What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Flying from right seat

OLDSAM

Well Known Member
I was sure this must have come up before, but could not find anything by searching the forums. I kind of like the idea of flying with right hand on stick and left on throttle, but don't like the idea of the plane only being flyable from one seat, in case of pilot incapacitation. In a side by side configuration, this leaves only flying from the right seat. Aside from being out of the norm, and having to be careful about insurance policies that stipulate flying from the left seat only, has this idea been thrashed out here before? Surely there are pros and cons about doing this, anyone have thoughts? Ideas? Theories? Experience?
 
There are absolutely no rules against flying from either seat as long as the seat you choose has full flight and engine controls.
Lots of people fly from the right seat. I have an RV-6 in my shop right now for condition inspection that the owner flies from right seat.

Just a recommendation that you don't install any "non-standard" controls.
I have seen people install the throttle to the right of the mixture because they were going to be flying from the right seat. It's much to keep things "standard".
 
I believe there was a thread here recently where someone mounted a left hand throttle in addition to the center throttle. IIRC, the two were tied together at the carb/fuel servo (I don't remember which).

I'm going to consider something like this too. Probably 80% of my time is in Cessnas with yokes, so I'm used to flying with my left hand but I have several hundred hours of J-3 and Stearman time so when I sit in front of a stick, my right hand naturally gravitates to it. I have an hour dual in an RV-6 and I can't count the number of times I unconciously found myself flying with my right hand. I've read many threads where folks say you will get over that feeling, but I'm not sure I want to...
 
As a part time flight instructor, I regularly fly from both seats. I am fully comfortable in either seat and really don't have a preference from a flying point of view and can switch back and forth very easily. I do still prefer to fly IFR from the left seat, mostly because I am right handed and have to write notes with that hand and I can manage the seemingly thousand button presses with it more quickly. For VFR flying I probably fly right seat more often, but that is likely an instructor thing as I enjoy putting everyone I fly with in the Captain's seat :eek:)
 
At last an activity that being left handed makes it easier! Well, easier until you have to write something down. Most of my flying has been from the right seat because it was not my plane and I have trouble using my right hand on the yoke or stick. It isn't comfortable even after many hours as co-pilot. I even got flight simulator and a right hand joystick to practice on.

Mel made an interesting comment about keeping the controls the same. My thought would have been to switch the throttle and mixture if you wanted to fly from the right most of the time. After thinking it over, I think I would agree - controls installed standard. It is an easy change, but having things the same as almost every other planes is probably better.

Lucky my wife is right handed and she likes being in the right seat.
 
Going to fly from both seats here

I set up mine to have a starter button on both sides of the panel, and a PTT in the right stick. I plan on flying in the right seat when I fly acro, as my right hand is far more accurate than my left for precision maneuvers. For the same reason I will fly it from the left seat on cross countries. I had thought about flying right seat always, but then I pictured trying to operate touch screens and knobs when IFR in turbulence with my left hand, and decided against that!
 
Aside from ... having to be careful about insurance policies that stipulate flying from the left seat only,

I am not aware of any restriction for which seat the PIC is flying from. I have never seen this in any insurance policy but to be sure, I called my insurance agent. He also said it is not something he has ever seen specified in a policy, nor has it ever come up during a claim.
 
My -9A is being set up to fly PIC from the right seat. That being said, there is nothing unique on the right side, the panel is symmetrical about the centerline, and the throttle is to the left of the mixture control while the two Infinity grips are wired identically, albeit mirrored as you'd expect.

The only diffence will be in the seat cushions. For me, its just personal preference.
 
I fly both sides!!!

The instrument panel is set up so it can be flown from both sides. The only thing I have found with the right seat, as most ccts are left ccts around here is, it is more difficult to see the airfield on cross wind and down wind.

To satisfy the insurance company and so I was more comfortable to jump in the right seat, I did some time with an instructor and got signed off for the right seat.

