Thread: Gear Warning
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  #45  
Old November 17th 05, 06:31 PM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
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Default Gear Warning - changing hands.

When I flew the PA18, PA25, and DR400 and DR300 I had my right hand on the
stick, and left hand on the throttle. With the Robins I had to change
hands to trim or set the flaps. With all of them the tow release was set
for the left hand.

When I learnt to power fly after many years gliding, I found the Tomahawk
and Cessna 150 series unhandy and difficult because I had to use my left
hand on a yoke. It was the combination of a yoke and the left hand which
made it difficult for me, after so many years with a stick in the right
hand. Are there any single pilot aircraft regularly flown with the left
hand?

There have been a number of cases where gliders (usually an ASW19) has been
seen trying to land with the brakes firmly shut and the wheel going up and
down; correct hand wrong lever.

W.J. (Bill) Dean (U.K.).
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"Bill Daniels" wrote in message
...

I don't quite buy all of this.

Airplane pilots land with their left hand on the yoke and right hand on
the throttle. When they shift to gliders, they land with their right
hand on the stick and left on the spoiler. In other words, a well
trailed pilot can land with either hand on the flight controls.

If you can't fly with either hand, you are limited. If you can, then
shifting hands to extend the gear shouldn't be a problem.

A possible thought here is that a throttle will stay where it is when you
let go - that's what friction locks are for. A spoiler will either suck
open or slam shut forcing the pilot to keep a hand on the control. Seems
like we should ask the designers to take a look at this.

Bill Daniels