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Feet Hurt

bushmaster

GONE WEST
GLENBURN,ME
Ok all you that fly your cubs long distances and hours without stops How do you stop your feet from hurting from pushing on the rudder pedals This has been a problem for me and I have decided to look for a way to make it more comfortable. Yeh Yeh put my feet flat on the floor for awhile to give them a brake -which I do but when it is rough the person in back takes hell. Other planes have bigger wider pedals i.e. cessnas but cubs have a small rod tube to push on and after a few hours my feet hurt. Any ideas I am thinking about a piece of heater hose over tube or a flat piece of metal clamped to pedal-tube to make it wider.
 
Wear Moon Boots..........Just kidding, change to a thicker sole shoe is my guess, never had that prob though.
 
You might check out some rock climbing shoes, they have very stiff soles for standing on little cracks and protrusions in the rock. They are also very light which might improve the feel for the peddals, but they aren't much for walking around.
 
I think the problem here may be an age...issue? I have a high arch on my feet and I carry an extra 10 pounds or so more than I should put on my carcass...Pressure goes to ball of foot or heel. Put some support under the arch to take the pressure off the ball of the foot or the heel. A good quality running shoe solves my problem. New Balance brand shoe for me.

Jim

bushmaster said:
Ok all you that fly your cubs long distances and hours without stops How do you stop your feet from hurting from pushing on the rudder pedals This has been a problem for me and I have decided to look for a way to make it more comfortable. Yeh Yeh put my feet flat on the floor for awhile to give them a brake -which I do but when it is rough the person in back takes hell. Other planes have bigger wider pedals i.e. cessnas but cubs have a small rod tube to push on and after a few hours my feet hurt. Any ideas I am thinking about a piece of heater hose over tube or a flat piece of metal clamped to pedal-tube to make it wider.
 
I don't think it's shoes at all. When I was flying northwest from New Jersey to Alaska last summer, I had to be constantly on the right rudder. And flying back constantly on the left rudder. Did my calves ever start cramping up after a while... I was longing for my Stinson with the rudder trim!!!

I'm already thinking about that when I do it again this summer....
 
Christina,
There must be a joke there somewhere that I missed. Please let me in on it.

Did you adjust a fixed rudder trim tap before your return trip and over-do it? ...Clyde Davis
 
No Christina, so why did you have to overwork one foot on the way there and the other on the way back if nothing on the aircraft was changed? If the airplane was trying to turn left going West it should still be trying to go left going East and you'd need the same foot to correct it. ...Clyde
 
Christina Young said:
I don't think it's shoes at all. When I was flying northwest from New Jersey to Alaska last summer, I had to be constantly on the right rudder. And flying back constantly on the left rudder. Did my calves ever start cramping up after a while... I was longing for my Stinson with the rudder trim!!!

I'm already thinking about that when I do it again this summer....

Mrs. Bushmaster here. I agree with you. Age and hours is a factor. Sending him out to get some good running shoes tomorrow. But he does spend a lot of time - 4 hrs. plus pushing those rudders at a time. Could be his back he is complaining about. Guess I will suggest new running shoes and more wine. after the flight.












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Maybe he's pushing too hard! Don't know, but I do know that after about 3 hours, my knees hurt so badly that I can't walk for a couple of minutes after I get out. I think another foot of legroom would fix my problem.
 
Flew a spray Cub for a while that the previous owner had clamped some flat stock on the rudder petals. Thought it was weird at first, but when you are kicking the rudder hard all day it makes a big difference.
 
I think Jr CubBuilder is on to something: rock climbing shoes are light weight, smooth flat soles, and are a little like lace-up moccasins.

Another thought: try Oregon Aero. They make insoles for shoes, and if their insoles are are as good as their seats they'd probably be really comfortable.
 
Clyde and Susan said:
No Christina, so why did you have to overwork one foot on the way there and the other on the way back if nothing on the aircraft was changed? If the airplane was trying to turn left going West it should still be trying to go left going East and you'd need the same foot to correct it. ...Clyde

Only if the wind's blowing the same direction as it was when I flew up. I had different weather patterns flying back, and also took a different route.
 
Its not my feet that hurt near as much as my azz. I am 54 and I now have a hip that hurts on long flights. Getting old ain't for sissies.
 
Torch, get a Oregeon Aero seat. They cuddle ass! 5 1/2 hours non-stop no problem for the ass, but the legs, neck, arms, feet, bladder.....
 
