Custom Leather Control Yoke Covers
Leather control yoke covers have the potential to transform aging and/or cosmetically distressed control yokes into beautiful and comfortable piloting tools, including the look and feel of a state-of-the art push-to-talk system.
Our skilled leather craftsmen start with the finest imported black or beige lambskin, known for its soft, supple, flexible texture. They individually hand select the leather for grain alignment and degree of flexibility. Only small portions of each hide may be suitable for this demanding application.
After the hand selected leather parts are painstakingly cut to size, using extremely close tolerances, a backing of sponge-like polyurethane foam plastic is added to each of the leather parts. They are sewn and/or bonded using special techniques and equipment.
Next, each part is installed on a model control yoke (usually a genuine factory yoke for the airplane being fitted). The fit is evaluated and the size is then adjusted to compensate for the individual stretch characteristics of that particular section of leather.
After the fitting process is complete, Velcro fasteners are attached to the edges of the leather parts, allowing them to fasten to themselves, in "zipper-like" fashion. The linear seam is in the rear, facing the control panel, out of view. The Velcro is on the inside of the leather, where it cannot be felt , or seen. Looking at the rear of the control yoke, one sees the two halves of the leather, in abutment.
If the leather cover is equipped with the optional push-to-talk system, a miniature red push-button is installed in the leather, using a molded epoxy resin buildup which houses the button and conforms to the contour of the control yoke. This technique enables the button to have a completely solid feel- just as if it was actually built into the control yoke, itself. Teflon- coated, silver plated wire is embedded in the leather, to extend the push-to-talk circuit to the exit point (typically beneath the control column where visibility is minimal). Here, a retractile cable (coiled cord), five feet extended length, completes the push-to-talk wiring connection to the avionics. The instrument panel end of the retractile cable can be equipped with a microphone plug and jack (receptacle), to allow fast and easy plug-in installation by the owner/pilot. For best reliability, we suggest that the coiled cord be "hard wired," where appropriate.
When you order the built-in push-to-talk button, we can supply it to you completely wired with a coiled cord, plug and jack for easy, no hassle plug-in installation. The coiled cord exits below the bottom center where it drapes beneath the control column, nearly invisible.
Leather control yoke covers are available for the majority of piston powered single and twin engine aircraft. Typical pricing is $160 per control yoke, plus $40, additional, for each push-to-talk we build into the leather covers, including the coiled cord. Plug-ins extra.
Each leather control yoke cover set is custom manufactured to order. The shipping date is usually three weeks after the order date. We air ship each order, immediately upon completion. Air shipping and handling cost for continental US orders is typically $19.95. International air mail shipments are $26.00. Express courier service is also available, at an extra charge.
Even though each leather control yoke cover is custom manufactured to order, we offer a 30-day, unconditional, money-back guarantee which begins upon the customer's receipt of the product. If not satisfied, they may be returned for a full refund of the purchase price, less the aforementioned shipping and handling charges.
If you don't see your control yoke below, don't worry. The following photos represent only a small sample of the myriad of different control yokes we have covered with padded leather, over the years. We can custom manufacture leather cover sets for virtually any aircraft. Just call us at 510-282-9300 or 800-634-0094, and we will tell you whether we can make them for your aircraft.
