Welcome! Becoming a registered user of ShortWingPipers.Org is free and easy! Click the "Register" link found in the upper right hand corner of this screen. It's easy and you can then join the fun posting and learning about Short Wing Pipers!

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 19 of 19

Thread: Colt - no leg solutions?

  1. #11
    Guest

    Default Re: Colt - no leg solutions?

    I flew a 1957 PA22/160 with the Williams Toe Brakes to OshKosh this year and it was torture. I am 6' even. Whenever I was setting Right seat it was impossible for me to get my feet off the rudder pedals and keep my knees out of the yoke unless I sat "sidesaddle" so to speak. My plane is a 1952 PA/22 135 with the "johnson bar" brake and I seem to be very comfortable in it with the seat all the way back. Definitely the brake setup that is the difference so the answer may be to look at a TriPacer without toebrakes. Unless you need the differential braking the stock brakes seem to do the job.

    I do need to add a squirt of fluid every few months to keep from rolling during the runup. I haven't found any leaks that are visible.

    Mark Phillips

  2. #12
    wa9als's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    42
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Re: Colt - no leg solutions?

    Thanks for the long reply above! Considering everything at this point. The owner is bringing it back today so we can try a seat cushion or anything else we can think of.

    Pardon my inexperience, but does anyone ever modify the yoke? If it were slightly less wide, it would help a lot.

    Thanks - John

  3. #13
    wa9als's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    42
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Re: Colt - no leg solutions?

    John W - Thanks for the considered and long response above. I looked at the Colt in question again today with the owner and my friend that did the original restoration, including the toe brake installation. However, this isn't a tail-dragger. He didn't think the pedals could be moved as described without modifications to the rods that connect to the nose gear. I'm not going to go on about this here, because I am not qualified. If you think that the present installation on this tricycle Colt could be modified reasonably to move the pedals fore, please comment on the nose gear rods. Thanks! We flew it today - I was a little cramped, but it was workable. - John

  4. #14
    wa9als's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Posts
    42
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Re: Colt - no leg solutions?

    Interesting old post - Turns out I bought the mentioned Colt, didn't do anything about the seat position or toe brakes, and I'm about 850 hrs in it now! Still wish I had a little more leg room, but 850 hrs says it works pretty well!

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Houston
    Posts
    27
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Re: Colt - no leg solutions?

    Great update, 850 hours in the Colt, you have been flying quite a bit. A Colt is a plane you can actually afford to fly.

  6. #16
    Subsonic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Merritt Island, FL
    Posts
    1,180
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Re: Colt - no leg solutions?

    EAA Chapter 724 did a Young Eagles event yesterday out of KCOI and I flew 3 laps - 5 kids, 7 to 15 years of age in my PA22 with Williams STC pedals/toe brakes. Pretty fun. I'm 5'9". The smallest child was not much heavier than my flight bag and the largest was a 6'4" basketball player with big feet whose knees interfered with yoke and his feet with the pedals. Mr. basketball (he took a phone video of the whole flight) and I flew smoothly until the turbulent final but I never felt his interference with the controls. Split front seats, his seat was All the way back and mine was mid point. It would be nice to have another inch or two for tall front right seat passengers in my case.

  7. #17

    Join Date
    Sep 2021
    Posts
    30
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Re: Colt - no leg solutions?

    Has there ever been an attempt to install heel brakes in a Colt?

  8. #18
    Administrator Steve Pierce's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Graham, Texas, United States
    Posts
    15,453
    Post Thanks / Like
    Blog Entries
    1

    Default Re: Colt - no leg solutions?

    I have not seen heel brakes installed in a Short Wing Piper. I don't think they have the room under the floor like the Champ and early Citabria. On a Cub the master cylinders are under the seat with rods from the brake pedals. That would hinder entrance and exit of the pilot I would think.

  9. #19

    Join Date
    Sep 2021
    Posts
    30
    Post Thanks / Like

    Default Re: Colt - no leg solutions?

    Thanks for that insight Steve, as that’s exactly what I have been considering using (champ heel brakes)for my Wagabond build, I will have to measure

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •