the mother of invention

Can anyone help me out with any ideas for a club member of ours that is having his arm amputated today? He absolutely loves this hobby and we are trying to think of a way to have a radio for him to fly with one hand.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Are there radios set up with one stick that can be easily operated?

Thanks alot

RCVFR

My Feedback: (7)

Many 1/2 A designs fly two channels, elevator and ailerons (no throttle). You might check into that. Good luck to you and your club member.

Rodney

A single stick radio (rudder is a pot on end of ail/ele stick) and a transmitter tray.

da Rock

Radio South RC might be able to help.

I'm pretty sure that single stick TXs are no longer sold. (Hopefully, my saying that will bring a flood of posts showing where to buy new ones.... ) But the option is to have one made. Radio South would be where I'd go for that.

http://www.radiosouthrc.com/custom_work.htm

bassmanh

My Feedback: (5)

hello,

first question is what hand dominent is he ? and which arm/hand is he having amputated ? if its his left hand (throttle/rudder ) then it will be easier then if it was his right hand aileron/elevator but the same principal will work for both sides .


once he has healed and is ready to start flying again you can make a simple strapon device to attach to his stump that just needs a rigid loop (or something that can fit over the stick) that can be tightened around the throttle/rudder stick and a TX tray , it will take him some time to get used to moving the sticks with it so a buddy box is a must. it will be just like learning all over again for him but im sure it will be worth it for him to be able to keep flying.


not sure how well it will work but just a thought and my .02c worth



bassman

the mother of invention

He is right handed and they are taking off the right arm and the shoulder. He will be starting over for sure and will only be able to use his left hand. A single stick would probably be his best option. If they had a throttle control that was easy to get to with his left hand aileron and elevator would probably be good enough. We could always mix in rudder if he desired.

I will check our Radio South.

Thank you to all. He is a great club member and taught many new members to fly. He timmed in new guys planes and buddy boxed many of us over the 40 plus years he has flown.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

There were A number of single sticks made some years back, very cool to fly with but take A bit of training and getting used to. I know A couple of pilots still using them today just because they like them. I think Kraft made them too but Radio South should be able to fix you up.

Villa

Hi the mother of invention
That is a wonderful thing your club is doing for one of your members. When I started flying R/C in 1972, I built a Heath Kit Single Stick radio. Our club top instructor only had a hook for his left hand. This was before trainer cords. When he used my radio, he could not get to the throttle, which was a slide switch on the right side of the radio. I operated the slide switch by cradling the radio on my left arm and using my left index finger on the slide switch. That slide switch could be moved to any location needed. As others have reported, I have not seen a single stick in years, but probably Radio South could handle it. Go for the 2.4MHz. That is the best improvement I have seen in my long R /C involvement. Please keep us informed on your project so others can take advantage of what you learn. I seem to recall reading about a similar challenge one year ago or so. For those not familiar with the single stick, it operates the same as the right stick (aileron and elevator), plus it has a large knob at the top that rotates right/left for the rudder.

TFF

If he has flown that long he might have an old Kraft single stick stuck in the garage. The rudder knob was attached to a normal stick with the wires running through it. Just the knob could be transfered to a regular radio. Set the sticks up like mode 1 but make the right stick ail/elev. He will also have a big stick there where he could reach the throttle. I have an old Kraft 5 single stick not updated but could be or new style guts added that I will donate if it will be used.

EloyM

My Feedback: (194)

One of the better flyers in Central America is Juan Pablo Castillo, in Guatemala. He was born missing his left hand from mid-elbow. When he saw his first RC airplane, he asked how much tghey cost, and was told that it didn't matter, he would never be able to do it. Accepting the challenge, he proved the difference, advancing to 3D, hovering, etc. He flies a Mode Two radio, working the throttle with his one (right) hand.
Of course, being right-handed and having to re-learn to do things with his left will probably not be easy for your friend, though like with JPC mentioned, determination is a big part of. I mention him only because I have seen it done. He does it with a normal two stick radio, though in this case a reverse mode with ailerons and elevator on the left stick may be the answer.
Maybe single stick will be better, it should be left up to your friend, who incidentally is lucky to have the support of people like you. Whatver is decided, I am an RC tech, going back to the days of Orbit (Say what??) and have made a number of equipment modifications, including as TFF above mentioned, installing modern electronics in old single stickers. I will help with my time and experience - and boxes of parts, to make whatever mods are necessary.
Direct please: [email protected].
Tell your friend to hang in there! Eloy

foodstick

Here is another thing to try, that would allow your friend to use all the equipment he already has... I remember an article about a similar fellow years ago in the magazines.. What they did was mount a connecting rod, or dowel between the tops of both sticks, with a good balljoint at the connection.. This allowed him to with one hand control elevator and throttle and it mixed the rudder to the ailerons.. While it would add obvious problems to most of us..it would allow him to relearn a new style of flying for almost no money and with very little change to his equipment..I believe the originator called it WOBBLE sticking..

I wish him the best, My Grandfather lost an arm and never let it slow him down .. He was an avid shooter and even scratch built tools that let him reload pistol clips one handed for his semi auto plinking gun...

