[aus-soaring] Puchacz mainwheel braking.

[Roger Druce]

Perhaps some Puchacz operator out in the ether may be able to inform me.   I am looking at a kit from Tost for our Puchacz which we have just taken delivery of.  This kit converts the mainwheel to a hydraulic disc braked Tost 5 x 5 mainwheel and the kit includes everything from the mainwheel up to the master cylinder.  The installation photos show the brake actuation being by means of a hand control on the control column like many other gliders.   Our Puchacz is a 1991 Puchacz and currently has wheel brake actuation by cable via pulling on a knob on the left cockpit wall, front and rear seats.   Does any one out there operate a later Puchacz with wheel brake actuation already by hand lever on the control column as the standard factory arrangement?  That is, did the manufacturer change the Puchacz to hand lever on the control column at a later stage?    I like the idea of the wheelbrake lever on the control column.  (I certainly like hydraulic actuated disc brakes as the conversion of both out Janus B's from drum to disc brake has been a very worthwhile modification.)  So with the Puchacz it is mainly a matter of where to source handbrake lever parts to attach to the control column (which is aluminium - curses).   Thanks in anticipation of a useful reply.   Roger Druce