FACT FILE: Pilot's Joystick
Certain
aerospace craft have crew controls that can be interchanged easily (often
referred to as 'plug-and-play' units). This allows pilots to change from
one craft to another and be assured of having the proper flight controls
for their particualr number of digits and arranged for their dominant hand.
Imagine the confusion if a right-handed Bajoran pilot (who has five fingers),
had to suddenly take the controls of a fighter previously used by a left-handed,
three-fingered Tellarite.
Sticks are not usually interchageable between types of aircraft, but rather between all aircraft of a given type. The one exception is the AE-109 joystick shown here, which can be used on either the A-44 Hurricane, the A-78 Dragon, or the A-60 Havoc.
The joysticks follow the concept of HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick) which incorporates all vital flight controls into the stick and engine controller so that the pilot never has to release the controls during combat. Each switch has a particular type of button with a unique texture, so that the pilot can confirm which control he is operating by feel alone.
WebPage designed & maintained by Kevin "MAC" Nulty
