Andy, if memory serves it is about 3/4 deflection... for my seat
position that's just before vertical. (It's been a while since I've
flown a 103 from the front seat.) Smaller people using cushions often
don't have the leverage to get the handle fully back. I've seen some
place their forearm on the handle to get a little more leverage, and
in extreme cases let go of the stick and reach across to use both
hands. It takes a good bit of force to engage the brake fully. It's
not difficulat for a male in a good seat position (right mix of
leverage and strength), but can be very challenging for a small-framed
woman.

One solution is to use rudder pedal blocks to extend them. It gets you
into a seat position with better leverage on the spoiler handle. If
you experiment with this, make sure they are absolutely secure and
don't interfere with anything through full pedal movement.




(Andy Durbin) wrote in message om...
I would like to know the approximate position of the front seat
airbrake handle with wheel brake applied. If you are familiar with a
G103 front cockpit please give me an estimate of the position such as
"just past vertical" "45 deg past vertical" etc.

Reason for the post is that my wife finds it impossible to apply wheel
brake in the G103 front seat. It had been a long time since I had
been in the front of a G103 and I found it very awkward as well. I
could only get the wheel brake to come on if I turned my wrist
backwards. It's like pushing backwards and downwards rather than
pulling.

In that glider the handle is 45 deg or more aft of vertical to apply
the wheel brake. Is this typical or is something out of adjustment?

Someone will probably ask about pilot height and build so my wife is 5
ft 9in, medium build, and works out far more than I do. She has no
problem with brakes in my ASW 19 or our clubs G102.

thanks

Andy