Narrative:

Yesterday I wrote asking for a callback subscription. Today -- sooner than I had anticipated -- I have something to report. I've discovered that a combination of 2 hands and 3 controls -- throttle, yoke and push-to-talk (ptt) switch -- can be a complicated mixture. The small aircraft I'm training on (I'm a student pilot in the solo stage) has no built-in ptt switch so I've attached one to the yoke along the horizontal part of the yoke, using the velcro strap the switch comes with. While practicing takeoffs and lndgs I've gotten into the habit of announcing my position during each leg of the pattern, a good habit I've been told, especially since I fly in a high traffic area, namely the washington, dc area. My right hand stays full-time on the throttle. As I turn to crosswind I depress the ptt switch with the other hand. The (so far) minor problem I encounter results from the fact that with one hand on the throttle, one hand on the yoke, as I shift my hand on the yoke to press the ptt switch my control of the yoke weakens. In straight and level flight this wouldn't be a concern, but since I'm still climbing and turning onto crosswind, I need to maintain thorough control of the yoke. Yesterday the yoke slipped a bit in my fingers, causing me to have less control for a second or two. At 600 ft AGL, that sent a chill through me. The same problem has happened to me while turning to base -- trying to simultaneously turn the yoke, keep downward pressure on the yoke and press the ptt switch with the same hand has made the yoke slip a little. Now that I've described my problem, I think I've determined the only solution: fly first, talk later. At least, given the confign of this small aircraft, that's what I will do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPI HAS PUSH-TO-TALK SWITCH IN SUCH POS THAT HE RELEASES YOKE AND ACFT CTL WHEN USING SWITCH.

Narrative: YESTERDAY I WROTE ASKING FOR A CALLBACK SUBSCRIPTION. TODAY -- SOONER THAN I HAD ANTICIPATED -- I HAVE SOMETHING TO RPT. I'VE DISCOVERED THAT A COMBINATION OF 2 HANDS AND 3 CTLS -- THROTTLE, YOKE AND PUSH-TO-TALK (PTT) SWITCH -- CAN BE A COMPLICATED MIXTURE. THE SMA I'M TRAINING ON (I'M A STUDENT PLT IN THE SOLO STAGE) HAS NO BUILT-IN PTT SWITCH SO I'VE ATTACHED ONE TO THE YOKE ALONG THE HORIZ PART OF THE YOKE, USING THE VELCRO STRAP THE SWITCH COMES WITH. WHILE PRACTICING TKOFS AND LNDGS I'VE GOTTEN INTO THE HABIT OF ANNOUNCING MY POS DURING EACH LEG OF THE PATTERN, A GOOD HABIT I'VE BEEN TOLD, ESPECIALLY SINCE I FLY IN A HIGH TFC AREA, NAMELY THE WASHINGTON, DC AREA. MY R HAND STAYS FULL-TIME ON THE THROTTLE. AS I TURN TO XWIND I DEPRESS THE PTT SWITCH WITH THE OTHER HAND. THE (SO FAR) MINOR PROBLEM I ENCOUNTER RESULTS FROM THE FACT THAT WITH ONE HAND ON THE THROTTLE, ONE HAND ON THE YOKE, AS I SHIFT MY HAND ON THE YOKE TO PRESS THE PTT SWITCH MY CTL OF THE YOKE WEAKENS. IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLT THIS WOULDN'T BE A CONCERN, BUT SINCE I'M STILL CLBING AND TURNING ONTO XWIND, I NEED TO MAINTAIN THOROUGH CTL OF THE YOKE. YESTERDAY THE YOKE SLIPPED A BIT IN MY FINGERS, CAUSING ME TO HAVE LESS CTL FOR A SECOND OR TWO. AT 600 FT AGL, THAT SENT A CHILL THROUGH ME. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE TURNING TO BASE -- TRYING TO SIMULTANEOUSLY TURN THE YOKE, KEEP DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON THE YOKE AND PRESS THE PTT SWITCH WITH THE SAME HAND HAS MADE THE YOKE SLIP A LITTLE. NOW THAT I'VE DESCRIBED MY PROBLEM, I THINK I'VE DETERMINED THE ONLY SOLUTION: FLY FIRST, TALK LATER. AT LEAST, GIVEN THE CONFIGN OF THIS SMA, THAT'S WHAT I WILL DO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.