Author Topic: Windy's handles (Read 8078 times)

Chris_Rud · « **on:** February 26, 2015, 09:19:32 PM »

Does anyone have a picture of windy's handles? I saw in one of his videos that he custom makes the handles for each airplane. Thought that was a cool idea. If anyone could snap some pics that would be very helpful!

Thanks!!!
Chris Rud

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #1 on:** February 26, 2015, 10:48:06 PM »

I strongly recommend that you at least try a hard point handle, and that if you're a middlin' Intermediate or higher you try a lightweight one made out of carbon fiber. I've been using hard-point handles for around five years; about a year ago I went from the really good-looking 100g handles I'd been building to a 20g fiberglass and balsa one, and then a 16g carbon fiber one.

I ain't going back.

It's very helpful to have one handle and line set per plane. Keep everything together in a bag or a sandwich box in a way that preserves all your adjustments (this is easy if you have a hard point handle, because your line clips are your adjustment, and you just leave those clipped to plane and handle).

Hard point handles are absurdly easy to build once you've done it once. There's really no excuse for not having one for every plane.

(Note that not everyone prefers a hard point handle, and you may not, either. Most do -- some don't. On the same note, not everyone can feel the difference between a 20g handle and an 80g handle, much less a 20g and a 16g. So you should try an obsessive-compulsive handle, but if it doesn't do anything for you, do something else. It's your hand, after all.)

Dan McEntee · « **Reply #2 on:** February 27, 2015, 12:50:14 AM »

If I remember correctly , Windy's handles were wood, "hot rock" style handles about 4 to 5 inches across, and had tubes in the top and bottom where the cables came out to adjust line spacing. I think you had to rethread the cable through the handle to do it. It's been a while since I have seen one, and it was one of Chris McMillin's handles for his Golden Falcon. They weren't really heavy, I don't believe.
I have been using Tom Morris handles, and have a set of lines and handles for each airplane I fly for reasons already stated. Tom has a hard point unit that is pretty nice and I have a few of those to try. I call it an "ARF" handle. Largely constructed but requires some personal touches and finishing. reasonably priced.
Check out some of Paul Taylor's YouTube postings of Windy's videos and I'll bet he did some close up details on his handles and why he made them the way he did. Paul could probably tell if they do or not.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee

Geoff Goodworth · « **Reply #3 on:** February 27, 2015, 12:59:28 AM »

Have a look at the Marvin Denny handle. The drawing is available for download in the download section.

dale gleason · « **Reply #4 on:** February 27, 2015, 02:26:59 AM »

Hi Chris,
If you would like to try a Windy handle, I will send one to you. The spacing is rather wide, and overhang isn't adjustable. I am in awe of your proper use of the apostrophe in your posting, thanks,
dale g

Derek Barry · « **Reply #5 on:** February 27, 2015, 05:51:07 AM »

Hey Chris,

Windy's handles are not bad but they are not fully adjustable and as mentioned, to move the line spacing you have to cut and rethread the cable. This is inconvenient when trying to trim a plane at the field. I would highly recommend a Kaz handle, they are available in both hard point and cable designs. I use the hard point when flying with braided lines and the cable when using solids. They are also fully adjustable...

Derek

Chris_Rud · « **Reply #6 on:** February 27, 2015, 06:32:18 AM »

Quote from: dale gleason on February 27, 2015, 02:26:59 AM

Hi Chris,
If you would like to try a Windy handle, I will send one to you. The spacing is rather wide, and overhang isn't adjustable. I am in awe of your proper use of the apostrophe in your posting, thanks,
dale g

Dale,

Private message on its way.

-Chris

Chris_Rud · « **Reply #7 on:** February 27, 2015, 06:39:07 AM »

Quote from: Derek Barry on February 27, 2015, 05:51:07 AM

Hey Chris,

Windy's handles are not bad but they are not fully adjustable and as mentioned, to move the line spacing you have to cut and rethread the cable. This is inconvenient when trying to trim a plane at the field. I would highly recommend a Kaz handle, they are available in both hard point and cable designs. I use the hard point when flying with braided lines and the cable when using solids. They are also fully adjustable...

