Backcountry Pilot

[EZFlap offline]

Greetings from a new forum member. I am pleased to announce that I have just completed the STC process for a very useful modification for pilots of Cessna and Piper aircraft using manual "Johnson Bar" flaps. The EZ Flap flap handle extension allows you to operate the flaps without loosening your shoulder harness or leaning forward into the instrument panel. Big safety benefits on airplanes with or without "inertia reel" type shoulder harnesses. www.ezflaphandle.com

[denalipilot offline]

Well, good luck with that. My right toe works just great. Maybe should patent it.

[58Skylane offline]

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[hotrod180 offline]

Reminds me of the movie version of Ernest Gann's "Island in the Sky" novel, it co-starred Andy Devine as a C-47 pilot who liked to fly along slumped down in his seat, huddled into his jacket. He used an extendable gizmo to adjust the overhead throttle quadrant (?) so he wouldn't have to sit up. A couple good C-47 formation fly-by's in that movie BTW.

Eric

[182 STOL driver offline]

Well, good luck with that. My right toe works just great. Maybe should patent it.

I've got one of the ez flap handle and it works as advertised -works better than my right toe.

[hotrod180 offline]

Seems like you'd need to be kinda double-jointed to have ahold of that extension when the flaps are in the full down position- at least in the 170's & 180's I've sat in. And one more thing to be in the way the rest of the time. No offense to the inventor.

Eric

[EZFlap offline]

"My right toe works just great. Maybe should patent it."

You have a right toe that can depress the release button, grab the Cessna flap handle, raise the handle against air loads, have your thigh miss the bottom right corner of the control yoke, and still operate the rudder pedals on your airplane while flying in Denali ???

Question: are you human or Orangutan in origin ?

For us normally proportioned humans, and for those of us who cannot use their toes to pick locks/untie knots/operate flap handles in flight, I humbly offer the EZ Flap device. It lets you sit upright, fly the airplane correctly, keep your face out of the instrument panel, and use the flaps with far better control, precision, comfort etc.

As for Andy Devine... everyone who watched the Twilight Zone knows that he's"the biggest gosh-darn liar there's ever been" and he didn't invent the rocket fuel after all. But if "Rocket Fuel Frisbee" knew that there needed to be an extension on the controls of a C-47, then there's darn sure justification for an extension on the Cessna/Piper flap handle

"Seems like you'd need to be kinda double-jointed to have ahold of that extension when the flaps are in the full down position- at least in the 170's & 180's I've sat in. And one more thing to be in the way the rest of the time. No offense to the inventor. Eric"

Eric, no offense taken... if the inventor hadn't been quite as much of a genius as he was, you'd be right HOWEVER, the aforementioned genius (that'd be me) did take that into account!

The Cessna version of EZ Flap is designed so that you can use EITHER the Cessna flap handle, the EZ Flap handle, or both, at any time and at any deflection. So although you could do anything your joints and muscles allow you to do, the NORMAL daily method is to use the EZ Flap handle between zero and 20 degrees, and the Cessna handle between 20 and 40... both putting the flaps out or pulling them back in.

You remain upright and comfy, pull the EZ Flap handle for the first notch, then the second notch, then pull the Cessna handle (which is now close and possible to reach) for the third and fourth notches. Same in reverse when retracting the flaps. This way you are always comfortable, always looking out at where you're going on takeoff or landing, always have your focus on flying the airplane, and never have to be double-jointed or have gorilla strength.

The Piper Super Cub and Cherokee flap handles do not require the long throw required that Cessna built, so the entire action can be done by holding the EZ Flap handle only. The PA-18, PA-22 and PA-28 EZ Flap units mount differently than the Cessna version.

[EZFlap offline]

"And one more thing to be in the way the rest of the time"

There are some things that have to be in the way of the pilot, because they're there for a reason and they do something worthwhile. The EZ Flap handle sits underneath the throttle in cruise flight. There is plenty of room to move your feet around in the cockpit, even slide over from one seat to another if needed. In the event of a crash, you can kick the EZ Flap handle out of the way, either by laying it down flat on the floor (rotating on the Cessna flap handle) or bending/breaking it (.058 wall aluminum tube). If you need to get under the panel for avionics work, no problem, just put the flaps down and the EZ Flap unit swings aft between the front seats so you can lie down on the floor all the way across the airplane.

No offense taken, and none intended by this, but having the EZ Flap mounted in the airplane is "the lesser of two evils" by a factor of a hundred, compared to not being able to reach the OEM flap handle safely, taking your eyes off your touchdown zone, or leaning forward and bumping the control yoke on takeoff or landing.

[Glidergeek offline]

When you go to 40 degrees of flap it looks like that handle will end up between the seat backs?

[EZFlap offline]

"When you go to 40 degrees of flap it looks like that handle will end up between the seat backs?"

Well, first, anyone named glidergeek is OK with me I was contest number VB in days of old, flying 2 AS-W20's and a Ventus. Cal City, Tehachapi, Crystalaire and El Mirage very briefly.

The EZ Flap handle goes near the seatbacks but should not go between them at full deflection. With both seats full forward maybe close but not jammed between them.

[mtv offline]

What am I missing here? I've flown Cessna aircraft with manual flaps for forty years, and never even considered those flap handles to be an issue. As to the Super Cub flap handle, the only way you'd make it work better is if you could get it out of the way of your left leg in a left crosswind. Again, I've never seen any other issues with reaching the flap handle in that airplane.

And, no, I am not built like an orangutan.

I do insist on GOOD QUALITY inertial reel shoulder harnesses, however, but that goes for ANY airplane, whether it has manual flaps or electric.

