Right seat flying

(Teacherjh) wrote in
:

In the United States, there is no regulation as far as I
know that dictates what seat the Pilot In Command must
utilize, except that it must be a control seat, which I
take to mean a seat with controls. Nothing I am aware of
prevents a pilot from flying solo in the right seat, the
front seat, the back seat, or even a passenger seat (with
strings attached to the yoke).

Some aircraft have such limitations. The aircraft I usually fly
(BH412 and SK76) limit solo flight (or flight with one pilot) to
the right seat. If such a requirement is in the flight manual
limitations section, it's a legal requirement.

--
Regards,

Stan

When I was working on my CFI rating I woudl put my student pilot in
the left seat because I didn't have brakes on the right side. The FSDO
said the person working the brakes didn't need any certification (of
course I was responsible for ensuring he knew how to work them). I did
not try to give him instruction.

BTW: I had to write a letter to my insurance company. If you don't
notify them that you are flying left seat and you put someone else in
the left, they will likely believe the left seat was the flying pilot.
My agent said the warning letter fixes this.



(Teacherjh) wrote in message ...

In the third paragraph
they say that it is illegal for a non-instructor pilot to fly in the
right seat with a non-pilot in the left seat.


In the United States, there is no regulation as far as I know that dictates
what seat the Pilot In Command must utilize, except that it must be a control
seat, which I take to mean a seat with controls. Nothing I am aware of
prevents a pilot from flying solo in the right seat, the front seat, the back
seat, or even a passenger seat (with strings attached to the yoke).

I believe the author is incorrect.

Jose

(Robert M. Gary) wrote in message . com...
When I was working on my CFI rating I woudl put my student pilot in
the left seat because I didn't have brakes on the right side. The FSDO
said the person working the brakes didn't need any certification (of
course I was responsible for ensuring he knew how to work them). I did
not try to give him instruction.

BTW: I had to write a letter to my insurance company. If you don't
notify them that you are flying left seat and you put someone else in
the left, they will likely believe the left seat was the flying pilot.
My agent said the warning letter fixes this.

exactly. spot on.




(Teacherjh) wrote in message ...

In the third paragraph
they say that it is illegal for a non-instructor pilot to fly in the
right seat with a non-pilot in the left seat.


In the United States, there is no regulation as far as I know that dictates
what seat the Pilot In Command must utilize, except that it must be a control
seat, which I take to mean a seat with controls. Nothing I am aware of
prevents a pilot from flying solo in the right seat, the front seat, the back
seat, or even a passenger seat (with strings attached to the yoke).

I believe the author is incorrect.

Jose

Matt Whiting wrote in news:4092D130.409
@chilitech.net:

This isn't an IFR related question, but I don't see an r.a group
devoted
to instruction. I just received the May/June issue of Aviator's Guide
and they make an interesting claim on page 38. In the third paragraph
they say that it is illegal for a non-instructor pilot to fly in the
right seat with a non-pilot in the left seat. I've never thought about
doing this, but never considered that it could be illegal. Can anyone
here confirm this, preferably with a reference to the approriate FAR?
I've never come across an FAR that addressed this before.


Matt


I am not familiar with Aviator's Guide, but this is pure BS. There is no
regulation regarding flying from the right seat. When I was training for
my instructor certificate, I flew all the time from the right seat, both
with passengers and solo. You have to occupy a seat that has full
controls, but no one cares (except perhaps the insurance company) which
seat that is.

Must be a lawyer's interpetation!

--

Pete Brown, CFI
Carolina Flight
Davidson County Airport

I'm not aware of any FARs specifically prohibiting it. However if something
were to happen, and you hadn't had some training in the right seat, they
could
get you with the old "careless and reckless" part if they thought flying
from over
there contributed.



"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
This isn't an IFR related question, but I don't see an r.a group devoted
to instruction. I just received the May/June issue of Aviator's Guide
and they make an interesting claim on page 38. In the third paragraph
they say that it is illegal for a non-instructor pilot to fly in the
right seat with a non-pilot in the left seat. I've never thought about
doing this, but never considered that it could be illegal. Can anyone
here confirm this, preferably with a reference to the approriate FAR?
I've never come across an FAR that addressed this before.


Matt

"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
This isn't an IFR related question, but I don't see an r.a group devoted
to instruction.

r.a student devotes a considerable amount of discussion to instruction.

Many aircraft have a limitation prohibiting flying from the right seat with
a non-pilot or no pilot at the controls in the left seat unless you are
using the aircraft for instruction. You will find it in the POH or in the
type certification. It would be illegal to fly such an aircraft from the
right seat.

I don't have the manual in front of me, but I *think* this is even true of
the newer Cessna Skyhawks. I will have to check.

Anyway, many aircraft rental outfits also prohibit it.

Part 135 also has this to say (although this prohibition applies equally
well to any pilot seat):


§ 135.113 Passenger occupancy of pilot seat.
top
No certificate holder may operate an aircraft type certificated after
October 15, 1971, that has a passenger seating configuration, excluding any
pilot seat, of more than eight seats if any person other than the pilot in
command, a second in command, a company check airman, or an authorized
representative of the Administrator, the National Transportation Safety
Board, or the United States Postal Service occupies a pilot seat.

§ 135.115 Manipulation of controls.
top
No pilot in command may allow any person to manipulate the flight controls
of an aircraft during flight conducted under this part, nor may any person
manipulate the controls during such flight unless that person is-

(a) A pilot employed by the certificate holder and qualified in the
aircraft; or

(b) An authorized safety representative of the Administrator who has the
permission of the pilot in command, is qualified in the aircraft, and is
checking flight operations.

C J Campbell wrote:

Many aircraft have a limitation prohibiting flying from the right seat with
a non-pilot or no pilot at the controls in the left seat unless you are
using the aircraft for instruction. You will find it in the POH or in the
type certification. It would be illegal to fly such an aircraft from the
right seat.

I don't have the manual in front of me, but I *think* this is even true of
the newer Cessna Skyhawks. I will have to check.

I checked the Limitations sections for the Cessna 172P, 172R, 182P, and
PA-28-161 -- none of them has an limitations concerning the right seat. The
only seat-related limitation is that the rear seats have to be empty for
operation in utility category. I also don't remember any seat limitation in
the TCDS for the 172 or the PA28, or in the insurance policy for my Warrior.

I'm not about to rush out and try it, though, at least not without an
instructor in the left seat (at least the first few times).


All the best,


DAvid

"C J Campbell" wrote:

Many aircraft have a limitation prohibiting flying from the right seat with
a non-pilot or no pilot at the controls in the left seat unless you are
using the aircraft for instruction


Really, which ones????????? What is your source for this information.
Or are you just an ABM?

And 135 does not apply here.

wrote in message
...
"C J Campbell" wrote:

Many aircraft have a limitation prohibiting flying from the right seat
with
a non-pilot or no pilot at the controls in the left seat unless you are
using the aircraft for instruction


Really, which ones????????? What is your source for this information.

Well, the manual for the Cessna 208 has this to say on page 2-12:

Flight Crew Limits

One pilot required in left seat.

I am fairly sure I have seen similar language in some other manuals.

Or are you just an ABM?

I don't know ABM, unless you mean anti-ballistic missile. Perhaps you have
much more reason to be familiar with the term than have I.


And 135 does not apply here.

It may be what the person who wrote the article in the Aviators Guide might
have been thinking of.