Description
The First True HOTAS System for Sport Aircraft: the Infinity 1 Right and Left Hand Stick Grips, along with the Left or Right Hand, or Center Console mounted for side-by-side aircraft, Throttle Handle and 3 Lever Quadrant, has all the important major switch functions you need right in your hands, similar to military aircraft.
Stick Grips and Throttle Handles with switches built into them greatly reduce pilot workload, increases pilot efficiency, de-clutters the instrument panel and makes flying the aircraft safer, among other things.
The term “HOTAS” is used in the military world and stands for Hands-On-Throttle and Stick. “HOT” is Hands-On-Throttle. “HOS” is Hands-On-Stick.
The Infinity 1 Military Throttle Handle and Quadrant, too, was designed with safety, comfort, functionality and durability in mind. The ergonomic handle is tear drop shaped with finger knurls, fits the entire palm of the hand, and is canted 15 degrees counter-clockwise for left hand operation and wrist comfort. The right throttle handle is just like the left, but cants 15 degrees clockwise ( of course ). The center console mounted throttle handle is horizontal between the pilot and co-pilot, with the three 4-way switches installed on BOTH sides of the throttle handle and are wired in parallel so either the pilot or co-pilot has the same controls.
The non-glare black finish is also abrasion and impact resistant for long life, yet is easily maintainable and repairable. The HOT has 10 to 13 switches / 19 functions on a 1 to 3 lever quadrant.
Throttle quadrant lever possibilities: three levers for throttle, mixture and constant speed prop; OR — two levers for throttle and mixture if the prop is either a computerized constant-speed prop or a fixed pitch prop; OR — one lever for throttle only if the aircraft is jet powered, or the engine has duel electronic ignition and the prop is either a computerized constant-speed prop or a fixed pitch prop.
The old technology of a single throttle / quadrant friction knob ( or lever ) smashing all levers, has been replaced by a modern system whereby each lever has an adjustable ratcheting action that keeps the levers from creeping, yet levers still move easily.
The thumb will operate three, 4-way UP-and-DN / fore-and-aft momentary in all direction switches on the side of the throttle handle, which can power anything that needs a N.O. momentary switch.
EXAMPLES: the middle 4-way momentary switch controls VHF COM 1 & 2 ( UP / DN ) Push-to-Talk ( PTT ). The fore / aft movement could be used for CB or telephone PTT, or transponder IDENT, or stepping frequencies, or frequency flip-flop ( now you don’t need to buy that ~$2500 Audio Panel — we don’t use Audio Panels in the Navy ); the 4-way momentary switch located aft of the center PTT can operate flaps or flaperons ( UP / DN ), and the speed brake ( fore / aft ) ( or electric cowl flaps, or switch between radios, or switch between navigation radios, or electric prop ); and the 4-way momentary switch forward of the center PTT controls the moving map cursor / mouse for the new EFIS Systems and GPS’s.
The momentary push-button switch on the front side under the index finger is the ‘pick’ push-button for the moving map cursor / mouse. The middle finger operates the N.O. momentary Engine Start, and the ring finger operates an ON/OFF Auxiliary Fuel Pump push-button — now, the pilot doesn’t have to stop flying the aircraft in an emergency to look down into the cockpit to find the Engine Start *or* the Auxiliary Fuel Pump Switch.
Handles can be customized — for those who want to fly with the Stick Grip in the left hand and use the throttle in the right hand ( ~18% of the world is left handed ), the company will swap the controls for Infinity 1 customers. We are the manufacturers of the only left handed Stick Grips AND right handed throttle handles for Sport Aircraft in the world!
We also have 2 row handle models of the 4-way switches, or no switches ( blanks ) on either side of the handle. But the bottom push-buttons will still be there.