Piper doors, why the passenger side?

First off, this isn't a post to argue the merits of one-door vs.
two-doors, so if you want to do that, start your own thread...

Why does Piper put the door of the plane on the passenger side? I
cannot think of one good reason. Would like to hear the group's
opinions.

OTOH, I can think of several reasons it would be better to have the
single door on the pilots side:
1. Most flights are solo, so with the door on the pilots side, no
need to constantly climb across the passenger seat.
2. On that same point, I like to keep my charts and headsets on the
passenger seat. Again, I have to crawl over them each flight to get
to the pilots seat.
3. It would be nice to allow passengers to board before the pilot
enters.
4. Again most flights are solo, it seems that egress in the event of
an emergency would be easier with the door on the pilots side.

-Nathan

(Nathan Young) writes:

Why does Piper put the door of the plane on the passenger side? I
cannot think of one good reason. Would like to hear the group's
opinions.

I find the passenger-side door convenient because my passengers can
leave the plane right after shutdown while I'm refolding my charts,
copying the Hobbs time, etc.

I'd guess that the original reason was so that passengers could get in
and out of the plane while the engine was still running, back when
people were less worried about that sort of thing.


All the best,


David

It's not just Piper. EVERY certified low wing, single door 4 place model
since WWII has the same configuration. Presumably, designers give at least
SOME thought to the ergonomics of door location, so the fact that Beech,
Piper, Mooney Bellanca, and Cessna (300-series twins) all came up with the
same conclusion suggests that there is some rational basis, even if it's
only "tradition".

--
-Elliott Drucker

So the CFI can hold the door open while taxiing in the summertime.

"Nathan Young" wrote in message
om...
First off, this isn't a post to argue the merits of one-door vs.
two-doors, so if you want to do that, start your own thread...

Why does Piper put the door of the plane on the passenger side? I
cannot think of one good reason. Would like to hear the group's
opinions.

OTOH, I can think of several reasons it would be better to have the
single door on the pilots side:
1. Most flights are solo, so with the door on the pilots side, no
need to constantly climb across the passenger seat.
2. On that same point, I like to keep my charts and headsets on the
passenger seat. Again, I have to crawl over them each flight to get
to the pilots seat.
3. It would be nice to allow passengers to board before the pilot
enters.
4. Again most flights are solo, it seems that egress in the event of
an emergency would be easier with the door on the pilots side.

-Nathan

I think it harks back to the idea that the pilot should be the first to
enter and the last to leave.

- Mark

Another reason is that it is easier to reach the prop and pull it down
to start. Have you seen the old picture of the pilot doing this?
Solo. In flight. Prop is stopped. Pilot standing on right gear, left hand
holding onto plane.


In article ,
(Nathan Young) wrote:
First off, this isn't a post to argue the merits of one-door vs.
two-doors, so if you want to do that, start your own thread...

Why does Piper put the door of the plane on the passenger side? I
cannot think of one good reason. Would like to hear the group's
opinions.

OTOH, I can think of several reasons it would be better to have the
single door on the pilots side:
1. Most flights are solo, so with the door on the pilots side, no
need to constantly climb across the passenger seat.
2. On that same point, I like to keep my charts and headsets on the
passenger seat. Again, I have to crawl over them each flight to get
to the pilots seat.
3. It would be nice to allow passengers to board before the pilot
enters.
4. Again most flights are solo, it seems that egress in the event of
an emergency would be easier with the door on the pilots side.

-Nathan

"Nathan Young" wrote in message
om...

Why does Piper put the door of the plane on the passenger side? I
cannot think of one good reason. Would like to hear the group's
opinions.


Back when Piper was building only aircraft that didn't have a "passenger
side", aircraft with tandem seating, the door was on the right side because
there was throttle linkage on the left. Perhaps the door remained on the
right when side-by-side seating became the norm and the throttle was moved
to the panel simply because they had always made them that way.

Of course, that doesn't explain why the sole door is on the right side of
aircraft that didn't have that company tradition, such as the Beech Bonanza.

"dennis brown" wrote in message
nk.net...

Another reason is that it is easier to reach the prop and pull it down
to start. Have you seen the old picture of the pilot doing this?
Solo. In flight. Prop is stopped. Pilot standing on right gear, left hand
holding onto plane.


So you think Piper put the door on the right side to make inflight hand
propping possible?

Actually, almost yes.

It was fairly common to start planes from behind the prop. Some had no brakes
so it was safer than trying to start from the front. If they had chocks,
connected by a rope, that would work. But it had the possibility of getting
rope and chocks into the prop.

I have started a plane by standing across the right gear and bringing the
blade down. It was quite comfortable. You're holding onto something
(the struts) and you know the prop is not going to run over you. In my old
age, I don't prop planes.


In article . net, "Steven P.
McNicoll" wrote:

"dennis brown" wrote in message
ink.net...

Another reason is that it is easier to reach the prop and pull it down
to start. Have you seen the old picture of the pilot doing this?
Solo. In flight. Prop is stopped. Pilot standing on right gear, left hand
holding onto plane.


So you think Piper put the door on the right side to make inflight hand
propping possible?

Nathan Young wrote:

First off, this isn't a post to argue the merits of one-door vs.
two-doors, so if you want to do that, start your own thread...

Why does Piper put the door of the plane on the passenger side? I
cannot think of one good reason. Would like to hear the group's
opinions.

So when the right-seat passenger gets airsick, they can crack the door
and puke out into the air, rather than all over the pilot.

David H
Boeing Field (BFI), Seattle, WA
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