So, since I an ex-Army and only flew ( rode in would be a better term) in Hueys, I was wondering about something. It seems in all piston engine and jet single seaters that the throttle is always on the left, and you grab the stick with your right. So, what if you’re a lefty? Are all flyboys right handed?..seriously, does this cause any issues in flight training? I imagine it really gets weird when you’re flying a chopper…just curious,
Steve
You get used to it…as a First Officer I fly with my right hand and work the throttles with the left, (when the auot-throttles are off [:D]). The captain has to fly left handed and work throttles with his right. That’s why most F/O’s make better landings[8D]…unless your captain is a lefty!!
Joe
Pilots are supposedly more coordinated and dexterous than mere mortal folks. They should be able to use their right hand on the stick and left on the throttle whether they are naturally right handed or left handed. That is the way all fighters are set up. The bomber, trash hauler and commercial folks get to do as ninedriver said above.
Think about trying to fly a helicopter, (something like balancing on a large ball that is sitting on a bed of marbles.) The right hand is moving the joy stick forward and aft for pitch control, left and right for roll control, the feet are hammering on the rudder pedals for yaw control, while the left hand is yanking up and down on the collective pitch control lever for vertical movement, all the while twisting on the end of that same lever for throttle control. Hopefully he doesn’t have to reset the altimeter or radio frequencies during all this.
Darwin, O.F. [alien]
Nine is right, in two seat config I will fly with Left and Throttle with right, I single config is fly right and work with left. You get use to it after while.
gumiflex
Yeah, you just get used to it. I’ve flown goth types as well, and it’s about like going from a manual shift car to an automatic. You just do what’s necessary because you don’t really have a lot of choice [8D]
I am a lefty too, and it is indeed an advantage in a side-by-side arrangement. However, since the advent of jets the stick has been molded the fit a right hand only. Notice that’s not the case with WW II a/c, which tend to be ambidextrous (I’m sure somebody will show up with an exception, but that’s what it will be, an exception).
However, in old fashioned air combat, statistics showed that we lefties had an advantage. It was found in WW II, by the British, that a pilot who finds an enemy on his tail will instictively break toward the hand he favors, and in fact will also look over that shoulder before doing so. And since the guy on his tail also is an 89 percent probability of being a righty, he will anticipate a right break. Well, lefties will break left instincively, and that often allowed them the chance the fight another day. The really sharp-eyed killers learned to counter this by noting what shoulder the guy who was about to get gunned looked over in order to anticipate his break. Of course, 90 percent of those who got gunned were tooling along fat, dumb and happy and never got to look over their shoulder before the hot lead came to visit. (Notice this testosterone-soaked language I’m using? Comes naturally after hours and hours of air combat with fire in the belly and Falcon on the monitor. Um, gotta go…I hear my mommy calling.)
TOM
actually, its far easier to break/look to the left than it is the right. it’s a lot tougher doing things over your right shoulder since you fly with the right hand. To look left, you just lean against the right side of the cockpit and look sideways/backwards over the seat… to do the same on the right side is a lot tougher since you keep your right hand on the stick. trust me, ive done my fair share of break turns both left and right.
as far as advantages… righties obviously have one based on cockpit layouts, but lefties have an edge when it comes to needing to write down stuff in the cockpit (clearances, coords, 9-lines, etc…)
Pilots are well practiced at using both hands. The fighter jocks are especially good with both hands because they practice more. The comment is made with tongue planted firmly in cheek and otherwise very cheeky. rangerj
In the light aircraft I fly the throttle is in the middle, as in Cessnas and Pipers with side by side seats. If you are flying the left seat you throttle with the right hand and control the yoke with your left hand. In the right seat it is the reverse. I make it a point to fly from the right seat, with a CFI in the left seat, at least 3 to 4 hrs per year. It is a little different.
On occasion I get to fly in a Citabria. It is tandom seated and the stick and throttle are in their traditional places, i.e. throttle left hand and stick right hand. You can add a little confusion to the mix by getting inverted.
All of the above pales in comparison to the experience of a traditional left seat driver having to drive from the right seat and shift with his left hand, while driving on the wrong side of the road and entering a round about. cheers, rangerj
I feel jealous. All you guys that have flown military aircraft. sigh…