Who says...? Pssshh....whatever. I’ll sit where I want.

Unit74

Unit74

Final Approach
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Unit74
Although it is customary to fly the plane from the left seat, is it required? Sure, the sixer-pack is on the left, but who who or what actually says you must be PIC from the left seat? What if I am from the UK and feel more comfortable flying on the right?

Inquiring minds want to know!
 
I don't believe there are any regs on this. Our flight school requires the PIC to fly in the left seat and only our flight school instructors are permitted to fly from the right.
 
I don’t have brakes on the right side of the mooney, so I’m limited there, but I’ve been working on my CFI-s rating so I fly on the right in the skycatcher more often than not just to be used to it.
 
USAF Academy teaches cadets to fly from right seat in Cirri because throttle/ yoke in the fighters are reversed from our lowly spam cans.
 
Unit74 said:
Although it is customary to fly the plane from the left seat, is it required? Sure, the sixer-pack is on the left, but who who or what actually says you must be PIC from the left seat? What if I am from the UK and feel more comfortable flying on the right?

Inquiring minds want to know!
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There are no regs requiring this unless it's required in the POH/FM etc.

There may be rental policies or insurance requirements.

When I was doing a lot of instruction I always flew right seat, even when flying personally because it just felt more comfortable.
 
Salty said:
but I’ve been working on my CFI-s rating so I fly on the right in the skycatcher more often than not just to be used to it.
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Isn't it a bit cheating if you hit the big red reversionary button? :)
 
The one time I got to fly with @RussR, he arrived in his Warrior flying in the right seat.
 
Like others have said you can fly from the right seat unless stated in the AFM. However It's recommended you fly with a safety pilot in the left seat the first time. Some find it very disorientating and the sight picture different than what hey are accustomed to seeing. Pilots have gotten themselves into trouble trying this solo for the first time.
 
If all controls are available on both sides, there’s no reg about where to sit. Some insurance companies have a clause that also says you must sit on the side with all controls.

People working on the CFI or who already have it, often fly from the right side of trainers, since it’s their usual location and they’re comfy with it.

Recommend doing the seat swap the first time with a CFI in the left seat. Some people have trouble with the sight picture.

I could swap seats in the Seminole and not care, but in my own 182, the sight picture for landing was out of whack until I practiced over there a little. Too much time looking out the left side windows to judge height.
 
Yeah. The first time I tried to land from the left seat I thought for sure I was going to bend the airplane. Fortunately I did have someone in the left seat that could have taken over, by there were a couple of go-arounds and a couple of truly awful landings. After getting some tips from a CFI, it got a lot easier. We only have one screen, though, so it’s not as easy to watch the instruments.
 
Unit74 said:
Although it is customary to fly the plane from the left seat, is it required? Sure, the sixer-pack is on the left, but who who or what actually says you must be PIC from the left seat? What if I am from the UK and feel more comfortable flying on the right?

Inquiring minds want to know!
Click to expand...
I prefer to sit in the middle in a tandem...
 
murphey said:
USAF Academy teaches cadets to fly from right seat in Cirri because throttle/ yoke in the fighters are reversed from our lowly spam cans.
Click to expand...
I read your post and thought... that's funny, I flew in the left seat of their T-43's way back when and it took all of one minute in a T-37 sim to 'adapt' to having the throttle on the left side. But, who knows... times change and it was a long time ago when I flew there.

But just one YouTube video shows that, no, cadets do fly in the left seat of the T-53.

 
No regs. I've done my flight reviews from the right seat, because I often fly safety pilot and thought it would be good to have the sight picture. I also thought in Cherokee time it would be beneficial to be the door operator.

When renting, and in my first club, it was forbidden. The expressed concern was that there could be some "training" being offered.
 
I've done it before, but couldn't in the three aircraft I've owned.....no brakes on the right side unless I want to try and Fred Flinstone it...;)

Brian
 
Can you operate every control, switch, etc. from the right seat with the seatbelt and shoulder harness fastened?
 
Unit74 said:
Although it is customary to fly the plane from the left seat, is it required? Sure, the sixer-pack is on the left, but who who or what actually says you must be PIC from the left seat? What if I am from the UK and feel more comfortable flying on the right?

Inquiring minds want to know!
Click to expand...

In one airplane I used to fly, the pointer on the airspeed indicator used to disappear behind the bezel below 70 knots when viewed from the right seat.
 
