Good morning to work on a T-Craft

[1938BF50]

Looks like I get the coldest spot in the U.P. award this morning. The 'ol cabin creaked and groaned all night. I noticed these lugs the other day and have to wonder if they were part of the control stick option. Based on location(both sides), I can't imagine what else they would be for. Any thoughts?

[1938BF50]

A photo on pg 97 of "The Taylorcraft Story " shows the stick option.

[Hank Jarrett]

Those same lugs were on my 41 panel mounting tube in the cockpit.

Hank

[3Dreaming]

Yep, for the stick option. There is a guide for the stick that mounts there. All of the airplanes from that vintage had the lugs, but very few if any customer airplane came with a stick. I made a set from factory drawings, and other than being interesting they were not worth much.

[1938BF50]

Ton,
I am curious what it was like to fly with them. From my perspective, in studying the mount location, the geometry of the stick looks like it would be screwy in aileron travel. Do you have a pic ?

[3Dreaming]

I don't have a picture, but I think I still have one of the sticks I made. The aileron movement was just like holding on top of the control wheel and turning it. The elevator movement was in a big arc from the instrument panel al the way down in your lap. I flew a trip from Illinois to Sun'n fun in 1995 with it installed on the left side. Most of the time I reached across and used the right wheel.

[1938BF50]

Thats funny.. On longer trips, I used to reach across to the right wheel to stretch a bit.

[Hank Jarrett]

I remember Earnie Briant telling me once when he flew clear from SE Virginia to CA in his T that he "man spread" across the seat with one foot on each outboard rudder pedal and his hands on both wheels to rest. A Taylorcraft seat is nice and wide.....with one person aboard!

Hank

Wish we would hear from him on here once in a while. You lurking out there Earnie?

[lawheelock]

I used to do the same thing on long cross country trips solo in my Stinson. Trips from Indiana to the west coast and back or from Indiana to Florida and back or from Indiana to Texas and back. I have pretty long legs and it sure gave a rest to be able to stretch out. The Stinson is extremely stable even in light turbulance and only inputs needed are an occasional nudge on the rudders with rarely needing to touch the control wheel(s).. I sometimes took my shoes off and nudged the vertical square tube coming through the floor to the rudder pedal with my big toes.
Larry