Stick or yoke?

[chomp_rock]

What is your preferred control configuration? traditional stick, side-stick or yoke?

I personally prefer side-stick control since it is the most ergonomic of the three (I have a bad case of carpal tunnel syndrome so that is very important).

[EirePlane]

considering the fact that i don't know what a side stick is (dont laugh), ive voted for traditional stick

[chomp_rock]

Here is a picture of the side stick configuration in an A340:
[url]http://avion2001.free.fr/photos/technique/A340%20Cockpit.jpg
[/url]

[Hagar]

The type of aircraft I fly all have a proper joystick so that's what I use. They might be fine on airliners & heavier types but I never liked yokes.

[Felix/FFDS]

but I never liked yokes.

But you got married anyway?

[Hagar]

But you got married anyway?

So I did. Maybe that's another reason I don't like 'em.

[jimclarke]

A side stick?  You must be Yoking!!

Jim

[Felix/FFDS]

[quote]A side stick?

[Fozzer]

I prefer the traditional joystick.
Like Hagar, most of the "fun to fly" type of aircraft I fly use joysticks anyway... ...!
It takes a lot of getting used to using a flight yoke in a real Cessna 152 after using my joystick in the simulated version... ...!
Yokes look too much like car steering wheels, where you go left and right....but not up and down...LOL...!
NAH....gimme a joystick between the legs any time...but not what you're thinking... ...!
LOL...!

Cheers all... ...!

Paul.

...a Sopwith Camel with a steering wheel.....I don't think so... ...!
LOL...!

[EirePlane]

aaah, that's what I thought it (Side stick) might be. they have them in the a320 as well. I'd imagine they'd be a b*****d for landing though if you're not left handed

[Fozzer]

aaah, that's what I thought it (Side stick) might be. they have them in the a320 as well. I'd imagine they'd be a b*****d for landing though if you're not left handed

Being right-handed, (and therefore wrongly assuming that everyone else in the world is right-handed... ...!..), I have always found it strange why the throttle/prop/mixture lever(s) are positioned to the right of the joystick, which means you either have to cross-over hands. or exchange hands, which is a bit dodgy when you are coming in to land much too low and much too fast... ...!
LOL...!
As a "right-hander" it seems more logical to me, to grasp the joystick with my right hand and control the throttle/prop(s)/mixture controls with my left hand... ...!
Very handy when things are going slightly "pear-shaped" just before landing sideways in a cross-wind... ...!
LOL...!

Cheers all... ...!

Paul.

[EirePlane]

As a "right-hander" it seems more logical to me, to grasp the joystick with my right hand and control the throttle/prop(s)/mixture controls with my left hand... ...!

No problem there for me lol! my joystick has the stick on the right and throttle on the left. and there's the ergonomics on it too so it's even easier. Although that's one of the many things that worry me about airliners

[Hagar]

I think Fozzer is referring to his little Cessna 152 & similar dual-controlled aircraft with side-by-side seating. These usually have the throttle control in the centre between the front seats. The PIC would fly it from the left seat so would have to operate the throttle with the right hand. The same is true with the modern fly-by-wire airliners with side-stick controls. The Captain would have to learn to fly the aircraft left-handed.  

I've had this argument before with left-handers complaining about the lack of left-handed joysticks. They don't usually build aircraft to suit which hand the pilot favours. I assume an experienced airline captain or flying instructor can fly equally well from either seat.

[Felix/FFDS]

I believe that one of the interesting configurations was in the DH cabin Moths.  It had a yoke, connected on a swing arm to a centre "stick".  I believe the airplane could then be flown from either the right or left seat.

Similarly, the Lockheed P-38 had a yoke, rather than a "stick".

[Hagar]

[quote]I believe that one of the interesting configurations was in the DH cabin Moths.