Derek

Derek,

I have used one of Kaz's handles for as long as I remember. Love it. Robbie Gruber gave me one. I'm just building 4 planes this year and want a handle for each... That would be about 340 dollars this year in handles. I intend to use my Kaz handles to trim the plane and then make my own custom handle for each plane with the ability to adjust line spacing for finer trimming. I'm more or less wanting to see a Windy handle to get ideas... (or any other handles) But as you have said cutting and re threading the cable doesn't sound like what I'm looking for.

Thanks!

Chris

peabody · « **Reply #8 on:** February 27, 2015, 06:41:58 AM »

Windy frequently sawed one or both of the leadout ends of his handles to make them more sensitive....and we all know how sensitive Windy is.
The issue is that it is difficult and impractical to add length to increase overhang.

Have fun!

Crist Rigotti · « **Reply #9 on:** February 27, 2015, 07:37:11 AM »

Chris,
Have you seen/tried a Ted Fancher handle? About $20 to $25 each depending on how many you fly. Last time I bought some I paid $100 for 5 of them. And yes, each of my airplanes gets a handle. The only way to go.

Chris_Rud · « **Reply #10 on:** February 27, 2015, 07:41:24 AM »

Quote from: Crist Rigotti on February 27, 2015, 07:37:11 AM

Chris,
Have you seen/tried a Ted Fancher handle? About $20 to $25 each depending on how many you fly. Last time I bought some I paid $100 for 5 of them. And yes, each of my airplanes gets a handle. The only way to go.

Are you getting them directly from Ted?

-Chris

Garf · « **Reply #11 on:** February 27, 2015, 08:27:14 AM »

I have one of Windys' handles. I have almost worn it out. Near the end of my aircraft career, I made up a batch of the square metal tabs that retain the adjustment for Windy.

Gil Mc Millan · « **Reply #12 on:** February 27, 2015, 09:18:00 AM »

Chris, I get my "Ted's" handles from Carl Shoup [shoupentstatorrepair@prodigy.net] they are the best I have seen, they come semi finished @ 5 for $ 100
Gil

Chris_Rud · « **Reply #13 on:** February 27, 2015, 09:28:12 AM »

Quote from: Gil Mc Millan on February 27, 2015, 09:18:00 AM

Chris, I get my "Ted's" handles from Carl Shoup [shoupentstatorrepair@prodigy.net] they are the best I have seen, they come semi finished @ 5 for $ 100
Gil

Does anyone have a picture of Carl's version?

Thanks,
Chris

Bill Little · « **Reply #14 on:** February 27, 2015, 11:11:28 AM »

Quote from: Chris_Rud on February 27, 2015, 09:28:12 AM

Does anyone have a picture of Carl's version?

Thanks,
Chris

Hi Chris,

Basically they look like wooden Hot Rock and the larger E-Z Just. They come in both sizes. The outer layers are balsa and they have the hard point tabs. I have grown to love them, and I was a strict "Kaz handle" guy.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

Balsa Butcher · « **Reply #15 on:** February 27, 2015, 12:46:35 PM »

This ought to help. Clockwise from left: Kaz Cable handle: A favorite. Kaz hard point handle-Best for large stunters. Ted handle:Prefered for smaller stunters/classics and racing. Windy handle:Nice feel, good sport handle. Others experience may differ. Ted handle is from Carl Shoup. Kaz handles courtesy of Randy Smith. Windy handle, better take Dale up on his offer.

Chris_Rud · « **Reply #16 on:** February 27, 2015, 01:28:03 PM »

What is the widest spacing on a Fancher handle? I run really wide spacing. One reason I have loved Kaz handles.