Why not invent a remote actuator for Cessna electric flaps so we wouldn't have to reach all that looonngggg way across the cockpit to lower/raise those?

Sorry, this just seems about as useful as one of those gadgets Sporty's sells that allows you to sight through it to determine if you will enter a cloud/mountain at your present altitude.

MTV

[AKGrouch offline]

What am I missing here? I've flown Cessna aircraft with manual flaps for forty years, and never even considered those flap handles to be an issue. As to the Super Cub flap handle, the only way you'd make it work better is if you could get it out of the way of your left leg in a left crosswind. Again, I've never seen any other issues with reaching the flap handle in that airplane.

And, no, I am not built like an orangutan.

I do insist on GOOD QUALITY inertial reel shoulder harnesses, however, but that goes for ANY airplane, whether it has manual flaps or electric.

Why not invent a remote actuator for Cessna electric flaps so we wouldn't have to reach all that looonngggg way across the cockpit to lower/raise those?

Sorry, this just seems about as useful as one of those gadgets Sporty's sells that allows you to sight through it to determine if you will enter a cloud/mountain at your present altitude.

MTV

MTV, I completely agree with you.

[Glidergeek offline]

$500 It's just too pricey for what you get. Sorry

[hotrod180 offline]

..........And, no, I am not built like an orangutan. .........MTV

"Scrap the caddy, Clyde".........

[182 STOL driver offline]

Well, good luck with that. My right toe works just great. Maybe should patent it.

I've known Mr. EZ Flap( I call him BB172) for some 15 years and he is witty .Flown many hours in his or my airplane -he's a pretty good pilot and even better Mech. (he went to school for his A&P but didn't take the practical )-I've written his letter of recommendation to go back and get his A&P .He is better known for his writing ability or national sailplane records . If you really want a chuckle read "The Auster Hussle" ( http://www.eaa1000.av.org/fltrpts/auster/auster.htm )-look it up and be prepaired to laugh . It's partially my fault that he developed the EZ Flap handle > he did it on his own after buying a 1956 172 .I should be bringing one of his first units to Austin ,NV. Flyin next weekend for everyone to see and try out.

[58Skylane offline]

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[EZFlap offline]

Guys, simmer down a little... I have the smart-ass gene just like the rest of you. Someone makes a cute joke about using their toe, so I can make a joke about having to be an orangutan to use your toe. No offense taken or meant.

The only thing anyone is "missing" is the same thing that abacus users were missing when someone invented the calculator. Same thing that typewriter users were missing before the PC came out. I came up with something that's better and more useful than what you were using before. The abacus and the typewriter and your original flap handle all still work just fine. I didn't cure cancer, I didn't solve the mysteries of the universe. I came up with something simple that works as advertised and solves several nagging little problems.

NO OFFENSE, but give me a little credit and be honest... for forty years you have been leaning forward and taking your eyes off where you're going to reach the flaps. And now you don't have to. For some number of years (before the inertia reel) you had to loosen or just not wear your shoulder harness. With the inertia reel you still have to do un-necessary gymnastics in the airplane for the flap handle. And now you do not have to.

Whether you like or dislike me, my attitude, my writing, or my way of standing up to criticism... There are several valid problems that pilots with manual flaps have been living with for years. Leaning forward almost into the panel. Bumping the control yoke. Taking their eyes and focus off where they're going on a demanding takeoff or landing approach. Interrupting their instrument scan. Possibly getting vertigo.

This device solves those problems. I'm really surprised nobody wants to even give me the benefit of the doubt and keep their mind open that I may have done something relevant and useful.

$500 is very IN-expensive as STC approved products go. Cessna would charge a thousand dollars for a hand-sized aluminum bracket with a PMA approval tag on it.

[WWhunter offline]

EZFlap,
I don't have a "bone in this fight" and consider myself pretty open minded. I will disagree with the nay-sayers on here and I think it is a good idea. Actually a great idea that should have been thought of a long time ago. I have owned a 172 for over 23 years and being short (5'6"), I have the problem of losing view of the horizon nearly everytime I reach for the "johnson bar" flap handle. When doing short fields this can get a little exciting sometimes when the field is narrow and short. With a persons natural tendency to rotate their whole body and slightly moving the controls I can see where this attachment would greatly help us verticly challenged guys. Looks like a great solution!!
Now, do I get a free one for the product endorsement? JK
WW

[mtv offline]

EZFlap,

Sorry, but Cessna already took care of this "problem" a number of years ago, by installing electric flaps in all their models.

Of course, we've all heard the whining about THAT move, but frankly, the electric flap models work just fine as well, IF you're not trying to yank the airplane around or do something it really wasn't designed for.

As to relieving one of the necessity to take your eyes off straight ahead, I almost NEVER have my eyes straight ahead. It's called scanning. Close to the ground, IF you've been paying attention, and LEARN to operate the airplane's controls, manual or electric flaps really should not be an issue. This still strikes me as a gadget, and an expensive one at that.

Buy $500 worth of avgas, learn to operate the flaps properly, and you'll be a heck of a lot better pilot as well.

MTV

[Steve Pierce offline]

I like it. I'd like to see the installation in a Pacer. Inertia reel harnesses are more expensive and it would be nice to be able to pull and dump flaps quickly without leaning forward against loose shoulder harnesses. I hate the electric flaps, when it is in my hand I know the position rather than looking at an indicator plus when I want to dump I want to dump now. $500 in aviation is cheap in my book.

EZFlap, Can you post some pictures of the extension in a Pacer on this site? http://www.shortwingpipers.org/phpbb3/v ... f=4&t=1058