There is a neat trick with a light bungee cord attached to the rudder pedal, through a pulley or eyelet on the firewall and attached by the flap handle with a sliding adjuster. You can pull it a little so you don't have to push the pedal all day and easily overide it. Saw it on a Champ and a Kitfox. Super simple.
 
rudder pedals

Tried to fly my SCub back to my place with bare feet one time, after wading into the water to turn the plane away from the shore. Won't do that again. I wear Topsiders in the summer or Keen sandals with the closed in toe. You can wear them in the water if you have to and have something between your feet and the rudder pedal when you climb aboard. But flying with turned down waders, or wet shoes isn't much fun on a long flight.
 
Christina Young said:
Clyde and Susan said:
No Christina, so why did you have to overwork one foot on the way there and the other on the way back if nothing on the aircraft was changed? If the airplane was trying to turn left going West it should still be trying to go left going East and you'd need the same foot to correct it. ...Clyde

Only if the wind's blowing the same direction as it was when I flew up. I had different weather patterns flying back, and also took a different route.

I'm confused... what does the direction of the wind, in cruise, have to do with inherent stability of an airplane. In a properly rigged single engine airplane there should be no turning tendency that would require a rudder input.
 
IMO it's the age thing. About 4 hours is my limit in the old 12, then the first few steps are a challenge. A Little walk and I'm ready for 4 more. Torch-- just wait another ten years or so. :lol: I used to be able to ride the old Harley from Wi. to Wy. only stopping for gas(1084 miles-20 hours) that's BI (before Interstates) now about 3 hours and I gotta rest. In the 12 I wear sneakers unless its cold then the snowmobile boots work real good. They say getting old ain't for wimps---not sure I,m qualified to get old. :cry:
 
Steve Pierce said:
There is a neat trick with a light bungee cord attached to the rudder pedal, through a pulley or eyelet on the firewall and attached by the flap handle with a sliding adjuster. You can pull it a little so you don't have to push the pedal all day and easily overide it. Saw it on a Champ and a Kitfox. Super simple.

yup! works good.I have some FAA-PMA bungee cords in the hanger. They make a great auto pilot in the cessna too!

I fly barefoot alot too. Is that breaking any rules?

Tim
 
Clyde and Susan said:
No Christina, so why did you have to overwork one foot on the way there and the other on the way back if nothing on the aircraft was changed? If the airplane was trying to turn left going West it should still be trying to go left going East and you'd need the same foot to correct it. ...Clyde

I think she's talking about the north/south gravitational effect. Everyone knows that on a map north is up and south is down. Because of this, when flying west, one has to hold right rudder to keep the nose falling "down" or to the south. When on an easterly heading left rudder is required. On headings of north or south, no rudder input is required.

Of course this only applies when in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere, this effect is reversed, since everything there is upside down.

Clyde Barker
 
I guess I was hoping that she would take a moment, realize what she was saying and fix it herself. But. I guess not. I did like the idea of everything trying to slide South since North is at the top. There were some good hints in those last few posts. ...Clyde Davis
 
A C-130 was lumbering along when a cocky F-16 flashed by. The jet jockey decided to show off.

The fighter jock told the C-130 pilot, "watch this!" and promptly went into a barrel roll followed by a steep climb. He then finished with a sonic boom as he broke the sound barrier.

The F-16 pilot asked the C-130 pilot what he thought of that.

The C-130 pilot said, "That was impressive, but watch this!"


The C-130 droned along for about 5 minutes and then the C-130 pilot came back
on and said "What did you think of that?"
Puzzled, the F-1 6 pilot asked, "What the hell did you do?"


The C-130 pilot chuckled. "I stood up, stretched my legs, went to the back, took a pee, then got a cup of coffee and a cinnamon bun."

When you are young and foolish - speed and flashy may be a good thing.

When you get older and smarter -- comfort and dull is not such a bad thing!!
 
Christina Young said:
I don't think it's shoes at all. When I was flying northwest from New Jersey to Alaska last summer, I had to be constantly on the right rudder. And flying back constantly on the left rudder. Did my calves ever start cramping up after a while... I was longing for my Stinson with the rudder trim!!!

I'm already thinking about that when I do it again this summer....

Could that be used in the Joke section under " Blond Joke"? :eek:

But then of coarse instead of steering the airplane with the rudder you could do the crab method with the northerly winds :angel:
 
I would not agree with climbing shoes, they will be very sensitive feeling on the pedals but your feet would probably get real sore quick. I have the best luck with a vibram soled hiking boot my favorite is La sportiva Trango. you cannot feel the pedals as well at first but you will adjust to the feeling quickly. I think a stiff sole with medium upper flex is ideal.
 
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