Seating Arrangements

On another forum, the question has been raised as to why the pilot in a heli
usually sits on the right (excepting tandem cockpit arrangements,
obviously!), when in a fixed wing aircraft the PIC sits on the left. Does
anyone here know the definitive answer? In fact, IS there a definitive
answer, or is it just because that's the way they've developed?

After thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that it's maybe to do with
ergonomics, in that with your left arm reaching down to the side to the
collective and right arm out in front, you tend to get better visibility to
the right as it's more comfortable twisting that way, e.g. when coming in to
land in a tight spot. BTW I am NOT a heli pilot, (not full scale ones
anyway) so I am quite prepared to be wrong!!

Thanks all,

Tim


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Pic is not always on the right side in helos, but for my 2 cents its the most logical. The ones ive flown PIC left sucked from a
few perspectives:

The collective (power & MR pitch) is on the left side. Once you're in cruise flight you can let go of this. This frees your left
hand for playing with the avionics stack. The stick is in your right hand, and you really dont want to be letting go of it too
often. It arguably requires more stick finesse to fly a chopper than a plane, and since most ppl are right handed, this makes sense.
Once you get enough time in a helo you'll probably have acquired the dubious skills of flying in cruise with either your knees or
left handed, but you'd never try hovering this way.

Several accidents have been caused by left seat IP/CFI's trying to fly the chopper with their left hand while goofing with radios,
mixtures, etc. for a student while too close to the ground. Not only did they not have as much finesse, but they would have had to
switch hands again to change power/pitch.

Bart


"Tim" wrote in message ...
On another forum, the question has been raised as to why the pilot in a heli
usually sits on the right (excepting tandem cockpit arrangements,
obviously!), when in a fixed wing aircraft the PIC sits on the left. Does
anyone here know the definitive answer? In fact, IS there a definitive
answer, or is it just because that's the way they've developed?

After thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that it's maybe to do with
ergonomics, in that with your left arm reaching down to the side to the
collective and right arm out in front, you tend to get better visibility to
the right as it's more comfortable twisting that way, e.g. when coming in to
land in a tight spot. BTW I am NOT a heli pilot, (not full scale ones
anyway) so I am quite prepared to be wrong!!

Thanks all,

Tim


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I knew a tour operator who liked having the PIC on the left. This kept the
collective from being between the seats and too near the passenger, usually
an excited tourist. Ships with the PIC on the right had problems with the
passenger bumping the collective or getting their big butt in the way.

Joe

"Tim" wrote in message
...
On another forum, the question has been raised as to why the pilot in a
heli
usually sits on the right (excepting tandem cockpit arrangements,
obviously!), when in a fixed wing aircraft the PIC sits on the left. Does
anyone here know the definitive answer? In fact, IS there a definitive
answer, or is it just because that's the way they've developed?

After thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that it's maybe to do
with
ergonomics, in that with your left arm reaching down to the side to the
collective and right arm out in front, you tend to get better visibility
to
the right as it's more comfortable twisting that way, e.g. when coming in
to
land in a tight spot. BTW I am NOT a heli pilot, (not full scale ones
anyway) so I am quite prepared to be wrong!!

Thanks all,

Tim


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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"Tim" wrote in message
..

I was told back in the 50's when I was in the Navy as a mech, that the
reason the pilot was on the right was that in a ditching situation the a/c
would pitch left on contact with the water and pull the a/c to the left. At
that time the most likely guy riding shotgun was a JO or an enlisted man
watching the engines ect. It was just a matter of economics, the PIC being
the more valuable of the two.

Jack

Old Fart Rotorhead

"Jack & Bev Biagini" wrote in message
...

"Tim" wrote in message
..

I was told back in the 50's when I was in the Navy as a mech, that the
reason the pilot was on the right was that in a ditching situation the a/c
would pitch left on contact with the water

you mean "roll left", but why? Surely it's down to the pilot to decide which
way to roll the a/c to stop the blades.

and pull the a/c to the left. At
that time the most likely guy riding shotgun was a JO or an enlisted man
watching the engines ect. It was just a matter of economics, the PIC being
the more valuable of the two.

I'd have thought the remaining would disembark in the flare rather than wait
for the pilot to trap them in a sinking ship.

