Center stick on a Long-EZ

[espinaker]

Hi! Im new in the forum, and planning to build an LEz, but there are some things that I would like to change, if the possibility exist,

 

I would like to have a cockpit with a central stick, like a conventional cockpit, and to have the possibility of fly with either a hand or the another.

 

...the answer...did somebody try to do this mod? 

 

I would appreciete your comments and experience about this. 

 

Thanks for your time!

 

Andrew.

[Fero]

Why?

Flying by the sidestick is one of the coolest things that EZ's give us.

[macleodm3]

This has not been done in a Long-EZ.  If you wanted to do this, you would need to re-design a major portion of the fuselage OR the control system since the Long-EZ control system is torque tubes and push rods that are located along the side of the fuselage.  You basically sit on the floor of the Long-EZ, so there is no room to run the controls under the seats.

 

See attached image for details....

Edited April 12, 2018 by Andrew Anunson

[espinaker]

Thanks Andrew for the answer! and thanks for the drawing...It clarifies better the controls of the ez...I only would like the center stick in the front...so maybe something may be done, I dont know, maybe leave the original controls and add the center stick, like "remotely" control the controls haha, ...Thanks again! 

[macleodm3]

Hmmm... not a bad idea!  Just skip the control system.  All you need is an aileron servo and an elevator servo.  Add a throttle servo and now you've got yourself a large RC aircraft that you can ride in.

[espinaker]

I was looking the drawings you sent to me, and some photos of te EZ cockpit... and I think that is possible to put a removable center stick ( the stick, not the base of it) just sending a link to the side, to the original controls...But your idea is cooler than mine, the center stick would be to "fly by wire" and still you will have te original controls...just in case....I think that wuould be the easier way to do it. Anyway....I keep lookig for some solutions.. after alll, I think that that´s what this is about...haha.. some people do puzzles...and we.... thanks!!

[Kent Ashton]

Thanks Andrew for the answer! and thanks for the drawing...It clarifies better the controls of the ez...I only would like the center stick in the front...so maybe something may be done, I dont know, maybe leave the original controls and add the center stick, like "remotely" control the controls haha, ...Thanks again! 

 

You could put a stubby extra stick on the opposite side of the airplane like a Cozy and have two side-sticks but I'm not recommending that.  Better to install an autopilot.  The center-stick idea is one of those things that extends your build time, makes the airplane more complicated and heavier and will be a turn-off to future buyers . . . kind of like setting up your airplane for right-seat pilot.  :-)

[macleodm3]

Some people want a yoke in their EZ / Cozy....  

[Jon Matcho]

Andrew A, you gave me a chuckle about the RC comment.

 

Andrew (espinaker), you can add my voice to the many more that will tell you not to bother with your center stick idea.  You can do a fair amount of building before you get close to this idea, and then it's all up to you.

 

Weather is warming... time to build :-)

[espinaker]

Thanks to all for the advices!...and yes, I still have a lot of time and things to do...It was just an (crazy?) idea....Thanks again!

[Jon Matcho]

You can find a handful of other "center stick" discussions in the same Control System forum you posted this to.  While most are about putting a stick between two front seats, the issues are closely related.  

 

I believe the E-Racer has a center control stick... (between the front seats; not between the pilot's legs)

[espinaker]

Thanks Jon! I´ll will take a look... good idea...Thanks again!

[Jon Matcho]

I belabored the idea of putting a center stick into my Cozy IV build.  I was convinced that since I was right-handed I would not be able to deal with the left-handed control stick.

 

Long story short:  I came back to a per-plans mentality after having wasted a lot of time.  Complexity and additional weight also become concerns -- those two factors were constantly addressed by the designers (Burt Rutan in your case).