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Game Forum / Simulators / Aviation Simulators / August 2005Right or left seat?
I've just noticed, Pilot in charge of a fixed wing sits in the left seat. Pilot in charge of a helicopter sits in the right seat. Any idea why the difference? > I've just noticed, Pilot in charge of a fixed wing sits in the left seat. > > Pilot in charge of a helicopter sits in the right seat. Any idea why the > difference? Here's a brief explanation about pilots of fixed wing aircraft on the left side from a well respected, long time US pilot: http://tinyurl.com/b5um6  SignaturePeter Fixed wing aircraft are really made in england and japan, and helicopters are made in the USA Signature********** shu > I've just noticed, Pilot in charge of a fixed wing sits in the left seat. > > Pilot in charge of a helicopter sits in the right seat. Any idea why the > difference? > I've just noticed, Pilot in charge of a fixed wing sits in the left seat. > > Pilot in charge of a helicopter sits in the right seat. Any idea why the > difference? Not all helicopters are seated that way round. I can;t think of any conflicting examples, but I do believe there are some. I believe it has to do with which side the tail rotor was traditionally placed. i.e. so the pilot can look rearwards at engine start to ensure no-ones about to walk through it. (But Bell places it's tail rotor on the port side, whereas Eurocopter place it on the starboard, and PICs sit on the right in both, so maybe I'm wrong..) Perhaps it has to do with the controls. I know it's common to have dual controls, but it must have been easier in the past to engineer the collective in the centre. Sitting on the right also means the pilot is able to adjust panel controls with his left hand without leaning across his cyclic with it. Si "Keith Butcher" <keith.butcher@goesnowherewiththis.blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message news:rqJPe.96791$G8.49519@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk... > I've just noticed, Pilot in charge of a fixed wing sits in the left seat. > > Pilot in charge of a helicopter sits in the right seat. Any idea why the > difference? Not always true - at an airshow here recently the police air arm had several helicopters on display and I noticed that some had the PIC sitting to the right, some to the left. An officer standing nearby told me that the US made choppers have their PICs in the right seat. whereas many European models use the left. Since their pilots can fly whatever is available at the time needed, they have to be trained to fly them from either seat. -=tom=- In the early 70s I flew from Scotland to an oil rig in the North Sea in a Sikorsky S61. The captain was in the LH seat. Iain > I've just noticed, Pilot in charge of a fixed wing sits in the left seat. > > Pilot in charge of a helicopter sits in the right seat. Any idea why the > difference? Hi, The reason I've heard for the FW pilot in the left seat is that most traffic patterns are left hand and thus the person sitting in the left seat has the best view into the pattern. I guess the other way of putting this is that it makes it harder for the poor copilot! :) Take care, Tom Gibson Cal Classic Propliner Page: http://www.calclassic.com Cal Classic Alco Page: http://www.calclassic.com/alco Freeflight Design Shop: http://www.freeflightdesign.com > I've just noticed, Pilot in charge of a fixed wing sits in the left seat. > > Pilot in charge of a helicopter sits in the right seat. Any idea why the > difference? |
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