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I'm right handed and would like to fly with the stick with my left hand so I can write or do whatever with my right hand. My wife swears that she does not want a stick on her side. Yes. I know what if I have a heart attack and she has to land the plane. Can I just install the left stick and not all of the right stick so it doesn't stick up in her way. I would want to complete the installation later if and when I get to old to fly and sell the plane.
Thanks for any advice you have.
Darrell

My right stick fits into a socket and is removeable. The socket does stick up a few inches between the passengers legs.

Dareha wrote:Yes. I know what if I have a heart attack and she has to land the plane.
Darrell

I asked my Cherokee flying hangar buddy's wife if she had taken the "pinch hitter" program in case he ever grabbed his chest and fell over. Her reply was, "If Steve goes I'll just go with him." I reminded her that if it was shortly after topping the tanks, climbing to altitude, and trimming the aircraft for straight and level flight she might have a few hours to change her mind.

Removing the second stick can be done but there is still a lot of the bracket that stays in the way. Might you briefly consider a center stick? Nothing in her lap that way. You can fly solo in the center seat position and use either hand. When you have a passenger just fly right handed and make them do the note taking ...

(Only half serious of course)!

Dale
N319WF

In an emergency situation, whether there were two sticks or just one, the passenger with a sufficient skill set could land the plane. The cockpit is small. From the right seat, I could land the plane using the left stick. Even reach across the corpse and deal with the throttle and mixture. Brakes are another thing.

I converted my Waiex to center stick. I really like it. Both from sitting in the left seat and sitting center. It just feels natural.

FASTJ22:

You converted your Waiex to center stick? That sounds like a great idea, mind sharing the story of what was involved? Did you convert during construction or after?

Thanks, Gordon

Making the passenger stick removable is very simple. The upright part of the stick bolts onto the rest of the control assembly with a single bolt. Simply remove this bolt, disconnect any PTT wires, slip on a short length of steel tubing in place of the upright stick and re-install the bolt. This keeps everything solid, and stock (with the exception of the short tubing piece). Takes less than 5 minutes to install or remove.

Jeff

Like Jeff, I usually fly with one stick on the left, no problems. For long flights the lap stick position is more comfortable for resting your arm, and it is less crowding for the passenger.
Bill

GordonTurner wrote:FASTJ22:

You converted your Waiex to center stick? That sounds like a great idea, mind sharing the story of what was involved? Did you convert during construction or after?

Thanks, Gordon

It can be done. I modified my dual stick to single stick yoke by cutting the two branches for the sticks and discarding one. Then welding the remaining branch to the center. You also need to modify the aileron push rod to clear the swing of the aileron attachments on the new stick. Obviously the aileron rods are not long enough so you can either buy new ones from sonex or fabricate extensions. I did the later. Also you need to build a new seat pan. And since its a lowered seat, you will need to build a booster seat if you want to sit center. That hat is not comfortable. Take the booster out when flying left seat.

I thought all along that I would end up flying alone most of the time and would prefer setting in the center as well and got the center stick. Did you modify the seat belt attach points for setting in the center?

thad14433 wrote:I thought all along that I would end up flying alone most of the time and would prefer setting in the center as well and got the center stick. Did you modify the seat belt attach points for setting in the center?

Flying from the center, I use the outside belts and stuff the inner belts under a pad. Because the Waiex has a lowered seat, you have to put in some support to clear the center pushrod hat. I built a booster seat when flying center which raises me up over the hat.
So that being said, the seat belts go from side to side which gives more lateral slack in my butt. The shoulder straps aren't an issue as you use one from the left and one from right, crossed over. Been thinking of adding a crotch strap to tie it all together.
When I fly center, its usually because I want to do some aerobatics and wear a parachute. So I take out the back seat pad. The parachute pushes me forward 2 inches. I have toe brakes and have an extra left brake on the right pedal. So I fly with my feet wide apart. Being pushed forward, it works out fine.