Right seat policies

Ron Natalie writes:

There's no requirement that you can't put them in the left seat. It's
commonly done when the right seat pilot is also a flight instructor,
but it could be any legal pilot.

Yes, but I presume that outside of flight instruction, it's unusual to
put someone else in the left seat (especially if that someone is not a
pilot).

It looks like most aircraft have some things that are only accessible
from the left side, although I guess all the important stuff is
duplicated (?).

Definitely. The forces of the plane work around the center of
gravity which is usually some where around the back of the front
seat. The rear seat of some aircraft will drift around a lot
more than the front. The closest I ever came to being sick in
a small plane was riding in the back of a 182 on a gusty day,
lots of swinging back and forth.

I'll remember to avoid back seats. I can get motion sickness in a
vehicle if there's a lot of movement and I can't see outside.

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Mxsmanic wrote:

Yes, but I presume that outside of flight instruction, it's unusual to
put someone else in the left seat (especially if that someone is not a
pilot).

it is unusual but mostly out of habit; not everything is duplicated,
but most of the stuff are reachable from either side. You have to
get used to some paralax effect but that's not a biggy; it is a
good idea though to first practice flying from the right seat with
someone qualified in the left: not so much because of what's inside
the cockpit, but because of the different perspective when looking
outside; at first, you end up climbing in left turns and diving
in right turns because you use the wrong reference relative to
the horizon; and landings are crooked as well.

As Emily pointed out though, some aircraft (for instance some
Piper Cherokees) only have brakes on the pedals on the left side.

I'll remember to avoid back seats. I can get motion sickness in a
vehicle if there's a lot of movement and I can't see outside.

the view from the backseat is often more limited as well, and
ventilation not as good...

--Sylvain

"Sylvain" wrote in message
t...
Mxsmanic wrote:


I'll remember to avoid back seats. I can get motion sickness in a
vehicle if there's a lot of movement and I can't see outside.

the view from the backseat is often more limited as well, and
ventilation not as good...


A lot depends on the aircraft. For some you sit in the back when flying solo
and passengers are typically put in the front seat (There is no right and
left)

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
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When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

LOL, that's the whole reason I fly from the right seat. I've been
instructing for twice as many hours as I have from the left seat, so if
I were to hop back into the left, I'd probably be sideloading the hell
out of those landings like the first time I switched to the right
during the CFI training.


Sylvain wrote:
Mxsmanic wrote:

Yes, but I presume that outside of flight instruction, it's unusual to
put someone else in the left seat (especially if that someone is not a
pilot).

it is unusual but mostly out of habit; not everything is duplicated,
but most of the stuff are reachable from either side. You have to
get used to some paralax effect but that's not a biggy; it is a
good idea though to first practice flying from the right seat with
someone qualified in the left: not so much because of what's inside
the cockpit, but because of the different perspective when looking
outside; at first, you end up climbing in left turns and diving
in right turns because you use the wrong reference relative to
the horizon; and landings are crooked as well.

Sylvain wrote:
Mxsmanic wrote:
I'll remember to avoid back seats. I can get motion sickness in a
vehicle if there's a lot of movement and I can't see outside.

the view from the backseat is often more limited as well, and
ventilation not as good...

Nor is the heat as good (if any!). In the winter, you can freeze to
death in the back seat of a small plane without a blanket. while the
pilots' toes are roasting.

Kev

Kev writes:

Nor is the heat as good (if any!). In the winter, you can freeze to
death in the back seat of a small plane without a blanket. while the
pilots' toes are roasting.

Why are expensive aircraft still missing the amenities that
inexpensive cars already had decades ago?

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On Oct 16, 12:29 pm, "Kev" wrote:
Nor is the heat as good (if any!). In the winter, you can freeze to
death in the back seat of a small plane without a blanket. while the
pilots' toes are roasting.

I was flying back from a day on the beach at Galveston one evening... I
had just been wearing flops, but I don't like the feel of them when I'm
flying, so I toss them in the back and fly barefoot... It was late in
the year and had gotten a bit cool, so I turne on the heater... Didn't
need my feet on the pedals, so they were flat on the floor... The route
back to my home airport didn't require much in the way of banked turns,
so I never had to move my feet... I'm doing a straight in approach for
27 at AXH and I then needed to operate the rudder pedals once I got on
short final since there is *always* a crosswind at AXH... Let's just
say that it was an interesting experience... I couldn't keep my feet on
the rudder pedals for more than a couple of seconds because they were
so hot... I quickly turned the heat off, but they weren't going to
dissipate that heat very quickly... End result were some rather toasty
areas on the bottom of my feet and a longer rollout than normal... And
a note to myself to not do that again... grin

Mxsmanic wrote:

Yes, but I presume that outside of flight instruction, it's unusual to
put someone else in the left seat (especially if that someone is not a
pilot).

Actually, it's the comfort level of the pilot in flying from the
right side. Instructors spend almost all their time in the right
seat so they don't have any problems flying there. Most pilots
are inexperienced and extremely uncomfortable flying from the
right side. Of course, the other problem is that most of the
instruments are set up to be convenient for the left seat pilot
and as you go up in complexity you find that the right seat
controls sometimes aren't as complete. For example, in my
plane there are no brakes on the right side, so I wouldn't put
anybody but an experienced pilot in the left seat.

It looks like most aircraft have some things that are only accessible
from the left side, although I guess all the important stuff is
duplicated (?).

Actually, just the yoke and the rudder pedals in most planes. Most
light aircraft are small enough that you can see all the other
instruments from the right side. I actually got to fly in the
right seat of a Bonanza that had right side basic instruments
as well, but that's pretty uncommon.

Ron Natalie wrote:
Mxsmanic wrote:

Yes, but I presume that outside of flight instruction, it's unusual to
put someone else in the left seat (especially if that someone is not a
pilot).

Actually, it's the comfort level of the pilot in flying from the
right side. Instructors spend almost all their time in the right
seat so they don't have any problems flying there. Most pilots
are inexperienced and extremely uncomfortable flying from the
right side. Of course, the other problem is that most of the
instruments are set up to be convenient for the left seat pilot
and as you go up in complexity you find that the right seat
controls sometimes aren't as complete. For example, in my
plane there are no brakes on the right side, so I wouldn't put
anybody but an experienced pilot in the left seat.

But ... I put both of my kids in the left seat AT ALTITUDE with an
instructor in the right seat. The Navion is roomy enough that I could
take off with the instructor in the right seat and get up to altitude,
hand the controls over to the instructor and then switch seats with the
kids who were in the back.

Margy

It looks like most aircraft have some things that are only accessible
from the left side, although I guess all the important stuff is
duplicated (?).


Actually, just the yoke and the rudder pedals in most planes. Most
light aircraft are small enough that you can see all the other
instruments from the right side. I actually got to fly in the
right seat of a Bonanza that had right side basic instruments
as well, but that's pretty uncommon.

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

In small aircraft, if I understand correctly, there's no law that says
you can't put anyone you want in the right seat, as long as there's a
licensed pilot in command.

The one time I flew a plane I sat in the left seat. Yes, I
had the controls. No it was not a lesson. No, I did not stick
to straight and level - I know what 4.5 G's feels like in an
inverted dive. I also know that formation flying is difficult
when your only previous experience is MSFS. And, yes, it was
all legal.

Now, Mxsmanic, how did I get to do that?

(if anyone else knows the answer, please don't spoil it for
our friend here)

BTW, flying left seat in a Jetranger is fun too. No, I did not
have the controls.

Brian
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