Cockpit Controls with Unknown Functions

kontiki

kontiki

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Kontiki
Just wondering if anyone has any switches or controls in their cockpit and they don't know what they are for.
 
Is this a set-up for a "Farside" cartoon?:p
kontiki said:
Just wondering if anyone has any switches or controls in their cockpit and they don't know what they are for.
Click to expand...
 
kontiki said:
Just wondering if anyone has any switches or controls in their cockpit and they don't know what they are for.
Click to expand...

I know that they all do, but there are a few I've never used.
 
kontiki said:
Just wondering if anyone has any switches or controls in their cockpit and they don't know what they are for.
Click to expand...

I know what they all do and make a point of trying to remove ones that are extraneous. However, it's never ceased to amaze me when I'm flying in someone else's plane and ask "What's that do?" "I have no idea."
 
Like others I know what every switch and knob does(including the G1000). There are some I do not use often(prop heat and pitot heat are not needed much in Florida), but even those I make sure are in working condition.
 
A rental I was flying one time had this little lever with a round thing at the end and three lights above it. I never figured out what that was for, but man she sure stopped on a dime when I landed it. For some reason, they didn't let me rent it again after that.

just kidding
 
When I redid my panel, there was 200lbs worth of old crap that did nothing and wires that weren't connected to anything, but I know what everything does now lol.
 
In the one I fly most, I know what they all do but sure wish I could move a few around. Like NOT have the ELT switch between the identical looking and feeling master and strobe switches, two of which are tucked away under the yoke where you can't really see them well. Fortunately the ELT is the type of toggle switch you have to pull to flip... but still... I'm always afraid one of these days the wrong lights will start flashing when I hit the strobes.
 
There were a bunch o switches that nobody knew what they did in the cockpit of the Buff I used to fly. Most of it dealt with old Hound Dog missile interface switches, the rest was old ECS controls for pressure suits no one in their right mind would attempt to fly with these days...the damn thing is too heavy with avionics and old wiring to get up that high anymore. You guys think old GA planes have wiring hack jobs? Try the BUFF for size. There's cannon-plugs-to-nowhere galore in the wheel wells of that ol trusty PoS.

It was like taking a step back in time. Vestiges of days long gone.. It'll make a good story for the grandkids someday. All that said, from what my buds who flew the FRED tell me, the C-5 is even worse on that account.
 
hindsight2020 said:
There were a bunch o switches that nobody knew what they did in the cockpit of the Buff I used to fly. Most of it dealt with old Hound Dog missile interface switches, the rest was old ECS controls for pressure suits no one in their right mind would attempt to fly with these days...the damn thing is too heavy with avionics and old wiring to get up that high anymore. You guys think old GA planes have wiring hack jobs? Try the BUFF for size. There's cannon-plugs-to-nowhere galore in the wheel wells of that ol trusty PoS.

It was like taking a step back in time. Vestiges of days long gone.. It'll make a good story for the grandkids someday. All that said, from what my buds who flew the FRED tell me, the C-5 is even worse on that account.
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If you ended up with a broken wire somewhere in the bundle, they did not track it down and fix it, they just added a whole new wire the entire length from switch to what it controlled.

I flew G model ASQ-38 and OAS and those old missile and auto sextant tracker were still there until the OAS upgrade.

Which model did you fly?
 
The BE76 I've been flying had a big red button on the right side of the pilot's yoke. Never found out what it was for. Even would turn everything on and push the button, and nothing would happen. Of course, I got lucky and had my DPE ask what the important red button was for... My answer: "It controlled the yaw damper that is now inop." :dunno:
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
The BE76 I've been flying had a big red button on the right side of the pilot's yoke. Never found out what it was for. Even would turn everything on and push the button, and nothing would happen. Of course, I got lucky and had my DPE ask what the important red button was for... My answer: "It controlled the yaw damper that is now inop." :dunno:
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So smart DPE asks, where's the INOP sticker?
 
There is an orange light that says "Press to test" on a C-172 at an FBO that I rent from. The plane came into the possession of the FBO when it agreed to buy it right after the owner suddenly died. The light is above a UBG-16 engine monitor made by E.I. Inc. (Somewhat blurry photo attached.) The light/button and engine monitor may not be associated. When I was getting checked out in that plane I asked the CFI what the light was and he said they hadn't figured what it was for yet. This was over a year ago and I suppose they figured out what it did since then.
 

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BillTIZ said:
So smart DPE asks, where's the INOP sticker?
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Over the DME itself, a general sticker on the top of the paned, another one on the DME master switch, and the DME circuit breaker secured out. Although I honestly don't know/think it was for the DME (are there any that even do normally have a push-button on the yoke?)...
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Over the DME itself, a general sticker on the top of the paned, another one on the DME master switch, and the DME circuit breaker secured out. Although I honestly don't know/think it was for the DME (are there any that even do normally have a push-button on the yoke?)...
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Maybe if it has a flip flop frequency.:dunno:
 
Jim Logajan said:
There is an orange light that says "Press to test" on a C-172 at an FBO that I rent from. The plane came into the possession of the FBO when it agreed to buy it right after the owner suddenly died. The light is above a UBG-16 engine monitor made by E.I. Inc. (Somewhat blurry photo attached.) The light/button and engine monitor may not be associated.
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The UBG-16 has limits you can set (like high CHT) that will trigger an idiot light. It's generally an LED but maybe(?) they wired it to this light?
 
