Pilot side stick not quite centered

[CT2K]

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[FlyingMonkey]

6 hours ago, CT2K said:

Has anyone noticed that the stick on the pilot side is not quite centered, or is my CT an exception?

 

 

 

I realised that it is too often that I tend to fly with right wing lower than left, and I started thinking about it, on the ground, and in flight. It appeared that the stick on the pilot side is a little on the left (instead of being perfectly centered). Unconsciously my hand is bringing the stick to the center with a very light pressure to the right, hence the right wing being lower. This phenomena being always the same regardless flight phases, I also tend to touchdown the right wheel earlier than the left.

 

 

 

The stick itself is standing straight, so it is not bended or anything. It is just that it is rooted a little to the left instead of perfectly in the middle.

 

 

 

Any thoughts on how to address the situation would be mostly welcome.

 

If you are allowed by the rules of your country, you could make an offset mount for the stick where it attaches to shift it slightly to the side.

[Tom Baker]

Are you saying where the stick is mounted to the floor is off center, or the top of the stick where you put your hand is off center? If it is the top of the stick you should be able to adjust that by adjusting the length of the rod that connects the stick to the torque tube.

[Tom Baker]

What reference points are you using to make the determination that it is off center? 

[Mike Koerner]

CT2k,

Excuse me for saying so... but I think you are chasing imaginary dragons.

I don't know if the stick is centered on my CT2k or not, and I don't know how I could tell, but I also don't think it matters. My hand does not automatically go to a position it thinks is centered, it goes to the position where the plane is neither rolling right nor rolling left. All the stick movements are relative, not absolute.

On the other hand, there are significant optical allusions in CTs. One has to do with the fact that the seats are not aimed straight forward. They are canted in slightly. As a result, determining what direction is straight ahead is a bit difficult. I used to be a few degrees off the runway centerline when I flared. Now I have spot of blue tape in the windscreen which lines up between my eyes and the end of the runway when I'm properly aligned. I also use the spot to fly directly to a point on the horizon, instead of flying a curved trajectory.

Another allusion unique to the CT2k (and maybe very early CTSW models) is a curved glare shield on top of the instrument panel (this is a two-section instrument panel instead of the 3 sections with a flatter top used on later models). The curved top makes it difficult to tell when he wings are level when looking forward. Instead, I periodically compare the height of each wing tip above the horizon to keep the plane on a level keel.

Mike Koerner

[AGLyme]

I agree with Mike's analysis, I too use a piece of tape (on my dash).  

Here is a great vid on "Perspective"... 

 

[Tom Baker]

When I ask for the reference point last night I started to type a longer explanation, basically saying what Mike said. I have not measured the stick location in relation to anything, but if I were guessing I bet the center of the stick is equal to the distance of the center of the pilot from the center of the tunnel. That being said if you find yourself in a bank more often than not I doubt it is the location of the stick, but it could be the rigging of the airplane. Over the weekend I flew a airplane with a center stick between the seats, and I didn't automatically roll left the whole time, I put the stick where it needed to be to fly level.

 

[sandpiper]

The mystery is solved! Now I can blame all my bad flying on something.

The right stick is 1/2" closer to the side of the center console than the left stick is. 

Then I measured to the outside wall of the aircraft and found the left stick is 1/2" closer to the outer wall than is the right stick.

Even so, I cannot blame this 1/2" difference for bad flying. Both stick straight up out of the floor and seem to center between my legs. Flying mostly from the left side I simply weld my left forearm to my left leg for a comfortable fit. Then, as Tom says, simply put the stick where it needs to be to fly level. For me, unless I can't trim out the pressure I have to put on the stick, I don't think about where the stick is. I simply put the stick where it needs to be for the plane to be where I want it.

Now, maybe your controls are not rigged properly? 

Does the CT2K have 3 axis trim?

[Mike Koerner]

The CT2k has one axis trim, elevator trim... which is really all you need.

Mike Koerner

[Tom Baker]

8 hours ago, Mike Koerner said:

The CT2k has one axis trim, elevator trim... which is really all you need.

Mike Koerner

Assuming the airplane is rigged correctly. A half turn mistake on one of the steering rods for the nose wheel can make the airplane want to fly wing low because of rigging.

[Tom Baker]

1 hour ago, WmInce said:

Tom,

Steering rods?

Please explain further.

Fine adjustment for the rudder cable tension is made with the rods that go to the horn on the top of the nose gear. With the centering spring this also will effect the rigging and nose wheel steering. With the 3 axis trim you can correct for the rudder in flight, but with the early airplanes that don't have rudder trim it will cause the rudder to not center properly.