RAMFlyer

My Feedback: (65)

There is an article in the January 1990 issue of Model Aviation by M. McGee on WOBBLE STICKING. It shows how to modify a four channel radio to be operated with one hand using a "wobble stick." The radio is mounted to a block of styrofoam that is hollowed out to sit over the flyer's thigh. Velcro straps could be used to keep the radio/block assembly secure. The article can be found in the MA digital archives in the members' section of the AMA website.

Looks like it would be a less expensive alternative to having a single stick transmitter built.

Rodney

It is much more complicated but Ed Henry built a device using a chair mounted on a swivel with real rudder pedals and a joy stick mounted in a manner that operated a conventional transmitter layout. I believe it is now in the AMA museum and there are plans available for it. That would make it quite simple for a one armed man to use.

jetmech05

I am so sorry to hear this...believe me when I say that an amputation is a big fear of mine because I love to fly.....I hope you guys come up with something...best of luck to you all

red head

Another thought would be GLIDERS !! No throttle needed, you could even go electric glider to get it up then not use the electric after airborn so he wouldn't have to use a throttle except for take off.

Another thought would be to have Radio South modify his radio to use the left side of the trans. for elev. and ailerons. With the throttle on the right but only used for take off then go to glider mode. All best used with a tray. Good Luck & ENJOY !!! RED

the mother of invention

I can't thank all of you enough for all the ideas. Our man made it through the operation and they have saved his arm for now. It isn't over yet for him but they did keep the arm for now. He will have to go through extensive therapy because they had to remove alot of tissue.

If we are lucky this thread will be unnecessary, but again thank you all for the help. RC's are like people who go camping. They are the friendliest and most helpful people you will meet.

God bless,

hugger-4641

My Feedback: (6)

I drew up plans for something like this but have not built it yet, had no idea someone had already done it!!

keiko

I wonder if this is possible?
Rudder by turning knob(red)
throttle on slider on top of knob(blue)
that would probably help,if possible that is....

Dirtnaper

My Feedback: (11)

First off, Im no expert but have been a disabled sports volunteer until my job took over most free time and kids took the rest. I am NOT the only two legged man to have is *ss kicked by a man in a wheel chair at tennis. [&o]

Get'em out to the field (even if you have to drag him). Its GREAT to see a such support from a fellow club member.

-pkh-

My Feedback: (2)

It seems the simplest thing to do would be to just use the aileron/elevator stick with the thumb, and rig up an external dial or lever for index/middle finger throttle control, or a pedal for the throttle control. If he's left handed, then it would be best to start with a Mode 1 TX, but you could modify a Mode 2 TX to put Ail/Elevator on the left stick.

In fact, the Futaba 9C has finger levers or "sliders" on each side, but I'm not sure if you can mix those into the throttle. If you're a thumb flyer, you can adjust the 9C sliders with your index or middle finger while your thumb is on the stick. The sliders are labeled VR(D) and VR(E) in the diagram/photo below (they are on the side of the radio so you can't see them). If the 9C won't let you mix the sliders into the throttle channel, you may be able to rewire the throttle potentiometer to the slider's potentiometer.

Clint H

My Feedback: (1)

I seem to remember coming across someone who wired a foot pedal to the throttle input of the transmitter. I think he bought a potentiometer from radio shack, mounted it on the pedal, and soldered it to the same points as the gimbal. Toughest part would be building the pedal, but maybe it could be a club project.

-Clint

j.duncker

My Feedback: (2)

I was the instructor for someone who learned to fly with a similar problem. We finished up with a three axis stick and a throttle slider on the side of the case all mounted in a tray. The TX started as a bog standard Futaba 6 and was modified by shop in Southampton UK.

The last details I have are Mike Ridley his e-mail address is [email protected] his mobile number is 07708-436163, if you send him anything by post his address is c/o Mainly Planes "N"Trains, 6 Ashdown Road, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, SO53 5RD.

Oh yeah tell him not to despair on the building front either the above one armed flyer builds as well, his latest project is a 10 foot B17!

HighPlains

My Feedback: (1)

Some ideas in this old thread:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_63...tm.htm#6341667

Strat2003

My Feedback: (1)

It occurs to me that anyone losing their dominant hand will face some serious re-learning problems and if a special transmitter is needed his helper might have trouble saving the airplane if he gets in trouble.
Seems like it would be a good idea to find a way to set up a buddy box with a conventional arrangement so the co-pilot can step in easily.
Good luck to your friend. Even if he can't return to flying try to keep him with your group. A friend of mine went through some tough cancer treatments a couple of years ago and after he could return to the field he told me, "You have no idea how wonderful it is to be able to come hang out with your friends again!"

-pkh-

My Feedback: (2)

Any custom setup for him should definitely have trainer capability. Most of what was talked about here was just modifying an existing radio, so that should not afffect the use of it as a trainer box. However, the instructor would certainly have to use a normal radio to fly the airplane with the custom radio used as the trainer box. After the one armed pilot gets the hang of flying with his weak hand on the custom radio, he could then set the plane up to fly on that radio and fly solo.