boots to the PACs. It was at least a full day's flying with locked, screeching brakes as I tried to figure out pressure on the pedals through three inches of heavy foam insulation. It took some doing to get it figured out.

Feet on the floor, toes barely on the bottom of the pedals. And if brakes are needed fast, slide feet up and jam hard until shit stops moving.



Gump

X2

GumpAir wrote:Bunny Boots, Sorel PACS, all of them. I finally found a PAC from Cabela's, their Trans-Alaska II PAC, rated down to about -150 or so. By far the warmest, driest, most comfortable cold weather boot I'd ever worn.

Gump

Cool! I hadn't seen those yet!

My go-to boot in extreme cold (aside from the bunny boots) was my pair of White's Pacs.

Love 'em.

Holy smokes, size 15??? Jeez, I didn't know there were NBA players on BCP! I bet you guys get ALL the girls at the fly-ins.