Fun with Flying: Right-Seat Time

The weather's great this time of year in Northern California and
almost perfect for flying. Nevertheless I was getting bored with the
same $25 lunch trips which now were approaching $50. I wanted
something different that might also cause me to learn something new.

So last weekend I thought I'd teach myself to fly from the right seat.
Straight-off I gotta say, don't try this in a touchy or complicated
aircraft without an instructor. But I figured I could do it by myself
in my Aircoupe.

I took off from my home airport using the left seat as always to hop
over to an airport just a few miles away that has a much wider and
longer runway, 6000x100 feet. That offered more room to learn, though
it also had a right-hand pattern which I don't often practice. But
maybe that would work out well from the right-hand seat!

I landed and taxied over to the fuel pumps, where there is a little
room to park for a bit, and shut down. Switching to the right seat
was easy: just slide on over, strap on the harness on the new seat and
snug it closed the vacated seat. OK, let's see how things look....

Was I still in the same plane? I was amazed at how different
everything was. I instinctively reached for the control wheel with my
left hand, and didn't find the push-to-talk switch: it was on the
right side of the yoke for the right hand. My right hand was grasping
for a throttle which wasn't there; a moment later I watched my left
hand fumble around trying to find the ignition switch and starter.

OK, this is going to require some deliberate thought. I practiced
finding the controls and thought I was ready. My usual start sequence
is

mixture in,
master on,
pump throttle once (no primer knob),
pull starter,
let the prop turn about two seconds,
turn the ignition key to both;

after the engine catches

generator toggle on,
strobe toggle on,
avionics toggle on.

which I can do without thinking and have the engine ticking over
within 15 seconds; from the right seat it took almost a minute for my
hands to figure out what they were supposed to do and get things
turning.

Taxing was interesting too. The Aircoupe has toe brakes on both
rudder pedals on the left seat which operate the mains together, no
independent brakes. The right seat has only one toe brake on the left
rudder pedal. This makes it hard to brake and turn to the left at the
same time, but I dodged the fuel pumps and slowly made my way to the
runup area. By now I was getting a little more accustomed to the odd
sight picture and my hands were acquiring new reflexes. A runup gave
me a bit more practice and time to takeoff.

Acceleration was easy enough, but the first surprise came at rotation
and liftoff. The sight picture during climb was very different from
what I was used to, and the airspeed indicator was far, far away.
Fortunately the Coupe is a forgiving airplane so up we struggled to
pattern altitude. Turns were another shock but at least I had a great
view of the runway with the right-hand pattern.

The real test would come during landing. 100 hours of J-3 Cub time
helped a little, as that too required right hand on stick, left on
throttle. I concentrated deliberately on the throttle in case I needed
to save the landing, but the wide, long runway allowed for a safe but
sloppy touchdown. No touch-and-go this time. I let the plane slow,
taxied off, and paused for a second.

One trip around the pattern accomplished. How had it been? The
difference in a mere change of seating surprised me, yet I felt
reasonably safe throughout, though certainly challenged at times. I
felt good for another couple of pattern trips.

After a few landings the strangeness was over. My reflexes were still
slow and an engine-out emergency or similar would have tested my new
skills to the maximum, but it was worth the experience. Still in the
right seat, I departed again, this time to practice slow flight,
stalls, and steep turns.

When I finally landed at my home base over an hour later I was
satisfied. I will practice right-seat flying some more to polish the
skills and keep learning. Eventually when it is natural I can offer
passengers or fellow pilots the left seat should they wish to see what
it's like to fly a Coupe from the proper position. A new skill
acquired instead of redoing an old lunch trip.

"Bob Fry" wrote in message
...
So last weekend I thought I'd teach myself to fly from the right seat.
Straight-off I gotta say, don't try this in a touchy or complicated
aircraft without an instructor. But I figured I could do it by myself
in my Aircoupe.

When I finally landed at my home base over an hour later I was
satisfied. I will practice right-seat flying some more to polish the
skills and keep learning. Eventually when it is natural I can offer
passengers or fellow pilots the left seat should they wish to see what
it's like to fly a Coupe from the proper position. A new skill
acquired instead of redoing an old lunch trip.

Bob,

Great report! I have thought about trying some right-seat flying in my
Ercoupe but I think I'll get another pilot or CFI to ride with in the left
seat before I try it solo. Mine has a bit different starting sequence and
doesn't have those rudder pedal thingies, only a single brake pedal on the
left side. I did try taxiing once from the fuel pumps to my hangar from the
right seat, about 50 yards without much problems.