-Chris

Crist Rigotti · « **Reply #17 on:** February 27, 2015, 02:16:14 PM »

Quote from: Chris_Rud on February 27, 2015, 01:28:03 PM

What is the widest spacing on a Fancher handle? I run really wide spacing. One reason I have loved Kaz handles.

-Chris

Very wide. You just turn the metal pieces up-side-down so that the holes face outward rather than inward.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #18 on:** February 27, 2015, 02:18:44 PM »

Hey Chris:

How much building are you willing to do? I ask because if you build your own, the answer is "as much spacing as you want". Building a carbon-fiber "Walker" handle is absurdly easy -- you can knock one out in about an hour if you put your mind to it and have the stuff on hand.

Here is a picture of my version of a CF handle, which trades off some overhang for having a closed bar across the knuckles -- this allows me to make the thing out of 0.06" CF plate rather than the 0.10" that Paul Walker uses, which lets me get the weight down a bit. I need to do it anyway, because I generally run much narrower spacing than most people, so the leadouts need to be in front of my fingers. (It's me, not my airplanes -- a friend crashed a plane of mine because I loaned him plane and handle, and we didn't widen the spacing. It sounds like I'm the opposite of you in that regard).

As you can see, the maximum spacing on this handle is 4 1/2 inches -- but you should be able to see that by cutting the frame differently, you could easily make the spacing as wide as you needed. I would suggest that if you go much above 5" spacing, or if you want to use a "C" shaped frame to get less overhang that you go to 0.10" plate: you probably need the stiffness more than you need the weight reduction.

I'm including a sketch of the way that Mike Haverly prefers to make his handle. He feels that having low overhang gives him a distinct advantage, so he optimizes for that. He whacks the frame (black lines) out of 0.10" CF plate, then puts a balsa grip on it similar to mine. (The blue circles show roughly how his fingers fit in the frame, to give you an idea both of how close the fit is, and how personalized the handle is).

If you do go out and make a super-light handle, make sure that you have some extra holes on the inside to adjust to: both I and my flying buddy found that with a lighter handle we were actually overcontrolling in the corners with our "heavy handle" spacing. With the lighter handles we went in a notch on the line spacing to get our corners back where they should be, and found that our rounds and level flight were all the smoother for it.

Fred Cronenwett · « **Reply #19 on:** February 27, 2015, 04:00:04 PM »

each one of my planes has a unique set of lines and handle, best thing I did many years ago. I leave one connector on the plane and one on the lines, that way there is only one way to hook up to the plane and I never have to adjust the neutral adjustment once it is set. Someone showed how to do this many years ago and haven't changed.

I have been making handles now for the last 6 years and plan to make some more. they look a lot like the hot rock handle and only cost me about $3 to make since I have pile of some old redwood that I use for the handles.

The first picture shows the color of the wood with one kind of clear, the piece above it is the same wood with a different clear coat (water based Minwax polyurethane). The next batch I build will be done with the Minwax polyurethane.

Fred

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #20 on:** February 27, 2015, 04:25:05 PM »

Quote from: Fred Cronenwett on February 27, 2015, 04:00:04 PM

I leave one connector on the plane and one on the lines, that way there is only one way to hook up to the plane and I never have to adjust the neutral adjustment once it is set.

I color-code my line ends. Same result, different method.

Quote from: Fred Cronenwett on February 27, 2015, 04:00:04 PM

The next batch I build will be done with the Minwax polyurethane.

Polyurethane has worked well for me in the past. Now that I'm trying for insanely light I just put a couple of coats of dope on -- but when I was treating my handle like something that would get appearance points, I really liked the results from polyurethane.

