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Wide Foot / Feet Getting stuck on Rudder Pedals

8s_Great

I'm New Here
Hello All

Couldn't find anything with the search function. When it comes time to steer or use the pedals at all, my feet are so wide that they get caught inside the pedals and when I try to pick my feet off the pedals or move them up and down, the pedals come with my feet or won't let me slide up or down. Any thoughts? Narrow shoes hurt my feet.

Thanks
 
Racing shoes/boots

Did you try racing shoes or boots??
They can be really thin and supple.
And their rounded heel makes it confortable to move the feet on the floor.
 
I haven't tried race shoes. I will give that a shot. Somehow I feel like they will be narrow and painful as well. But I'll keep an open mind.
 
I have a friend with a similar issue - he started wearing wrestling shoes and his problem went away. Bonus, they're super comfy.

I wear Saucony Bullets (nice, unobtrusive sneakers - look em' up) every day and fly in them all the time. They're the most comfortable thing I've ever owned. I got the tip from a Citabria guy who was teaching me some tailwheel/aerobatics a while back. They're almost like socks.
 
This might work

Take an old pair of running shoes and use your Dremel to trim off the built up heel portion. Then sand or smooth down the area. It makes a world of difference moving your feet fore and aft on the pedals.
I mainly fly aerobatics in my -8 and always change footwear prior to flight.
 
I’ve got very wide feet as well and I found some Puma running type shoes...although they are not typical runners that are wide enough for my feet but the overall width is way narrower than typical runners. The soles are thin and I can feel everything through them...had a little aerobatic biplane I originally bought them for but they are perfect for the RV.
 
I had the same problem in my RV-8. Solved it immediately by purchasing boat shoes, which turned out to be the most comfortable shoes I own. Mine are Dockers.
 
I understand your problem. However, my RV4 seems to have a little more room between the rudder pedal flanges than the newer RV models, and most “normal shoes” are working out OK. A few years ago I bought a pair of ‘Piloti’ driving shoes when I had my RV8, and they worked OK as far as rudder pedal controllability is concerned. It was narrow in the fore foot area where it didn’t get hung up between the rudder pedal flanges, and it has a rolled heel, which works well with rudder pedal manipulation without brake application in a tail dragger. However, it has virtually no other redeeming qualities. It offers zero heel support or cushioning and no foot support of any kind. In three years, I’ve used mine three times. They are probably the worst pair of shoes I’ve ever waisted too much money on (they are not cheap). You can modify a pair of athletic shoes that you’ve purchased at DSW, or any place, with your dremel (as others have stated), and you’ll have your solution with a shoe you can wear outside the cockpit.
 
When it comes time to steer or use the pedals at all, my feet are so wide that they get caught inside the pedals and when I try to pick my feet off the pedals or move them up and down, the pedals come with my feet or won't let me slide up or down. Any thoughts? Narrow shoes hurt my feet.

I know your pain ;)

Two easy mods, sketches below.

Cut down the sides of the pedals near the top where they taper inwards.

Cut two short lengths of aluminum tube as shown. Attach them to the pedals with three pop rivets each, from the back. I like 3/4" thin wall, flattened to an oval profile. The tubes do two things. First, the wide part of your shoe can't get down in the bucket, past the heads of the AN23/AN24 pivots. Two, assuming you have long legs to go with your big feet, they make it much easier to keep your toes off the brakes while pushing a pedal. It's an "angle of the ankle" thing for pilots with long legs.
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Me too

I wear a 11.5 EEE normally, no bueno for rudder pedals. I have a pair of "VANS" Checkerboards for flying, and because the material is so stretchy, the sole fits well in the pedals and I have no problems with discomfort...plus the brand name just seems right!
 
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