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Custom Rudder Pedals

BruceEicher

Well Known Member
HulaGirl received a Christmas gift; new custom rudder pedals made by Control Approach. I first heard of the pedals from the maker Paul Grimstad whom I met on a camping fly out with other RVrs. And I saw them in a post, Danny King installed them on Beautiful Doll. The two ladies must have been talking 'cause I didn't even know my girl had them on her Dear Santa letter.

Sunday night I researched a little to get an idea what to expect from different pedals. I found this thread most helpful. http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=38815&highlight=Rv-8+rudder+pedals. I never flew with stock pedals, always had the extensions pioneered by Randy Lervold http://www.romeolima.com/RV8/IdeasProducts.htm.

With Monday my first free day in a while to spend in the hangar, I went right to work installing them.

First impressions;
Look fantastic with a grippy black finish. More grip than a wing walk, more like a perma-grit block.
Light, took off half a pound compared to my stock pedals with extensions.
Great welding. Nice lightning holes.
Much more curve and shape, like a lady's...

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Comparison;
The side panels are welded to the back side by Paul, stock are on the front. Fat shoes won't get stuck between the side plates any more.
The more pronounced curve creates positive shoe contact points at the brake and no brake pedal points.
No right or left, the needed master cylinder attach hole drilling creates them.
Half pound lighter. Added ten knots.

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Install;
Removed old pedals via ducking under instrument panel.
Final drilled hinge point holes to match your hardware. Be sure to check left and right sizes.
Matched drilled master cylinder hole on new using old left pedal as guide, thus creating a right. Then used new right to match drill new left.
Installed using same hardware.
One hour labor plus three hours answering to every airport bum what I was doing and why.

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Taxi and flight test;
Heals on the floor with my size 12 kicks, my toes rest on the lower "no brake" pedal section.
Slide up to toes on brakes and found it is very easy to feel the no brake push point with the arch of my foot.
Taxied to run-up, testing brakes and steering. No brake dragging. Spun 360s which took a little effort to learn the new foot position and feel.
Take-off, I liked the feel of just the toes flexing and doing the work rather than the large pads of my foot with ankle rotation pushing the old lower extensions. Probably more like stock without the extensions.
Cruise, credit to Danny in above mentioned thread; slid big feet under pedals for the first time ever. My long legs loved stretching out! Thanks Danny! Never thought about that.
Landing, "heals on floor, toes making small but quick inputs" says Mr. Seager singing in my ear. After three stop and goes I am liking the new sexy pedals over the old clunkers. Thanks Paul!

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Any available for the 10?

I saw these at Airventure, back when the maker was selling to the experimental market. I thought they were no longer available. Is this business back up and running. If so, are these pedals available for the RV-10?
 
Mike:

Contact Paul as they are available for the RV-10. Just received mine a few weeks ago, though I am years from flying.

E
 
Paul did a limited run and has a new updated design for the 10. He was fulfilling some older orders before advertising again. I just put together a set for my build and they are simply amazing.
 
Servos

There are four servos: two that control front/rear heat on/off. Two that control front/rear hot/cold air mix.
 
Pedal Geometry

Is the geometry of these pedals better than the Van's pedals? It doesn't look like it but maybe I'm missing something. It appears the primary foot rest is at or above the pedal pivot point. The geometry of the modified pedal in the first post looks better. What am I missing?
 
Is the geometry of these pedals better than the Van's pedals? It doesn't look like it but maybe I'm missing something. It appears the primary foot rest is at or above the pedal pivot point. The geometry of the modified pedal in the first post looks better. What am I missing?

Depends on what you want, shoes size, brake elements...read this to hear some pros and cons of Randy's Mod. So far I find the feel of Paul's better than I expect stock, no extension to be. http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=38815&highlight=Rv-8+rudder+pedals
If positive "no brake" rudder activation with stock brake Pistons is what you need, Randy's might be for you.
I thought briefly of flying with one of each...
 
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