Someone showed me an old video of an airshow pilot landing his Pitts upside down. He had wheels attached to the top wing and rudder, it worked. Anyhow, the guy showed me the video and asked how such a thing could be allowed. I responded that I'd never seen a regulation that you had to land the airplane right side up.
 
As a helicopter pilot...I routinely flew my PA-28 from the right seat...just comfortable over on that side
 
AggieMike88 said:
The one time I got to fly with @RussR, he arrived in his Warrior flying in the right seat.
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I would do that a lot if alone. Didn't have to bother sliding over the seat!

sarangan said:
In one airplane I used to fly, the pointer on the airspeed indicator used to disappear behind the bezel below 70 knots when viewed from the right seat.
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Not being able to see the numbers or where the pointer is pointing on the airspeed indicator is a common issue that all CFIs quickly learn to deal with. Usually I can see some of the pointer itself, so I just note where the speeds are in relation to a "clock face" and use that. So, final approach speed is at about 3 o'clock, for instance.
 
Sluggo63 said:
I read your post and thought... that's funny, I flew in the left seat of their T-43's way back when and it took all of one minute in a T-37 sim to 'adapt' to having the throttle on the left side. But, who knows... times change and it was a long time ago when I flew there.

But just one YouTube video shows that, no, cadets do fly in the left seat of the T-53.

Click to expand...
I merely report what I was told while I was working down there. Obviously, someone was playing me.
 
I always wondered why right seat flying was so taboo. I've done a fair bit of flying from the right seat for various reasons, have landed from the right too, and never found it to be unusually challenging.. don't helicopter pilots fly on the right?

Have any crashes been attributed to someone flying from the right seat?
 
SkyDog58 said:
Can you operate every control, switch, etc. from the right seat with the seatbelt and shoulder harness fastened?
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That's a great point... flying from the right seat of an Archer the fuel selector buried in the lower left footwell may be a challenge..

What if you straddle the center of the airplane with a leg on each seat.. the throttle is like a joystick of sorts and you can use whatever hand you want for the yokes, and the throttle.. win win win for everyone? Maybe people would finally land in the centerline instead of slightly to the left
 
Did a boatload of C172 traffic flying from the right, as the observer / reporter sat on the left, a holdover from helo ops. Did my 'interview' flight from the left, but once hired, did a solo flight for an hour and a few landings before my first revenue flight. Said to myself, "No big deal," and pressed on.
 
Sluggo63 said:
I read your post and thought... that's funny, I flew in the left seat of their T-43's way back when and it took all of one minute in a T-37 sim to 'adapt' to having the throttle on the left side. But, who knows... times change and it was a long time ago when I flew there.

But just one YouTube video shows that, no, cadets do fly in the left seat of the T-53.

Click to expand...
Why don't they train them in real airplanes with a stick in the middle and throttle on the left?

Piper_Super_Cub_N158FJ_02.JPG
 
Tantalum said:
What if you straddle the center of the airplane with a leg on each seat.. the throttle is like a joystick of sorts and you can use whatever hand you want for the yokes, and the throttle.. win win win for everyone?
Click to expand...
How would you satisfy 91.107 (seat belts and shoulder harnesses)?
 
When I was instructing full time, I’d sit in the right seat when I was flying solo because I had become more accustomed to it. Now that I’m back in the left seat at work, the left seat is more comfortable. I don’t get to instruct a whole lot anymore. At most I do about 5 hours a month.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
What about sitting in the middle with your feet on the "outside" rudder pedals?
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My first Cessna 140 had one big lap belt that went across both seats, and this was how it shipped from the factory. On long trips, I did exactly that... flew from the middle with feet on the outside rudder pedals!

asicer said:
How would you satisfy 91.107 (seat belts and shoulder harnesses)?
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Legally, you have to have your seat belt on for surface movements, takeoff, and landing. If cruise, you can feel free to move about the cabin. :)
 
Lowflynjack said:
Legally, you have to have your seat belt on for surface movements, takeoff, and landing. If cruise, you can feel free to move about the cabin. :)
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Oops, I meant 91.105.

91.105 Flight crewmembers at stations.

(a) During takeoff and landing, and while en route, each required flight crewmember shall -

(1) Be at the crewmember station unless the absence is necessary to perform duties in connection with the operation of the aircraft or in connection with physiological needs; and

(2) Keep the safety belt fastened while at the crewmember station.
 
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