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adjustable rudder pedals

billdianne

billdianne

Active Member
Patron
I would like to get some feedback from people with in flight adjustable rudder pedals. Are they useful? Do you use them? Would you do it again?

Comments from people with ground adjustable pedals would be welcome too.

Thanks,
Bill
 
Ground adj

I can't offer any operational guidance since I am still building and not even a pilot yet! But I chose the ground adjustable since I figured that I would be the only person ever flying my plane, and on the incredibly rare (perhaps never) occassion that I trust someone else with my baby they can either adjust them on the ground, or put up with my settings. I just didn't see the point in flight adjustable; its not a club aircraft with multiple pilots; its mine and will be flown by me only. Good decision? Time will tell :D
 
I am very happy I went with the inflight adjustable, not beacue anyone else flies the plane, but becasue I can push them forward on long cross-countries to get more legroom for moving around. I'd definitely do them again!

Paul
 
billdianne said:
I would like to get some feedback from people with in flight adjustable rudder pedals. Are they useful? Do you use them? Would you do it again?

Comments from people with ground adjustable pedals would be welcome too.

Thanks,
Bill
Click to expand...
Bill,

My RV-8 kit is newer and the rudder pedal weldments are the same regardless of option. The only difference in rudder pedal choice is contained within a hardware bag.

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=25256&highlight=adjustable+pedals

I originally went with the ground adjustable option until Paul Dye shared an interesting piece of advice with us....on a long flight, it is nice to be able to move the pedals forward just to be able to stretch your legs out and I instantly knew what he meant. I quickly upgraded to the flight adjustable hardware and never looked back. Using a lanyard, the pedals can be moved forward or aft in 1" increments.

A retrofit into an older existing airframe could be difficult so it may be best to consult with Van's before launching into an upgrade.
 
When I got my fuselage kit, the in-flight adjustable was the only way. I installed them per the plans but have never moved them.

If I were doing it again, I would probably still do the in-flight adjustable. Just kind of like the option.

Karl
 
Yes, I would do it again. I normally do not adjust my medals during local flights but on long flight it is nice to be able to move them back a couple of notchs. Vans upgrades are realitivly cheap. I guess I did them all on my 8.
Chad
 
I installed the in flight adjustable, 50+ hrs and they haven't moved . Haven't done any long trips to try the stretch out thing but that would be nice. Would I do again ?,, it's a great design and looks really KOOL so I probably would .
 
billdianne said:
I would like to get some feedback from people with in flight adjustable rudder pedals. Are they useful? Do you use them? Would you do it again?

Comments from people with ground adjustable pedals would be welcome too.

Thanks,
Bill
Click to expand...

Yes for allowing for leg extention on long flights (me).
Yes see above reason. Also I let others fly my plane. One guy 5'4" 150 wet, the other 6'3"280lbs dry.
Yes for above reasons.

Best,
 
Yes

For me as well. Sometimes I like to kick them forward on a long flight to stretch out.

I'm 5'9" and let my 6'3" friend fly sometimes and it's nice to be able to quickly adjust for that. We use the same cushions and just kick the pedals fore or aft. Great feature.
 
In-flight adjustable rudder pedals

There are two RV-8's at my home airport. The other one, a pre-matched hole fuselage, has the in-flight adjustable version. He has set his and never moved them. Based on his experience, I returned the inflight adjustable pedals I had ordered with my matched hole fuselage.

The co-owner of our airplane is around 6'1", I am 5'8". Most of the difference in height is legs. I fly with a cushion behind my back; he removes it. After 80 hours in the plane, I feel we made the correct decision.
 
We are both "vertically challenged" and fly with the rudder pedals all the way back. However, the adjustable ones are still useful if longer legged people want to sit in, but more importantly for any maintenance e.g. Fuel Pump / Filter / Brake Fluid Reservoirs in that area...

Another UK builder (sure he'll be along shortly ;) ) fitted the ground adjustable, and then changed them to flight adjustable... not sure why, but something along the lines of being unhappy with the ground adjustable.

Andy & Ellie Hill
RV-8 G-HILZ
 
In-Flight Rudder Pedal Adjustment -- Very Handy!

I am really glad the builder of my -8A installed the adustable pedals -- very handy for "vertically different" pilots!
 
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