Hey Guys just wanted to get your opinions. I haven't been in the Maule in about 2 years but am looking to hit it hard when I get home. My only issue has been my long legs. I've already done some work too the seats and it has helped for sure. The big problem is when I have another tall passenger like my dad. I'm 6'4" and my/our knees hit the yoke in turns. I wanted to hear your opinion on going to single controls or maybe this single yoke arm idea. http://trimmeraviation.com/yoke.html I haven't heard of this mod and happened to stumble over it while searching. Any help is appreciated. Happy 4th of July.

I like the look of the single yoke, but I do like to switch hands on longer flights. Would be tough to do with the single yoke.
I have single controls in my 180. It's nice to not have the yoke in my wife's way when she is taking pictures. There's also nothing for passengers to inadvertently grab onto if their seat slides. It's one bolt to put the yoke back in so very easy to remove and reinstall if needed.

I also like to be able to switch hands, and not just on longer flights. Also, although it hasn't happened in a long time, I've flown some airplanes which are heavy enough on the pitch control that being trimmed for the final means a pretty heavy tug to flare, which is easier with both hands. A Maule is one of the few certificated SEs that I haven't flown, so that comment may not apply. Also, I note that most airplanes which have side sticks also have autopilots.

FWIW, I have a couple of friends whose legs also get in the way in my P172D when I move the yoke full lock to lock. These are both big guys with long legs. They spread their legs during the control check at run-up, and I remind them that if the yoke hits them in flight, move their legs. Otherwise it's not much of an issue, because it's really, really rare that full aileron is ever necessary, even in a really stiff crosswind.

Cary

A1Skinner wrote:.......... I have single controls in my 180. It's nice to not have the yoke in my wife's way when she is taking pictures. There's also nothing for passengers to inadvertently grab onto if their seat slides. It's one bolt to put the yoke back in so very easy to remove and reinstall if needed.

I went one better with my last airplane- a C150 taildragger. The seats don't go back very far in a 150, and even relatively short pax are always getting their knees tangled up in the yoke or their feet tangled up in the pedals. So I removed both the yoke & the pedals form the passenger side. They are not required equipment in that airplane and so a simple logbook entry & W&B revision is all that's needed.

You wouldn't believe the grief I got from some people-- "what if you have a heart attack? Your passenger won't be able to fly the plane!" I asked them what if I have a heart attack driving someone in my car? -- there's no dual controls in that either. Most of my pax seem to be non-pilots anyway, so the chances of one of them performing a safe descent & landing was pretty minimal anyway.

My 180 has a lot more room, so I haven't bothered removing the RH controls-- but I would do it in a NY second if there was a good reason too. A right-seater needing to move around for photo ops is a good enough reason in my book. To be honest, how often does your "co-pilot" do much more than just keep things on an even keel while you're unfolding a chart or something? Easy enough to do that by reaching over & grabbing the LH controls.

FARMAULE wrote:Hey Guys just wanted to get your opinions. I haven't been in the Maule in about 2 years but am looking to hit it hard when I get home. My only issue has been my long legs. I've already done some work too the seats and it has helped for sure. The big problem is when I have another tall passenger like my dad. I'm 6'4" and my/our knees hit the yoke in turns. I wanted to hear your opinion on going to single controls or maybe this single yoke arm idea. http://trimmeraviation.com/yoke.html I haven't heard of this mod and happened to stumble over it while searching. Any help is appreciated. Happy 4th of July.

So, you're a Cirrus wannabe???

MTV

FARMAULE wrote:Hey Guys just wanted to get your opinions. I haven't been in the Maule in about 2 years but am looking to hit it hard when I get home. My only issue has been my long legs. I've already done some work too the seats and it has helped for sure. The big problem is when I have another tall passenger like my dad. I'm 6'4" and my/our knees hit the yoke in turns. I wanted to hear your opinion on going to single controls or maybe this single yoke arm idea. http://trimmeraviation.com/yoke.html I haven't heard of this mod and happened to stumble over it while searching. Any help is appreciated. Happy 4th of July.

Unless there is a real reason for someone to have the yoke and pedals , takem out, Have done that with just about everything I have flown!
You only need to have someone grab ahold and do some stupid shit once close to the ground!!
GT

Thanks for the opinions guys. The only reason I can imagine leaving the copilot side in would be to teach family in friends to fly a little but if it's so easy to remove and replace that shouldn't be a problem. The main reason I am looking for ideas is to be able to take my dad up. He really wants to but it is crazy tight. Especially reaching for the flaps. Mainly our knees are in the way.

MTV. I've never flown a Cirrus but the Joystick has to be weird. I'm flying a mix of a stick and a yoke now in the C-17. Would that be a Yick or a Stoke

M6RV6 wrote:

FARMAULE wrote:Hey Guys just wanted to get your opinions. I haven't been in the Maule in about 2 years but am looking to hit it hard when I get home. My only issue has been my long legs. I've already done some work too the seats and it has helped for sure. The big problem is when I have another tall passenger like my dad. I'm 6'4" and my/our knees hit the yoke in turns. I wanted to hear your opinion on going to single controls or maybe this single yoke arm idea. http://trimmeraviation.com/yoke.html I haven't heard of this mod and happened to stumble over it while searching. Any help is appreciated. Happy 4th of July.

Unless there is a real reason for someone to have the yoke and pedals , takem out, Have done that with just about everything I have flown!
You only need to have someone grab ahold and do some stupid shit once close to the ground!!
GT

Only had that happen once, soon after I got my commercial over 40 years ago. I was taking my folks and my kids up for a ride around Devil's Tower in a rental 182. The Schloredt ranch strip just west of Sundance at that time was a 2000' dirt strip at 5000' MSL. With the load and the temp, I knew we would use more than 3/4 of the strip, and there weren't any obstacles off the south end (downhill). My stepdad had soloed many years earlier but didn't continue. As we built speed, the airspeed passed 70% by the time we were halfway so it was safe, but before we'd reached lift off speed, I guess the end of the strip coming up bothered him--he grabbed the yoke and started to haul it back. Fortunately he reacted when I hollered "let go of the yoke!", and in couple hundred more feet, we had sufficient speed to lift off.

I've made a point ever since then of reminding my front seat passengers not to touch anything unless they first ask. Of course, once I started instructing, I learned how to get students to let go of the yoke whenever I needed to take control.

Cary