Surely the ability to reach the controls with the free hand would be a more
convincing reason for putting the pilot on the right.

Regards
Andrew


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I was told by the factory IP's to put it in to the right (pilot side) after the auto. This would cause the transmission to rip off
aft rather than coming forward into the cockpit. My MRs spin CCW, so this would be different in an ship where they spun CW.

Certainly I would not have pax jump in the flare.

Bart

"Andrew Crane" wrote in message ...

"Jack & Bev Biagini" wrote in message
...

"Tim" wrote in message
..

I was told back in the 50's when I was in the Navy as a mech, that the
reason the pilot was on the right was that in a ditching situation the a/c
would pitch left on contact with the water

you mean "roll left", but why? Surely it's down to the pilot to decide which
way to roll the a/c to stop the blades.

and pull the a/c to the left. At
that time the most likely guy riding shotgun was a JO or an enlisted man
watching the engines ect. It was just a matter of economics, the PIC being
the more valuable of the two.

I'd have thought the remaining would disembark in the flare rather than wait
for the pilot to trap them in a sinking ship.

Surely the ability to reach the controls with the free hand would be a more
convincing reason for putting the pilot on the right.

Regards
Andrew


--
Inweb Networks. Quality internet and telecoms services
Sales: 08000 612222 Support: 08704322222. http://www.inweb.co.uk
E1 call share. 0800, 0845 and 0870 numbers - best rates. Resellers welcome

Viewed from the top, my rotor turns CW. As such I'm putting right pedal in
in a hover. This causes the ship to want to translate to the left and I
correct with right cyclic, which causes my right skid to be low. If I also
set on the right, it should tend to tip the ship more to the right and my
reaction would be to put in less rt cyclic,which would have the disc more
perpindicular to the mast. Also operating the radio from the left seat
with my left hand (the collective will set still for short periods) still
tends to produce some extra maneuvers. I've almost talked my self into
switching seats, except the instruments are set up for left seat driver.
Safari driver Stu
"Bart" wrote in message
...
I was told by the factory IP's to put it in to the right (pilot side)
after the auto. This would cause the transmission to rip off
aft rather than coming forward into the cockpit. My MRs spin CCW, so this
would be different in an ship where they spun CW.

Certainly I would not have pax jump in the flare.

Bart

"Andrew Crane" wrote in message
...

"Jack & Bev Biagini" wrote in message
...

"Tim" wrote in message
..

I was told back in the 50's when I was in the Navy as a mech, that the
reason the pilot was on the right was that in a ditching situation the
a/c
would pitch left on contact with the water

you mean "roll left", but why? Surely it's down to the pilot to decide
which
way to roll the a/c to stop the blades.

and pull the a/c to the left. At
that time the most likely guy riding shotgun was a JO or an enlisted
man
watching the engines ect. It was just a matter of economics, the PIC
being
the more valuable of the two.

I'd have thought the remaining would disembark in the flare rather than
wait
for the pilot to trap them in a sinking ship.

Surely the ability to reach the controls with the free hand would be a
more
convincing reason for putting the pilot on the right.

Regards
Andrew


--
Inweb Networks. Quality internet and telecoms services
Sales: 08000 612222 Support: 08704322222. http://www.inweb.co.uk
E1 call share. 0800, 0845 and 0870 numbers - best rates. Resellers
welcome

I was told by the factory IP's to put it in to the right (pilot side) after
the auto. This would cause the transmission to rip off
aft rather than coming forward into the cockpit.

You would think that the blades or drive would fail before the trasmission
mounts.

Pilot on on the left is better for lift work, better collective control when
looking out the window.

In a little sky-earth-helicopter situation in which I started as pilot and
ended as passenger, the trans was pulled out of the frame taking a bunch of
bolts with it (didn't bust the aluminum casting!! I'm still amazed) and the
blades, tho not in a condition useful for anything but a "Don't do this at
Home" display were still intact.

Stu Fields Safari builder X2
wrote in message
...
I was told by the factory IP's to put it in to the right (pilot side)
after
the auto. This would cause the transmission to rip off
aft rather than coming forward into the cockpit.

You would think that the blades or drive would fail before the trasmission
mounts.

Pilot on on the left is better for lift work, better collective control
when
looking out the window.