Pioneer Control Grips Review: Handmade Wooden Stick Grips for Experimental Aircraft

Introduction

When you are finishing an experimental aircraft, the little cockpit details make a surprising difference in how the finished panel and sticks feel. One option worth a serious look is a set of Pioneer control grips: handcrafted wooden grips made by a small company out west, shaped on a router and finished in a range of stain colors and clear coats, with a carbon-fiber-style look among the options.

The build quality impression is immediate. The wire is high quality, the switches feel solid, and every set of buttons is pre-tested at the shop for continuity and connection before the grips ever ship, so all your buttons are guaranteed to work before the box even arrives.

What You Get

Each grip is all wood with a plastic insert inside to protect the wiring, and a single set screw holds the grip in place on the stick. The grips arrive pre-wired, and you simply terminate and extend the wiring down the stick tube and out to behind the panel to hook everything up.

Button layout is fully customizable. You can fill the top of the grip with switches if you want maximum function, but a simple setup works well too: a push-to-talk on the top, trim or flap up and down buttons, and on the pilot side, the trigger can even be wired as a horn, which is becoming increasingly popular. Putting the horn on the trigger keeps it out of the way while keeping it instantly accessible.

Installation: Simpler Than It Looks

Installation is refreshingly simple. The grips slide onto the stick tube, and because sticks from the factory are not cut to length, you can slide the grips up or down to get a feel for the height you want. Once you have settled on the position, you cut the tubing to length and secure each grip with one simple set screw.

One practical note: out of the box the grips sit taller than many builders will want. Expect to trim roughly two to two and a quarter inches off the tube to bring them down to a realistic height, with just a slight gap between the two grips at the lowest practical position on the stick.

How They Are Made

These grips are handmade in small batches, with the maker producing several sets per week. Each set is shaped from wood on a router, and buyers can choose from different stain colors and clear coat finishes. The carbon-fiber-style finish is not actual carbon fiber, but it convincingly captures the look with black, red, and a slight grey hint in the weave.

Before shipping, each grip goes through an operational check with the wires plugged into a test tool, verifying push-to-talk, each numbered button, and any special functions like a horn trigger. That quality-control step gives buyers confidence that what arrives in the box works exactly as specified.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The main planning point is cockpit integration. Because the grips are pre-wired, you will need to plan your termination points and route the wiring down the stick and behind the panel yourself. Also think through your color scheme early: with gray, black, and red-accent interiors, a carbon-style finish with red buttons ties in beautifully, and you can carry the accent color elsewhere in the cockpit, such as seat detailing, to pull the whole look together.

Buying Advice

If you are in the market for control grips for the stick in your experimental aircraft, Pioneer control grips are a genuinely high-quality, good-looking option that will accent your cockpit. Order early in your build so you can set the stick length and wiring before final assembly, and spend a little time deciding which buttons you actually need rather than filling every position.

Conclusion

Handmade wooden grips with pre-tested buttons, a simple one-screw installation, and a finish that genuinely elevates the cockpit make Pioneer control grips an easy recommendation for experimental builders who care about both function and looks.