I never found the transition hard, in fact the Columbia sidestick was a delight - but if I remember correctly, the Columbia side stick forward/aft direction is slightly angled to align with your arm movement, not the aircraft axis. I might be mistaken, though - Genghis, do you know
No idea, never been near a Columbia. However, I've certainly flown two other types (the Shadow and the SkyArrow) with a cranked inwards sidestick. Both I recall it being vital to visually check that the ailerons are neutral at the start of the take-off run.
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