Why is the door on the passenger side?

Salty

Salty

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Salty
On most single door aircraft, the door is on the passenger side, not the pilot side. How come?

I have 3 theories, but none of them over-ride why I think it should be on the pilot side.

1. The pilot has to prepare for the flight so passengers can relax and board at the last minute
2. Charts, and other pilot equipment etc would be in the way.
2. The captain should go down with the ship, passengers should exit before the pilot in an emergency.

I think it should be on the pilot side so the pilot can assist in boarding / deboarding operations. I can't do squat to help someone get on and off the wing when I'm stuck inside waiting for everyone else to get out of the way. Also, it would be FAR less embarrassing when you forget something and everyone is already on board.
 
The only time I’ve seen someone prop start a champ in person he did it from the left side.
 
Salty said:
The only time I’ve seen someone prop start a champ in person he did it from the left side.
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What was he doing on the left side? Pulling the prop upward to start it? o_O
Seems like the harder way to do it compared to the downgoing right hand blade.
 
eman1200 said:
Because if there was no door on the passenger side you’d have no door.
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What's wrong with having no door?
220px-RyanNavion07A.JPG

aa5b_profile.jpg

300px-F-16_June_2008.jpg
 
Salty said:
On most single door aircraft, the door is on the passenger side, not the pilot side. How come?

I have 3 theories, but none of them over-ride why I think it should be on the pilot side.

1. The pilot has to prepare for the flight so passengers can relax and board at the last minute
2. Charts, and other pilot equipment etc would be in the way.
2. The captain should go down with the ship, passengers should exit before the pilot in an emergency.

I think it should be on the pilot side so the pilot can assist in boarding / deboarding operations. I can't do squat to help someone get on and off the wing when I'm stuck inside waiting for everyone else to get out of the way. Also, it would be FAR less embarrassing when you forget something and everyone is already on board.
Click to expand...

I'm going with 2#2.
 
Not all single door airplanes have the door on the right (passenger) side. The Navion Rangemaster has its door on the left side (mostly I think for historical reasons, you always boarded the canopy models from the left side as well).
 
flyingron said:
Not all single door airplanes have the door on the right (passenger) side. The Navion Rangemaster has its door on the left side (mostly I think for historical reasons, you always boarded the canopy models from the left side as well).
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Read the second word in my post. ;)
 
One other thing: back then, the idea of boarding across didn't seem as ridiculous as it is now, and early Bonanzas even had a bench seat. Check out the lady driver at the end of this video boarding an automobile from the right:
 
Because that's how Model T's from 1913 to 1925 were built. So that door style was retained along with all the rest of the Model T technology.
 
I think it's because most people are right handed.
But seriously, if the door was on the pilot's side and the engine was running you'd have to shut down if anybody wanted or needed to get out for any reason.
 
I would think it’s because you would want to pilot on the controls before the passenger boarded the plane and as they were departing.
 
Because the captain is always supposed to leave the ship last.
 
Silvaire said:
I think it's because most people are right handed.
But seriously, if the door was on the pilot's side and the engine was running you'd have to shut down if anybody wanted or needed to get out for any reason.
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Most prudent pilots would probably shut down in that instance anyway, shiny spinny things and human flesh being incompatible and all.
 
PaulS said:
Because the captain is always supposed to leave the ship last.
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The Rangemaster you don't board into the front seats but rather the rear area. You climb up between the two front seats to get to the pilot seat.

My neighbors Waco AGC-8 is the same way (door on the right that opens into the back seats).
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Because that's how Model T's from 1913 to 1925 were built. So that door style was retained along with all the rest of the Model T technology.
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And then those plastic fantastic techies at Cirrus come along and screw that up with two doors. No respect for history. Kids these days...sheesh.

asicer said:
What's wrong with having no door?
220px-RyanNavion07A.JPG

aa5b_profile.jpg

300px-F-16_June_2008.jpg
Click to expand...

Uh oh...I sense a @SixPapaCharlie video coming soon.
 
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