With the basic air frame now built it is on to jobs as they present themselves and I really wanted to get the Infinity control stick installed. Having bought it ages ago, I finally pulled it out of the box to find that the spacer was not going to work with my 0.6″ OD stick.

I put in an email to JD who makes these wonders. I have to say it is the best service I’ve had during this build, more like a friend I’ve never met. He phones me from the USA to help out what is really my problem and then followed up later. Here’s a link to the stick grips if you want to check them out.

This is the grip less its 4 screws with the insert I got from JD. I just needed another 3/4″ OD tube which turns out to be the supplied ‘stick grip’ if you get the Cozy Girrrls controls as well as a number of the push long rods anyway.  I checked the plans and lopped off a small section from the rod that goes to the firewall. There was excess length waiting for me.

For this insert to step up the stick diameter it needed a bit of drilling and filling first. To tell the truth I was a bit confused as to the best way to do all this so I checked out Wade Partons excellent site as he has a similar setup to what I’ve planned here, and it is installed.

The insert setup matches the one JD supplied. I later added the Infinity supplied plastic spacer and glued it in place. If you get one of these it is soon obvious what the spacer does so I’ll spare you an unnecessary picture (which I forgot to take today). <grin>

The control stick itself also needed a slot and I got to it with an angle grinder …very carefully.

Here’s the result so the spacer tube can now fit with the wires out to the side.

I’ve added an AN3 bolt to secure to the Infinity stick which is not glued but locks in place in a very well designed way with the 4 screws.

Now the stick is in place I really don’t know if it will have enough room to travel. I can always move the forward bracket left and widen the access opening if needed. The stick on my flying Long-EZ doesn’t have all that much range. I’m going to wait until the wings are on and controls in place and set up. If I need to tweak then, I will.

Now the stick is in place I can look at the fuse panel I’m planing on the right side forward of the stick to the side. I’ve been working on the throttle install too and thats nearly ready to show you.