Don't use Minwax Polycrylic. Just handling a slime-powered plane and then grabbing the handle makes it get gooey. I don't know if the Polycrylic gets attacked by the castor oil, or if there's enough nitro and methanol in exhaust residue to do a number on it, but whatever gets on my hands attacked the Polycrylic. I suspect that would happen at a contest just being on the flight line with slime-powered planes, or launching for someone who's slime powered.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #21 on:** February 27, 2015, 04:41:59 PM »

Here is my Fancher handle I got from Carl years ago. It is painted to match the plane I used it with. Never again will I paint a wood handle. The one I use now is not painted and I have better control feel of the handle. It doesn't slide around in my IC slime coated hands. Showing both sides as if I need a big change and don't have the right clip I can loosen the allen screws and adjusted accordingly.

Randy Cuberly · « **Reply #22 on:** February 27, 2015, 04:51:03 PM »

Quote from: john e. holliday on February 27, 2015, 04:41:59 PM

Here is my Fancher handle I got from Carl years ago. It is painted to match the plane I used it with. Never again will I paint a wood handle. The one I use now is not painted and I have better control feel of the handle. It doesn't slide around in my IC slime coated hands. Showing both sides as if I need a big change and don't have the right clip I can loosen the allen screws and adjusted accordingly.

He Doc,
Just wrap the handle with one layer of Tennis Racket tape available at most sporting goods stores and Wal-Mart...Even available in colors if you're so inclined.

Randy Cuberly

Bill Little · « **Reply #23 on:** February 27, 2015, 04:54:43 PM »

MANY years ago, Winfred gave me some templates for cutting the layers used to make his handles. I made a bunch (really simple to make!) of the handles so I was i good shape. Well, as time went by I would give one to a newbie, etc., and I was down to only one or two. Since then I got a 4 pack of Ted's Handles when Ted was making them. Now, one of those has "disappeared", just magically walked away (we all know how that happens! LOL!!) but that's OK. Someone needed it so it went to good use. Now I want to get some more from Carl and also make a CF hard point like Paul Walker and Tim W. Having a dedicated handle and line set is almost an imperative! If you have serious contest planes I would say it is a "must do". Buy the line in 1000' spools and learn to make sets. I also color code my line ends with colored wrapping wire from Radio Shack. Three spools to a pack, red, green and bare. I use red for up, green for down. I also swap ends 1/2 way through the season. Now if I can get back to the circle and actually fly again, it won't all be in vain!

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM

Doug Moon · « **Reply #24 on:** February 27, 2015, 06:28:56 PM »

Here is the rig I use.

I fly on a cable handle and non stainless solids as well. The handle is a piece of poplar wood and the slider is made from a piece of flat aluminum stock. There are aluminum sliders for width adjustment. The cable is a piece of heavy aircraft grade stuff I got up at Elliots hardware. I have two of these. I have been trading them between my competition planes since around 2000 or so. When I move one over to a new plane it and the lines stay with the plane until it is either gone or retired.

I keep trying cables on the hard point Ted handle and the results are mixed. When he first offered them I bought 5. I put one on a 650 sized model I was flying at the time and it became a force after one flight. It felt like I had my hand on the BC during he whole flight. It was pretty awesome. That is the only time I have been able to make it work. All of my planes since then have been larger like what I am flying now. When I try them they tend to fool me a bit. The feel is good. I feel pretty connected to the model. I hate those stupid braids. They feel like earthworms for lines. Big and soggy with vibrations etc...ugh...no thanks. But I forge ahead trying to find the magic again. What I tend to find is I can get a good feel, with good trim, and a quick response. All is well right? WRONG!! Shapes an angles suffer and my ability to "fly" the plane everywhere suffers. It feels more like I am snapping the handle and watching the result.

With the bar and cable (gasp.... I know it's pretty much an antiquated design) I feel like I am on both lines at all times and the solids, at least in my view, dont have all of the drawbacks. And in the end my shapes and quality of corner are better so I keep on with what works.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #25 on:** February 27, 2015, 06:43:11 PM »

So Doug -- what happens with a hard point handle and solid lines? It seems like that would just make things even better yet.

