Captain still sitting on the left?
Discussion
I was watching something on TV last night and a trainee captain was transitioning from the right seat to the left, she was struggling a little in acclimatising to the left hand joystick.
I understand the reasons for the captain being on the left are historical, but with modern joystick controlled planes wouldn't it make sense for the captain to sit on the right?
It's not an issue with a centre stick but surely the typically dominant hand should be on the sidestick?
Awaits correction by the PH flying fraternity
I understand the reasons for the captain being on the left are historical, but with modern joystick controlled planes wouldn't it make sense for the captain to sit on the right?
It's not an issue with a centre stick but surely the typically dominant hand should be on the sidestick?
Awaits correction by the PH flying fraternity
I had a few hours in the A320 sims at Burgess Hill last year with my mate who's an Easyjet Training Captain and I asked exactly that question.
His response was it's incredibly easy and intuitive to move from the right to left seat and use your left rather than right hand, it shouldn't and rarely causes an issue.
Sadly even though I was in the sim for over 4 hours I didn't try the left hand seat
Bloody good fun mind you and even better as it was for free
His response was it's incredibly easy and intuitive to move from the right to left seat and use your left rather than right hand, it shouldn't and rarely causes an issue.
Sadly even though I was in the sim for over 4 hours I didn't try the left hand seat
Bloody good fun mind you and even better as it was for free
Steve_D said:
Yet helicopters seem to be flown from the right seat.
Steve
I was lucky enough to work as an observer on a helicopter until a few years ago and spoke to a couple of the pilots about that. The general answer seemed to be that because the first helicopters had a single collective, which was in the centre, it made sense for the Captain to be able to use their right hand on the cyclic as most people are right handed.Steve
thehappyotter said:
Steve_D said:
Yet helicopters seem to be flown from the right seat.
Steve
I was lucky enough to work as an observer on a helicopter until a few years ago and spoke to a couple of the pilots about that. The general answer seemed to be that because the first helicopters had a single collective, which was in the centre, it made sense for the Captain to be able to use their right hand on the cyclic as most people are right handed.Steve
telecat said:
Sight seeing in Vegas a few Years ago the Pilot was in the left seat. EC130 I believe. Watching various Helimed programmes also some of the pilots take the left seat but most fly on the right.
I imagine it's a lot less relevant these days. A lot of helicopters have full controls on both sides. Our EC135 had the Captains controls on the right and removable 'dual controls' which could quickly and easily be added by removing panels on the left side floor. Usually added when the Training Captain was visiting for line checks etc. We didn't spec it with full instruments on both sides though as the left side of the panel contained the monitor for the camera and other role equipment.I would think it's more tradition than practicality these days but I'm sure a pilot would be better placed to confirm.
It’s mainly to do with your watch. The first officer wants to attract cabin crew with his big shiny watch so needs to be on the right so hosties can see it (watch on left wrist)
The captain is older and wiser and more concerned about damaging his watch so prefers to be on the left and the watch won’t hit the centre pedestal.
The captain is older and wiser and more concerned about damaging his watch so prefers to be on the left and the watch won’t hit the centre pedestal.
Ok, now time for the true reason.
On a turnaround the right side of the aircraft is for the servicing side of things, fuelling, catering, baggage. The left side is for the slf. The view sometimes has to be seen seen to believed, especially in the height of summer. Rank has its privileges
On a turnaround the right side of the aircraft is for the servicing side of things, fuelling, catering, baggage. The left side is for the slf. The view sometimes has to be seen seen to believed, especially in the height of summer. Rank has its privileges
WinstonWolf said:
I was watching something on TV last night and a trainee captain was transitioning from the right seat to the left, she was struggling a little in acclimatising to the left hand joystick.
Can take a while to get used to the fact that the coaming/glare shield slopes the other way. When I changed seats, it wasn’t until it was pointed out to me that I managed to stop drifting right of the centreline on landing! You get used to a very specific visual picture and your brain is always trying to subconsciously make things fit..More likely that taking up mental capacity and once it’s sorted and you get the input - output to match, the new muscle memory required for flying with the other hand is learned pretty quickly.
El stovey said:
It’s mainly to do with your watch. The first officer wants to attract cabin crew with his big shiny watch so needs to be on the right so hosties can see it (watch on left wrist)
The captain is older and wiser and more concerned about damaging his watch so prefers to be on the left and the watch won’t hit the centre pedestal.
Wouldn’t surprise me. I went to an LAA training day recently and you could tell the airline and seniority of the commercial pilots by the watches The captain is older and wiser and more concerned about damaging his watch so prefers to be on the left and the watch won’t hit the centre pedestal.
BathyThermo said:
I took a few flying lessons a few years ago. The instructor had me sit in the left seat, while he sat in the right.
Not sure if this was because there was only one door, and it was on 'his' side?
The left hand seat (in fixed wing aircraft), is the traditional seat of the Captain. For flying lessons, from day one, you're taught in that seat, as once you qualify, you'll be a Captain. Not sure if this was because there was only one door, and it was on 'his' side?
As for transitioning from one seat to another, it's a piece of cake. The motor skill is still there, primarily for the reasons above - you're taught from the start to fly from the left hand seat. . . . Short haul, it takes a bit of getting used to working out the natural movement of your hand/arm for locating switches etc, long haul is slightly easier, as when operating with a heavy crew (more than two pilots), then you rotate seats, so you spend a decent amount of time operating in the cruise from both seats, despite not being the Captain (they're in bed!).
Steve_D said:
Yet helicopters seem to be flown from the right seat.
Steve
Lots of different models are flown PIC in the left-hand seat, and a few are authorised from either seat. Steve
The control layout is the same either side - collective in the l/h, cyclic in the r/h. However the pedal inputs (anti-torque) can be reversed, depending on the direction of rotation of the main rotors. As a general rule, American helicopters rotate anti-clockwise and European helicopters rotate clockwise (as seen from above).
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