Bob
 
Right seat PIC

I'm with you on wanting to fly stick right hand, throttle left. I'm setting up my -7 with a symmetrical panel and plan to fly mostly from the right seat.

Fun fact, most side-by-side military trainers are setup for right seat PIC.
 
From the outset, my RV-7A was set up to be flown from the right seat. I can fly "wrong-handed" from the left seat, but my "muscle memory" is strongest in the other seat; especially in close formation.

To assist another pilot in flying from the "wrong seat", I incorporated a standby ASI, standby altimeter, and Garmin GPS on that side.

For Chattin35: "right seat PIC" must be something new since I left the military; do you know to which aircraft that applies? I know that on any dual mission, the instructor, as PIC, would sit on right; however, during any solo or mutual missions, the student PIC would sit on left. Has that changed?
 
it took me a while to transition from my husky which is left throttle and right hnd on stick when i bought my 7. i may grab a cfi friend to go with me and tryout the right seat as my 7 has everything needed on the right as well. i am used to throttle with left hand and mine is on the firewall anyway







dues paid
 
I learned to fly in a champ, and had 3/4 of my subsequent time in my RV-8a. I fly yoke equipped airplanes from the left, but fly my RV-10 exclusively from the right. It's extra convenient, since my wife is also a pilot and flies the 10 from the left. The airplane is always set up without moving anything around.

Guy
 
.. but fly my RV-10 exclusively from the right. It's extra convenient, since my wife is also a pilot and flies the 10 from the left. The airplane is always set up without moving anything around.

Guy

That sounds verrrrrry familiar :).
 
Photos

Please post some photos of your "right seat pic" panels.
I'm interested in building mine this way. I'm right handed. Sweetie is left handed. It makes sense for both of us.
 
With the 7A i installed left hand throttle for test, flew with right hand. Problem was radio and transponder were positioned for right hand operation. It was awkward. Removed left hand throttle and went with standard set up flying from left seat.

Fixed the problem soon after, sold RV-7A and built RV-8. Now it is perfect. :)
 
Dual Throttles

My panel was partially done when I got the project, and I didn't want to rebuild it to fly from the right because that might affect resale way down the road. Just added a second throttle on the left. If someone wants to fly left-handed from the left, there's still a throttle in the standard position.

Cheers, David
RV-6A
 
My -9 is set up to fly from the left seat and I occasionally fly it from the right. Our planes are so small, unless you really screw up the panel layout, flying from either seat isn't a big deal.
 
Our -6 is set up to fly from either side. I fly from the left, Ann flies from the right.
 
For Chattin35: "right seat PIC" must be something new since I left the military; do you know to which aircraft that applies? I know that on any dual mission, the instructor, as PIC, would sit on right; however, during any solo or mutual missions, the student PIC would sit on left. Has that changed?

The DA-20's at USAFA...

da-20_5c.jpg


The Italian SF-260 / USAF T3A

3184404411_d6744e9f00_z.jpg


a765b4f3cbbe3d40d321ec9456e59336.jpg
 
Last edited:
Dual Throttle Controls

I was sure this must have come up before, but could not find anything by searching the forums. I kind of like the idea of flying with right hand on stick and left on throttle, but don't like the idea of the plane only being flyable from one seat, in case of pilot incapacitation. In a side by side configuration, this leaves only flying from the right seat. Aside from being out of the norm, and having to be careful about insurance policies that stipulate flying from the left seat only, has this idea been thrashed out here before? Surely there are pros and cons about doing this, anyone have thoughts? Ideas? Theories? Experience?

I installed an RV-8 throttle in my 9A on the left side with the thought of mainly using it when doing formation flying. In that way I could rest my arm on the armrest, instead of having to suspend it in the air for long periods of time. The throttle ties into a Piper" style center throttle, where I replaced the original aluminum shaft with a longer one, and then tied the RV-8 push-pull into the bottom of it. This works find on the ground in a "master - slave" type arrangement, but has yet to be tested while airborne.

Doug Lomheim
RV-9A, Mazda 13B / FWF
 
Back
Top