If I ever decide to go for the Sport Pilot CFI add-on to do some SP training
in my Ercoupe, I'll get some right-seat training and practice.

-Greg B.
(remove dot)

I flew my cherokee from the right seat once. Coming back from Oshkosh with
another pilot. I gave him the left seat for the return trip. I landed once,
pretty badly on a 150 x 7000 runway.

Since that time, I have forced myself to taxi from the right seat any time I
won't be taking off. Typically to the gas pumps. It's also a little easier
as the cherokee only has a door on the right, so I don't have to climb over
to the left seat.

I'll have to find someone to sit in the left seat for me one of these days.

"N93332" wrote in message
...
"Bob Fry" wrote in message
...
I did try taxiing once from the fuel pumps to my hangar from the
right seat, about 50 yards without much problems.

Bob..
I have yet to fly from the right seat solo in a plane that is
typically piloted single pilot from the left. When I was "teaching"
myself to fly right seat, I always had a rated pilot who was checked out
in the plane in the left seat who I could hand things back over to, or
have manipulate any switches/levers that were not within easy reach.

It might be prudent for you to consider bringing along someone who
is familiar with the plane from the left seat, to serve as a backup..
especially when you are dealing with things that look "different" from
the right, like crabbed crosswind landings and such.

Just a thought, and no matter what, ENJOY. Its nice to be able to take
newly minted pilot friends and let them share the joy of flying from the
(comfort of the) left seat. Its also a good start for working on your
CFI. Having the skills mastered from the right lets you focus on the
"instructional" part of the process of becoming a CFI.

Dave

Steve Foley wrote:

Since that time, I have forced myself to taxi from the right seat any time I
won't be taking off. Typically to the gas pumps. It's also a little easier
as the cherokee only has a door on the right, so I don't have to climb over
to the left seat.

I've always taxied from the fuel pump to tie down from the right seat
for exactly that reason. I've been threatening to actually fly from the
right seat, but fortunately for those that share the airport with me, I
have yet to do so.


-m
--
## Mark T. Dame
## VP, Product Development
## MFM Software, Inc. (http://www.mfm.com/)
"Never underestimate the power of a Dark Clown!"
-- Tripping The Rift: Darph Bobo

When I started my CFI training, the biggest hurdle I faced was geting
used to the right seat. The thing you mentioned about using the wrong
hand to use the radio and throttle happened to me too. My biggest
problem though, was coordination. I couldn't land the plane without
sideloading to save my life. I guess all the cues I got for lining
myself up was dependant on where I sat... After about 10 flights, and 6
or so flight hours later, I'm pretty well adjusted to it.

Sounds pretty good! I have been flying right seat myself lately in a
172. I'll be doing all my commercial training right seat so I can take
the CFI exam the week after I do the commercial. My evil instructor
made me do a right seat partial panel night ILS in IMC the other day.
It wasn't pretty.


Bob Fry wrote:
The weather's great this time of year in Northern California and
almost perfect for flying. Nevertheless I was getting bored with the
same $25 lunch trips which now were approaching $50. I wanted
something different that might also cause me to learn something new.

"Morgans" wrote:

"Mark T. Dame" wrote

I've been threatening to actually fly from the
right seat, but fortunately for those that share the airport with me,
I have yet to do so.

I have always wondered where flying from the left seat for the PIC
came from. It seems like the proper way (rules of right of way in
consideration) would be like the boaters do.

Anyone know when and why this convention started?

Appers to have originated with the Wright brothers:

http://www.aopa.org/pilot/100/news0308.html

"The Wrights moved to a seated pilot position and upright hand controls
with the prototype airplane made in 1908 for the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
Additionally, another seat with dual controls was added at this time. The
pilot controlled the throttle with the left hand, and the wing warping,
rudder, and elevator with the right hand. The pilot sat in the left seat.
In 1909, on a Model B aircraft, the brothers modified this scheme for their
first "left-handed" pilot, Walter Brookins, who sat in the right seat and
worked the wing-warping controls with his left hand. That way he could
train students sitting in the left seat. A foundation for modern
instructing was born."

"Mark T. Dame" wrote

I've been threatening to actually fly from the
right seat, but fortunately for those that share the airport with me, I
have yet to do so.

I have always wondered where flying from the left seat for the PIC came
from. It seems like the proper way (rules of right of way in consideration)
would be like the boaters do.

Anyone know when and why this convention started?
--
Jim in NC

"Jim Logajan" wrote

Appers to have originated with the Wright brothers

The pilot sat in the left seat.

Damn Wright brothers. What the hell did they know, anyway? ;-)

The next question is, why nobody ever changed it?
--
Jim in NC