Doug Moon · « **Reply #26 on:** February 27, 2015, 06:57:58 PM »

Quote from: Tim Wescott on February 27, 2015, 06:43:11 PM

So Doug -- what happens with a hard point handle and solid lines? It seems like that would just make things even better yet.

I have tried that as well many times. It ends up being way to sensitive. Shapes and angles go down the drain. The feel is awesome and it me into thinking I have this awesome setup but once I take an objective look its not so good. So I trim and mess with the handle only to find I am somewhere close to where I was before and I haven't really gained anything and burnt a bunch of fuel for nothing...

Brett Buck · « **Reply #27 on:** February 27, 2015, 07:05:04 PM »

Quote from: Doug Moon on February 27, 2015, 06:57:58 PM

I have tried that as well many times. It ends up being way to sensitive. Shapes and angles go down the drain. The feel is awesome and it me into thinking I have this awesome setup but once I take an objective look its not so good.

I agree that the feel is incredible, it's like your fingers are connected straight to the bellcrank. I flew Ted's Chizler on .014x58 solids and a Ted handle, and you could put it exactly where you wanted every single time. The only reason I haven't done it with my big airplane is that I don't want to use solids in contests, just because of the fiddle or having to switch to stranded if it rains.

So I haven't done it enough with regular airplanes to find the downside yet. Dave was using a cable handle with solids and a hard-point handle with stranded, so that when he switched back and forth, the feel would be closer to the same. He has also given up on solids for the same reason I don;t use them. He actually had to switch between flights at the TT one year because it rained, that was the end.

Brett

John Rist · « **Reply #28 on:** February 28, 2015, 12:36:19 PM »

For sale on ebay

181676924739

Garf · « **Reply #29 on:** March 01, 2015, 10:04:10 AM »

What is the size where your hand goes. I need a size slightly larger than a Hot Rock. I like the Windy handle.

Balsa Butcher · « **Reply #30 on:** March 01, 2015, 07:34:31 PM »

Small Hot Rock measures 3 1/16 across the middle of the arms. My Windy handle measured 3 3/8" at the same location. I too find the small HR handle too narrow, Windy handle fits comfortably.

Brett Buck · « **Reply #31 on:** March 01, 2015, 08:09:50 PM »

The Windy handle feels very good to my hand.

Just be careful about the cable and inspect it carefully and frequently (like every flying session) for cables starting to fail. This is the same with any other cable handle. Ask Howard about that.

Brett

John Rist · « **Reply #32 on:** March 01, 2015, 08:38:34 PM »

Quote from: Garf on March 01, 2015, 10:04:10 AM

What is the size where your hand goes. I need a size slightly larger than a Hot Rock. I like the Windy handle.

The eBay 181676924739 handle measures at 3 1/4 " inside dimension where the hand goes. I have a big hand and it fits nicely.

Target · « **Reply #33 on:** March 15, 2016, 10:58:56 PM »

Quote from: Tim Wescott on February 27, 2015, 02:18:44 PM

Hey Chris:

How much building are you willing to do? I ask because if you build your own, the answer is "as much spacing as you want". Building a carbon-fiber "Walker" handle is absurdly easy -- you can knock one out in about an hour if you put your mind to it and have the stuff on hand.

Here is a picture of my version of a CF handle, which trades off some overhang for having a closed bar across the knuckles -- this allows me to make the thing out of 0.06" CF plate rather than the 0.10" that Paul Walker uses, which lets me get the weight down a bit. I need to do it anyway, because I generally run much narrower spacing than most people, so the leadouts need to be in front of my fingers. (It's me, not my airplanes -- a friend crashed a plane of mine because I loaned him plane and handle, and we didn't widen the spacing. It sounds like I'm the opposite of you in that regard).

