Left handed piloting

[Airhead]

I found this picture and made it my desktop background. Eventually I noticed that this guy is flying lefty.

 

 

 

http://www.aviationexplorer.com/cockpit_photos/helicopter_cockpit.jpg

 

 

Does anybody on here do this?

 

Are any helicopters intended to be flown this way from the factory? I assume this pilot is using the right seats collective but are any built with the collective on the right?

 

My friend said Astars can be like this but I think she is full of sh*t. I really don't think any manufacturer would make a helicopter like this unless it is a custom job. Do the regs even allow a reversed control setup?

 

I like to prove people wrong when they have an inappropriate amount of confidence to back what is simply nonsense.

 

 

 

 

[Nearly Retired]

I guess it's all a matter of perspective. Try looking at the photo from this angle...

 

[Gomer Pylot]

Yep, it's rather obvious that the photo has been reversed. Even if you know nothing about helicopters, check the cars on the freeway. They're going the wrong direction, unless this was in England, and it really doesn't look like anyplace where they drive on the left.

Edited August 25, 2013 by Gomer Pylot

[aeroscout]

I've known a few left handed pilots. I thought they would have a slight advantage over right handed pilots, being able to use their left hand to write on their kneeboard with a little collective friction. But of the pilots I've known who were left handed, they said it was a struggle to have their recessive hand on the cyclic.

[eagle5]

 

But of the pilots I've known who were left handed, they said it was a struggle to have their recessive hand on the cyclic.

 

 

As a right-hander I've always wanted to try sitting in the left seat, using my left hand for the cyclic and right for that "other guy's" collective. Of course as a Robbie pilot I'll have to wait until I can find someone brave enough to sit in the right seat when I do this!

[rotormandan]

It be tricky to fly like that. "Backwards flying." Imagine being in a hover. You get a little gust and your helicopter try to go backwards and sink. Your immediate reaction might bite you hard. Your natural cyclic hand would push forward but since it's on the collective it'd push down. Your natural collective hand might pull up to not hit the ground but now that it's on the cyclic it'd pull back. If the gust surprised you you might react before thinking backwards first and put your tail right into the ground. I mention this because this is a story an old timer who tried this years ago told me.

[Airhead]

Ahh, I should have caught that reversal, thanks

[pilot#476398]

I once saw a brochure in Vegas (don't remember which company) that pictured the profile of an Astar from the right side, with a collective on the right. I'm assuming photographers, like cartoonists, don't care about how aircraft controls are pictured (i.e. news chopper on the Simpsons being flown with a yoke!).

[HeliNomad]

I fly lefty. EC-130 has PIC on the left side. Rotor turns the wrong way too...everything is backwards on that ship...except the way she looks and flies. ; )

 

[rotormandan]

Except your collective is still in your left hand.

[HeliNomad]

Except your collective is still in your left hand.

 

Oh now I understand the purpose of this thread. Yeah thats crazy. I don't understand how PIC in fixed wing fly the yoke with their left hand and the throttle with the right. Being right handed and having zero fixed wing anything time that sounds complicated.

[Wally]

 

As a right-hander I've always wanted to try sitting in the left seat, using my left hand for the cyclic and right for that "other guy's" collective. Of course as a Robbie pilot I'll have to wait until I can find someone brave enough to sit in the right seat when I do this!

 

I might have tried that once in a TH55, depending on the statute of limitations. Had I done so, it might have been a lot like learning to fly again because I'm right handed... the left arm kinda did cyclic pretty okay after years of practice flying and writing and twisting radio knobs; but getting the right arm lifting and twisting the throttle backwards was a challenge. Had I done it.

I don't think that SIP and I ever flew together again after that...

[Flying Pig]

 

Oh now I understand the purpose of this thread. Yeah thats crazy. I don't understand how PIC in fixed wing fly the yoke with their left hand and the throttle with the right. Being right handed and having zero fixed wing anything time that sounds complicated.

I do both on a regular basis. You dont even think about it.

[Gomer Pylot]

Flying fixed-wing with the left hand isn't that difficult. I learned that way, since I learned to fly FW before helicopters. There is no collective to worry about, and having the right hand free to tune radios, write, and everything else is better. You don't use the throttle that much in cruise, and you can fly with your right hand if you want, until you're on approach. It's all in what you get used to, like most everything else.

[HeliNinja]

 

My friend said Astars can be like this but I think she is full of sh*t. I really don't think any manufacturer would make a helicopter like this unless it is a custom job. Do the regs even allow a reversed control setup?

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of our B2 and B3 AS350's are left-side (not left handed) drives. It's an aftermarket customization. You could install the duals and fly left seat with the right seat's collective. During sling training we used a right-side drive BA but sat left seat to sling. Starting with the right hand took a little getting used to.

[Sliderk]

Do you ever just hold the collective steady with your leg and fly with your left hand? Kind of nice on a cross country just to take a break for a few.

[AdminLB]

Do you ever just hold the collective steady with your leg and fly with your left hand? Kind of nice on a cross country just to take a break for a few.

 

Reference image below, see the box of buttons to the left of the A/S indicator? That's the flight director. I just mash HDG (or NAV) and ALT buttons and let George (the autopilot) do all the work . . . then you can eat lunch or drink coffee . . . you know, those other critical flying duties that need to be done from time to time.

 

[HeliNomad]

Reference image below, see the box of buttons to the left of the A/S indicator? That's the flight director. I just mash HDG (or NAV) and ALT buttons and let George (the autopilot) do all the work . . . then you can eat lunch or drink coffee . . . you know, those other critical flying duties that need to be done from time to time.

 

 

Nice office... Does the Agusta have a 3 or 4 axis auto pilot?

[AdminLB]

Nice office... Does the Agusta have a 3 or 4 axis auto pilot?

 

AFCS 3 Axis - Here is how it works:

 

[ridethisbike]

I don't know what you just called me with that picture... but I'm pretty sure I should be offended...

 

 

Wish I knew what some of those more obscure boxes do.

[Firepilot]

Back when I was instructing (300), I used to have new CFI students try to hover with their left hand on their cyclic/ right hand on "my" collective. (It was shown to me by one of my instructors when working on my CFI) Generally they could last maybe 10-15 seconds in a hover, followed by trying to flip the helicopter onto its stinger. Never had anyone who could do it.

 

People don't realize how much muscle memory is involved in flying. Your right hand works the cyclic and left the collective, period. You just look outside, and your hands/brain correct for what they see.

 

Pretty much what would happen is that the aircraft would start to get unstable, so the pilot pulls collective to gain some altitude ( which ends up being aft cyclic) and then to correct for the nose coming up, they want to add forward cyclic ( which ends up being down collective) The brain just short circuits and tells the limbs what to do. It can be a pretty shocking how fast things deteriorate, so you need to be prepared (close to the controls).

 

It was a good eye opener for CFI trainees. It would make you think about what you have to do as an instructor. It's tough to be able to tell someone what to do, especially when they have no idea (i.e. muscle memory) on how to do it yet.

Edited September 14, 2013 by Firepilot