Chris OCallaghan wrote:

Smaller people using cushions often don't have
the leverage to get the handle fully back. [snip]
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.

I have had four flights in the G103A. I am 5'1", 108#, and use cushions. I can
*barely* muscle open the airbrakes all the way on the ground during preflight,
and it is quite challenging, to say the least, on rollout...I have to sort of
shift/turn upper body toward the left to do so. I have a similar situation in
the 1-26, as I am so short that I have the seatback up as far as it will go to
reach the peddles (can't use the bottom cushion made for the plane with the
seatback in that position because it gets in the way of the stick!), and
opening the divebrakes all the way ends up being an interesting, awkward
contortion. Worth it, though!!
:-)

--Shirley