As you can see, the maximum spacing on this handle is 4 1/2 inches -- but you should be able to see that by cutting the frame differently, you could easily make the spacing as wide as you needed. I would suggest that if you go much above 5" spacing, or if you want to use a "C" shaped frame to get less overhang that you go to 0.10" plate: you probably need the stiffness more than you need the weight reduction.

I'm including a sketch of the way that Mike Haverly prefers to make his handle. He feels that having low overhang gives him a distinct advantage, so he optimizes for that. He whacks the frame (black lines) out of 0.10" CF plate, then puts a balsa grip on it similar to mine. (The blue circles show roughly how his fingers fit in the frame, to give you an idea both of how close the fit is, and how personalized the handle is).

If you do go out and make a super-light handle, make sure that you have some extra holes on the inside to adjust to: both I and my flying buddy found that with a lighter handle we were actually overcontrolling in the corners with our "heavy handle" spacing. With the lighter handles we went in a notch on the line spacing to get our corners back where they should be, and found that our rounds and level flight were all the smoother for it.

What are you doing for the brass liners in the CF, Tim?

Thanks.

Steve Hines · « **Reply #34 on:** March 16, 2016, 02:53:50 AM »

Chris Samantha has a custom painted one that John D. Made for her. I can send it to you to look at. Are you going to Toledo? I was looking at it and thinking you could have moving brass piece, like they do on some of the adj lead outs.

Steve

Dave_Trible · « **Reply #35 on:** March 16, 2016, 05:35:09 AM »

My handles. Very light and fully adjustable.

frank williams · « **Reply #36 on:** March 16, 2016, 08:19:26 AM »

Windy handle photo

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #37 on:** March 16, 2016, 12:05:41 PM »

The beauty of the TED and TOM (Morris) handles is that, being kits, you grind away what doesn't feel good to your paw. Attaching a picture of one of my TED handles. Two coats of epoxy finishing resin and a wrap of fishing rod grip tape from BPS. I set the overhang at minimum for finger clearance, tighten down the screws, and drizzle some thin CA into the channel. They're 60g each, and I'm ok with that.

Steve

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #38 on:** March 16, 2016, 12:11:18 PM »

Quote from: Chris Behm on March 15, 2016, 10:58:56 PM

What are you doing for the brass liners in the CF, Tim?

Thanks.

I cut lengths of brass tube about 5/32 or 3/16 inch long, and peen them into the holes. Most people just use a center punch to widen the mouth of the tube. I came up with a fancy tool, but I think a center punch may work better.

Geoff Goodworth · « **Reply #39 on:** March 16, 2016, 03:44:24 PM »

Check out my drawing of the Marvin Denny handle in the Downloads section. If the size is wrong, you can always adjust it.

Target · « **Reply #40 on:** March 16, 2016, 04:19:31 PM »

Thanks Tim and Geoff.
I think I'm convinced that building a handle is as easy as any other solution, and I can get what I want that way.
Flew with one of those euro plastic combat handles the other day, the one with the adjustment thumbscrew, and it was the bomb. I was told they do not make them any more though. Forget the name of the darned thing!
Vr,
Chris

Joe Hamorski · « **Reply #41 on:** March 20, 2016, 05:40:07 AM »

looking to make some of these handles, any suggestions as to what kind of wood? Should I stay away from laminated ply as I have some beautiful 7 ply? thanks, Joe

Ted Fancher · « **Reply #42 on:** March 20, 2016, 03:43:17 PM »

Quote from: Dave_Trible on March 16, 2016, 05:35:09 AM

My handles. Very light and fully adjustable.

Wild! Gotta ask. is the bottom hole for your pinky finger? How come the displacement and the odd relationship to the rest of the grip...appears to be down (lower than the placement of the upper most trigger finger with respect to the line attachment points and a bit back toward the wrist compared to the bigger grip section. Looks "hi-tech" for sure.

