Hi Building a flat top Max and have the fuselage complete enough to be messing with things like instruments, and positioning of the few switches it has, and more importantly to me, throttle positioning. My not too extensive experience has shown me that I prefer keeping my hand on the throttle a large percentage of the time. (left hand in my case) Such a preference makes ergonomics and comfort/fatigue considerations important. I've been sitting in the cockpit trying to find what works and doesn't given my 6'0" 210 pound frame. I've been messing with both conventional push pull knob type throttles and with those with the pivoting arm style. I've found a perfect location for the push pull knob type, just above my left leg, just under the uppermost fuselage member, just behind the aluminum spar attach pass through member. Ergonomically incredible as I can rest my arm on my leg. But it won't work as it then sits right in front of the pin location on the aluminum pass through member, and installing the pin even one time would be quite a task, and my current plans are to pull the wings with some regularity. Seemingly, every other push pull knob type location would entail my holding my arm up all the time which I am trying to avoid. With the pivoting arm style throttle control, mounting directly to the fuselage side wall seems feasible, but less than ideal ergonomics. I was just wondering if there is a type of throttle control and/or throttle location that I have failed to consider. All ideas and thoughts appreciated. (my current efforts are in the direction of a pivoting arm type throttle on top of the top of the fuselage, looks neat, again, ergonomically somewhat lacking in that I have to hold my arm up, can't rest it on anything) Thank you. Kim Brown
In my max the throttle is a quadrant mounted on the left below the pass through. I've added a photo of it which shows the throttle quadrant and its wooden bracket. Below it is the trim lever, and above and to the left of it in the picture is the choke lever.
I tried to find a photo of mine but couldn't locate one on my 'puter. My throttle is similar in construction and in a similar location to Bob's in the photo above. I only have a 1/2" diameter X 1" long nylon "bushing" for a handle or knob and the way it hits my leg is a bit irritating. I think if I switch to a ball knob of some sort it will ease the aggravation of it. I too wanted it next to my leg, not on the forward fuselage deck like is shown on the plans. I have seen photos of numerous MiniMAXs with the throttle location per plans, so evidently it's OK for many folks.
I made a lever type throttle. Like you, I prefer flying with my hand on the throttle. In the position shown in my pic below, the weight of my forearm is on my thigh, leaving my hand lightly resting on the lever. Very comfortable. As you can see, I put my throttle on the right, as I am left handed, & prefer the stick in my left hand.
On the left hand cockpit wall I have my trim quadrant & flap lever. I find my office cozy but comfortable.
Hi Well I think I have resolved the issue of throttle location, using an AS&S lever type control and placing it a few inches aft of where Bob placed his, I seem to have achieved the ergonomics that I was looking for. It was a painful process, working alone and trying to find a position that worked, resorted to a side to side push stick to position the control and then got in to check position while holding stick with right hand, think I will be happy with results. Mine has the ball at the end of the lever and I am mounting the control right to the fuselage side so in total, there is little inward interference with the leg. Thanks for all photos and comments Kim Brown New Hampshire
This does lead in to my next question. When you buy cable sheathing and cable wire, no provision is included for securing the sheathing in place at each end for instance. With my throttle cable, I penetrate the firewall with a cable safe from AS&S which does the job of securing the sheath so it can't move, allowing the cable to move and accomplish its task, which in this case is throttle opening and closing. When you create the throttle lever assembly, there is another instance when it is necessary to secure the sheath allowing the cable to move freely in response to the pilot's movement of the throttle. When I've done this before, I was able to use a Bowden cable clamp just in front of the throttle assembly. In this instance, the Bowden cable clamp was larger than the sheath I was using. The only solution I came up with, and I think it is probably ok, is to use a shaft collar on both sides of whatever the cable penetrates after leaving the throttle assembly. One collar keeps the sheath from moving in one direction, the other collar stops it in the other direction. I was not able to locate any other piece of hardware that does this job. Any thoughts on my solution, or on an alternative approach? Thank you. Kim Brown New Hampshire
Yes. My outer sheath is not secured at all. It goes into the carb top at one end and the other goes into a drilling in the throttle lever box. There is insufficient lash to allow it to come out of place.
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