PTT on yoke

[rbutcher]

Mike,
Is the tube welded to the bottom of the hub or the center on each side?

[mvanover]

Rick,

Mike isn't with us anymore. However, we may be able to get the drawing he talked about. I really don't know as I've never seen the drawing. I'll see if that particular sketch is still around. I have some interest to know what they look like under the molded plastic.

[Calpilot]

I think most avionics shops will do the wiring, if you do the drilling! Ours are hard wired but velcroed on the yoke. works good! I have the PTT buttons but have not got around to drilling yet.

[Oneeye]

I realize this is a pretty old post but after reading it I HAD to reply. I had pretty much given up installing PTT switches in my Sundowner yokes and resigned myself to using Velcro attached switches. My Sundowner had a factory autopilot disconnect switch and after reading this post I investigated further and discovered that it was quite easy to replicate the factory installation method to add PTT switches to both yokes.
Thanks Mike!!

Seems like the older I get, the more I have to write. And as odd as it may sound, I don't have time to write less.

Summary: The Beech yokes used on our planes consist of a welded-up aluminum tube core structure. This weldment is placed in a mold, and the ergonomic plastic is cast around the weldment, to provide the ideal shape. This is fact; I have much of the drawing data, and the part numbers assigned to each stage of the process. This is also why cracks in the plastic do not render our yokes unairworthy; the plastic is simply cosmetic.

The yokes come with translucent plastic plugs that cap the top holes. These have usually been painted over the years, and have often been crystallized by sunlight. I have seen metal hole snap-in plugs used, but I don't think Beech ever used them. Having said that, I have found a lot of other anomalies apparently original from the factory; so who knows. At Sun-N-Fun I found what appeared to be a solid cast aluminum yoke that was shaped like ours (but with a different shaft attachment). It carried a PN for one of the old Beech Twin Bonanzas (50-series).

The Beech factory method for installing PTT switches was to pop off the top cap. The plastic or aluminum plug that caps the aluminum center tube, inside the upper cavity, got a small hole drilled in it. Another small hole was drilled vertically into the bottom of the yoke hub, aligned with the tubing. A small pair of wires was fished through for the PTT. The PTT itself was mounted in the left hand-grip, in a small hole, aligned with the trigger finger. In most cases, the PTT hole was drilled deeply enough to seat the switch, but with a shoulder to stop it from falling into the yoke cavity. The switch is usually just a friction fit in the hole. A smaller hole goes through into the cavity, to connect the wires. At the bottom of the yoke, a connection is made to a spiral cable, which is usually clamped to the bottom hub of the yoke (and under the instrument panel at the other end).

This was the standard method used by the factory, and should be accepted in the field. In many cases involving autopilot disconnect and electric trim switches, a significantly larger hole was drilled in the pilot's yoke (top and bottom), for the much larger wire bundle needed for the added controls.

I have seen some Skipper yokes that have a different configuration, with an exit hole drilled fore-and-aft next to the hub. I have also run across some yokes that apparently became blocked in the inner tubes, most likely during the molding process, and proved impossible to get wires to pass completely through; even though their structure was clearly the same.


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: cloydvanhook@imtt.com
Date: Tue, 11 Apr 2006 09:47:38 -0500

Minnie just has a 2 place portable intercom with a PTT velcroed to the
yoke.

I'm thinking about having a 4 place panel mounted intercom installed.

I asked my avionics guy about also having PTT switches installed on (in)
the yoke. I've seen that before.

He said he didn't think it could be done with my yoke.

He said he thought someone made replacement yokes for Beechcraft that
would accommodate a PTT but that he didn't know the name of the company
and thought they were expensive.

Anyone have any info on installing a PTT on the standard Beech yoke or in
the alternative where to get a yoke that will accommodate a PTT?

Cloyd
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[mvanover]

Yoda's contributions still live on. "Thanks Mike" doesn't even come close. We all owe him more than we can ever repay. Many here think I'm knowledgeable about the Musketeer series airplane. But, essentially I just regurgitate what Mike has taught me. I miss him.

[N6008L]

Many years ago, my Dad and I were flying back from Atlantic City to Martin State, at night. As I flew over New Jersey, things started getting dim. The panel lights dimmed out, and the radios stopped working. I said to Dad, we're going to need to make a stop.

Just as I said that, I saw the beautifully bright lights from Millville, NJ, right ahead. I just spiraled down and landed. I couldn't make radio calls, and lights were out of the question. I was never impressed with the tractor light I had as a taxi light, but I wished I had it working then. I couldn't see anything, and rather than just go on blindly, I just shut off the engine. I was met by the airport manager, who seemed to be genuinely relieved to see me.

I went back to the FBO, and got on the computer. I went to BAC and posted questions. Mike sent me a PM with his phone number, and we talked several times that evening. I was really worried about the plane, and being away from home made it worse. Mike was a source of information and comfort.

It was just a stuck starter. I ran down the battery, and things stopped working. Atlantic City watched my transponder disappear, and of course I didn't respond to radio calls. They saw my primary return disappear over Millville, so they called the airport, which, at that time, hadn't heard from me. Hence the sense of relief on the part of the airport manager, and my surprise at the fuss.

That was my introduction to Mike, and underscored the value of BAC. Without BAC, I would not have known where to turn. I was stunned at the wealth of resources I had at my fingertips, just because of my membership here.

Getting back to PTT switches, I have just installed my second set of yoke covers from Warren Gregoire. They can be ordered with PTT switches and a coiled cord that exits right around the shaft. It's not the cheapest solution, but it is the easiest. And I think the covers look and feel great.

[GMascelli]

Les,

I just ordered a set from Warren Gregoria for the Commander. Thankfully already have PTT switches.