'If it has dust on it or it is painted red, don't touch it'
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
The BE76 I've been flying had a big red button on the right side of the pilot's yoke. Never found out what it was for. Even would turn everything on and push the button, and nothing would happen. Of course, I got lucky and had my DPE ask what the important red button was for... My answer: "It controlled the yaw damper that is now inop." :dunno:
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I have a push-button on the right side of the yoke that is wired to the 'ident' on the transponder.
 
Jeff K said:
The UBG-16 has limits you can set (like high CHT) that will trigger an idiot light. It's generally an LED but maybe(?) they wired it to this light?
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That seems likely, though I haven't rented that plane since August 2012 and hadn't asked since then.

Strictly speaking it is not a cockpit control so doesn't quite qualify for this thread, but all I have to contribute. I thought about saying there were two pedals on the floor that I didn't know the function of, but some might not get the humor....
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
The BE76 I've been flying had a big red button on the right side of the pilot's yoke. Never found out what it was for. Even would turn everything on and push the button, and nothing would happen. Of course, I got lucky and had my DPE ask what the important red button was for... My answer: "It controlled the yaw damper that is now inop." :dunno:
Click to expand...

Years ago I temporarily installed a push switch in my car that had a big red button engraved FIRE. It didn't do anything, of course - but sure made a good conversation piece.

Dave
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
The BE76 I've been flying had a big red button on the right side of the pilot's yoke. Never found out what it was for. Even would turn everything on and push the button, and nothing would happen. Of course, I got lucky and had my DPE ask what the important red button was for... My answer: "It controlled the yaw damper that is now inop." :dunno:
Click to expand...

Should have told him "JATO pods".:D
 
bbchien said:
"Do not touch the big red button".....
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weilke said:
I have a push-button on the right side of the yoke that is wired to the 'ident' on the transponder.
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Hmm, never seen one of those before, but I know that wasn't what this one is for. As an aside, what's the point of that? Seems like identing isn't something that needs to be accessed in such a hurry like AP disconnect...
 
Jim Logajan said:
There is an orange light that says "Press to test" on a C-172 at an FBO that I rent from. The plane came into the possession of the FBO when it agreed to buy it right after the owner suddenly died. The light is above a UBG-16 engine monitor made by E.I. Inc. (Somewhat blurry photo attached.) The light/button and engine monitor may not be associated. When I was getting checked out in that plane I asked the CFI what the light was and he said they hadn't figured what it was for yet. This was over a year ago and I suppose they figured out what it did since then.
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That looks like a landing gear retracted light from a Cessna RG (at least the 172RG, not sure if the others have the same one).
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Hmm, never seen one of those before, but I know that wasn't what this one is for. As an aside, what's the point of that? Seems like identing isn't something that needs to be accessed in such a hurry like AP disconnect...
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I use it all the time. The transponder in our plane is mounted all the way to the right requiring me to lean over to push the button on the unit itself, something I really hate to do in IMC. In the airpace around DC, you want to be radar identified asap so nobody on the other end gets nervous.
 
dmspilot said:
That looks like a landing gear retracted light from a Cessna RG (at least the 172RG, not sure if the others have the same one).
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Could be its origin. It is now in a fixed gear 172. N1227U.
 

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hindsight2020 said:
There were a bunch o switches that nobody knew what they did in the cockpit of the Buff I used to fly. Most of it dealt with old Hound Dog missile interface switches, the rest was old ECS controls for pressure suits no one in their right mind would attempt to fly with these days...the damn thing is too heavy with avionics and old wiring to get up that high anymore. You guys think old GA planes have wiring hack jobs? Try the BUFF for size. There's cannon-plugs-to-nowhere galore in the wheel wells of that ol trusty PoS.

It was like taking a step back in time. Vestiges of days long gone.. It'll make a good story for the grandkids someday. All that said, from what my buds who flew the FRED tell me, the C-5 is even worse on that account.
Click to expand...

I got a kick out of the "GAM 72" start switches and fire lights. My brother has a "Pressure Suit Face Plate Defog" switch and an ashtray from a G model he took to the boneyard. All I could scrounge was a "Bombs Released" light.
 
When I was in Alaska, my company bought a couple of former DEA birds that had a lot of spook stuff on them. Lot's of mystery switches in those planes. Some of the mystery switches were intentionally mislabeled, to hide their true purpose.
 
A friends Navion came with a light next to the HSI that he never knew what it was for. It was one of those PUSH-TO-TEST things and if you pushed it, it did light up. I always called it the wing-in-transit light. After doing some research with the family of the previous owner, it was a joke "panic button" the previous owner installed. Other than the power for the push-to-test it wasn't connected to anything.

I have this device, a small blue cylinder about the size of a C cell battery. Two leads protrude from both sides. The only markings on it say "Critical Safety Component." I don't know what it is, but it's fun to leave lying on the ramp under the plane when people are preflighting.
 
Henning said:
When I redid my panel, there was 200lbs worth of old crap that did nothing and wires that weren't connected to anything, but I know what everything does now lol.
Click to expand...

We only lost 65 lbs from doing about the same. We got rid of a number of switches and buttons that were either inop or served no useful function, and lots of wires.

The one thing I need to do is send out one switch panel to get redone without the holes in it.
 
Some of the FBI 182's were more than adequately switched as well.

Anymouse said:
When I was in Alaska, my company bought a couple of former DEA birds that had a lot of spook stuff on them. Lot's of mystery switches in those planes. Some of the mystery switches were intentionally mislabeled, to hide their true purpose.
Click to expand...
 
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