Ted

Dave_Trible · « **Reply #43 on:** March 20, 2016, 04:03:15 PM »

Hi Ted. Well yes that's a pinky finger hole. I originally got that idea when my smallish hand would swim a little up and down with a regular grip handle changing the feel a bit every time I picked it up. This grip locks me in to the same grip each time I pick it up. The curve of the grip follows what feels comfortable to the contours of my hand with the pinky separated from the other three fingers. The relationship of the centerline between the two lines and the centerline of my humanoid pivot device (wrist) is actually pretty close so the feel up and down seems equal to me but of course can be biased out front if I want to. I guess it's like what they say about a Spitfire- you don't fly one- you wear one.

Dave

Randy Powell · « **Reply #44 on:** March 22, 2016, 05:30:18 PM »

I like my new handle. A lot.

Target · « **Reply #45 on:** March 22, 2016, 05:58:41 PM »

Quote from: Randy Powell on March 22, 2016, 05:30:18 PM

I like my new handle. A lot.

I like it a lot, too, Randy.
How did you secure the brass tubing into the CF?
Thanks,
Chris

Ted Fancher · « **Reply #46 on:** March 22, 2016, 06:21:03 PM »

Quote from: Dave_Trible on March 20, 2016, 04:03:15 PM

Hi Ted. Well yes that's a pinky finger hole. I originally got that idea when my smallish hand would swim a little up and down with a regular grip handle changing the feel a bit every time I picked it up. This grip locks me in to the same grip each time I pick it up. The curve of the grip follows what feels comfortable to the contours of my hand with the pinky separated from the other three fingers. The relationship of the centerline between the two lines and the centerline of my humanoid pivot device (wrist) is actually pretty close so the feel up and down seems equal to me but of course can be biased out front if I want to. I guess it's like what they say about a Spitfire- you don't fly one- you wear one.

Dave

Dave,
Thanks for the explanation. The two side views in the picture made it appear as though the "up" line is attached above the your index finger and the "down" line between the pinky and fourth finger. Looked as though you would have very quick up response and pokey down. Probably because the pinky finger is obviously not aligned with the other three digits when gripping as is common on most handles.

Just curious; does it feel at all like you've taken the pinky finger out of the control "input" equation? i.e. can you still fine tune outside inputs with it.

Truly a different look!

Ted

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #47 on:** March 22, 2016, 06:42:52 PM »

Dave's handle is interesting in other ways, too. I was wondering if he flies with his thumb on that angle at the top of the grip? I found myself doing that on a plane I had that didn't turn as well outside as inside. I knew that wasn't a good habit to get into, and that the plane needed fixing. I have other habits I don't need. At least I quit chewing my fingernails many years ago. Are emoticons a bad habit?

Steve

Dave_Trible · « **Reply #48 on:** March 22, 2016, 07:06:01 PM »

Ted and Steve. I can't say that I feel like the pinky is out of the action at all. It's just working from a more comfortable spot. Ted I don't feel like the down is slow but it might to someone used to the other way until they got used to this. If I turn my hand palm up and imagine a line down the arm and through the wrist that line then passes generally through my middle finger- not nessessarily between the 2nd and 3rd. In other words my middle finger more defines the center point of my 'bellcrank'. Having the bottom line farther down gives that line a bias. If you get used to that then of course that's what's normal for you. That would make the down touchy to me. In any case the pinky is still helping command, unlike the Chinese guys who flew with two finger rings.
Steve I do sometimes use the thumb rest but not always. I find myself using it to push over for the outside squares and square eights. I'm sure other times I don't realize as well. It provides a more solid feel those times. A couple of other guys have flown my planes and got the feel of it within a few maneuvers. Todd Lee and Joe Gilbert both put in pretty good patterns on their first experience with my handles.

Dave

Target · « **Reply #49 on:** March 22, 2016, 07:22:37 PM »

Is steve saying that thumb on the top of the handle is a bad habit and should be avoided when learning (Which I am!)?

R,
Chris
Anyone else with an opinion/explanation on that?