Right Yoke Removal

[Sean McGillivray]

Anyone know if you can or if it is legal to remove the right control yoke? I am short and with the bench seat it would be nice to give my right seat passenger a little more room.

[rwdurham]

This may not be the final answer but FAR 91.109 has a lot to say about yokes and throw-over yokes. This is a SWAG, but if the aircraft was certified with 2 yokes, I'm thinking it's probably not legal to remove one. Sean, I'd wait on other comments before taking this info to the bank. A little information from me is more dangerous than a lot of information from someone who knows what they are talking about. VERY interesting question. Anxious to read the commentary from others.

[Lownslow]

Very interesting question. AC 43.13, Appendix A states:

Major Alterations - Alterations of the following parts and alteration of the following types, when not listed in the aircraft specifications issued by the FAA are major airframe alterations: (v) control systems.

It is my opinion that this change would require a "Field Approval" by the local FSDO since there is no known STC. You might have considerable work in determining "approved data" for the change, even though the change would seem relatively minor.

Lou

[Bruce]

I know some aircraft come with removable controls but they were certified that way. The PA 15 only came with one control and some added a second later

[Gilbert Pierce]

The Clipper came with two sticks. It had a bolt holding the right side stick in the socket with a clip instead of a nut. There is a bracket to store the stick in on the right kick panel. Remove the clip and one bolt and slip it of the socket. Mine still has that bracket. I normally fly with it removed. My wife doesn't like navigating around it getting in and out.
No one ever questioned my flying without the right side control and I never considered it would be an issue.

[mauserbull]

supercubs routenly fly rear stick out.

[Stephen]

I have not had my right stick in my Pacer for years. Like Gilbert, no one has ever asked or questioned it.

[Pacer 24C]

I have my right yoke out of my Pacer - I feel this is just as with the Clipper - because just the the yoke is removed from the u-joint - there is no modification to the actual control system. Infact you must leave the u-joint to retain the spocket. Now on my Yankee Taildragger - I have the entire right side yoke and linkage removed - because the Yankee was certified with single controls and the dual controls were actually an option - though everyone you ever see has the dual controls.

[Clayton Harper]

Ed Trimmer has an STC that gets both of the yokes out of your way, mostly.

http://www.trimmeraviation.com/yoke.html

[Sean McGillivray]

So just pull the u-joint on the right yoke?