Left Seat Vs. Right

[C17LM]

I am currently a C-17 Loadmaster stationed in Alaska and would like to pursue a career in Helicopters when I retire. I know that on most fixed wing aircraft the Aircraft Commander (PIC) usually sits in the left seat. Except for situations where the AC is an IP then s/he may sit in the right seat. I know that most helicopters (not all) the primary position is the right seat. Why is this? It seems to me that with the layout of the controls there would be more vis looking over you left shoulder than the right. I have done a lot of FARP operations with A/MH-6's. They always landed left door to us and the pilot on the left was manipulating the controls. This may not mean that they are the PIC, just have the best view of the refueling point. Any insight?

 

Thanks!

[chop_top]

Most helicopter flown for utility (long line) are set up for left seat operations. I know I will catch hell with this post because I'm not for certain. But we fly left in airplanes because we drive on the left side. The reason we drive on the left side is because our driving laws were based on marine laws. Passing port to port and such. I have also herd that the first helicopters had cyclic and throttle on one control(right hand) And that the collective and tail rotor were both on the other control(left hand) And the first test pilots found it impossible to change back and forth. Thats why we don't share controls like in an airplane. On a like a R-22 the reason you fly right seat is due to the fuel tanks. Simple body+fuel+one side=out of balance and the helicopter could roll. Then you will say with a passenger its just the same. Not really because you will not be able to take on as much fuel. Somebody else could probably help you more. But I hope this helps a little

[Wally]

A helo pilot's right hand is occupied with the cyclic. The left hand is the only hand available to do the other tasks involved in flying, so it makes ergonomic sense to put as many of those controls (radios, switches, etc.) as one can on the left.

[Sparker]

A helo pilot's right hand is occupied with the cyclic. The left hand is the only hand available to do the other tasks involved in flying, so it makes ergonomic sense to put as many of those controls (radios, switches, etc.) as one can on the left.

 

That make more sense than what I was told. I don't remember where I read it, but it said that helo pilots sit in the right seat because usually their right hand is stronger, so that hand should be used on the cyclic, while the weaker hand should be used on the collective.... but the controls are the same in both seats....... Never made sense to me.

[Mike Murphy]

A helo pilot's right hand is occupied with the cyclic. The left hand is the only hand available to do the other tasks involved in flying, so it makes ergonomic sense to put as many of those controls (radios, switches, etc.) as one can on the left.

 

This is the way it was always explained to me...then there's the 300C

[ConfinedSpace]

Simply, North American made helicopters are right seat configured and European - French made helicopters are left seat configured. The reason for this is because of the engineering. Specifically, which way the main rotor turns. Since the tail rotor is to counter-react the natural yaw from the main rotor, historically, the tail rotor was place on the side that would neutralize this reaction. And, as a result, helicopters would tend to be pushed in a sideways direction caused by the tail rotor. To fix this problem, the main rotor was tilted to counter-react the tail rotors push. As a result of this, the helicopters hang skid low on the side that the main rotor was tilted towards. To fix this, the pilot would sit opposite side of the low hanging skid to balance out the helicopter. And because the French like to be the French, they engineered the main rotor to turn opposite of North American made helicopters. Thus, in a Eurocopter, the pilot would sit on the left, and in a Bell the pilot would sit on the right. It has nothing to do with the cyclic or collective and which hand works what.

[palmfish]

Simply, North American made helicopters are right seat configured and European - French made helicopters are left seat configured. The reason for this is because of the engineering. Specifically, which way the main rotor turns. Since the tail rotor is to counter-react the natural yaw from the main rotor, historically, the tail rotor was place on the side that would neutralize this reaction. And, as a result, helicopters would tend to be pushed in a sideways direction caused by the tail rotor. To fix this problem, the main rotor was tilted to counter-react the tail rotors push. As a result of this, the helicopters hang skid low on the side that the main rotor was tilted towards. To fix this, the pilot would sit opposite side of the low hanging skid to balance out the helicopter. And because the French like to be the French, they engineered the main rotor to turn opposite of North American made helicopters. Thus, in a Eurocopter, the pilot would sit on the left, and in a Bell the pilot would sit on the right. It has nothing to do with the cyclic or collective and which hand works what.

 

You just described translating tendency in about 85 words and I still don't know why I fly the A-Star from the right seat and the Hughes 500 from the left.

[Gomer Pylot]

Ummm.... not really. Eurocopters are set up for the PIC in the right seat. There are a few left-hand drive models, for specific purposes, but they're generally flown from the right seat. The direction of rotor rotation has nothing to do with anything, it's just the way things worked out. The tail rotor can be on either side, and has been on both sides on the same model American helicopters. None of what you mentioned is related to any of the rest of it. Helicopters which require two pilots can be flown from either side, and it's usually a matter of convenience. In the GOM, it's a common practice for the right seat pilot to fly outbound legs, and the left seat pilot to fly inbound, but it's not set in stone, and it's up to the crew. For landing and takeoff from an offshore platform, it's common for the pilot nearest the obstacles to do the takeoff or landing, regardless of whose turn it is to fly. Whoever can see the obstacles best does the approach/takeoff. If the aircraft is flown single-pilot, it has to be from the right seat in most models, because that's what the RFM requires, and this is common to most American, European, and Russian models. It's just easier from the right seat, because you can tune the radios and manipulate all the switches with your left hand while flying with the right. It's certainly possible to do it from the left seat, flying with the left hand, but it's not natural, and not the way the controls are set up.

[Firepilot]

Simply, North American made helicopters are right seat configured and European - French made helicopters are left seat configured. The reason for this is because of the engineering. Specifically, which way the main rotor turns. Since the tail rotor is to counter-react the natural yaw from the main rotor, historically, the tail rotor was place on the side that would neutralize this reaction. And, as a result, helicopters would tend to be pushed in a sideways direction caused by the tail rotor. To fix this problem, the main rotor was tilted to counter-react the tail rotors push. As a result of this, the helicopters hang skid low on the side that the main rotor was tilted towards. To fix this, the pilot would sit opposite side of the low hanging skid to balance out the helicopter. And because the French like to be the French, they engineered the main rotor to turn opposite of North American made helicopters. Thus, in a Eurocopter, the pilot would sit on the left, and in a Bell the pilot would sit on the right. It has nothing to do with the cyclic or collective and which hand works what.

 

 

 

Most "French" (Eurocopter?) aircraft are standard RH PIC (excluding the EC130). You can order 120's, 350's and such with that option, but RH PIC has been standard in every European A/C I have ever flown or seen (Allouette III, Lama, A-star, B0-105, BK 117, etc)

 

The only other aircraft that I know of that comes standard LH PIC were the Hughes 300/500. Part of the reason, other than those mentioned in other posts, is seating capacity in those aircraft. With a LH drive, you can fit 3 in a 300C and 3 across the front in the 500s.

 

As far as utility work goes, most* aircraft are still RH PIC. There is an STC for changing 206's to LH drive, but it isn't very common. There are also a few A-stars (mosty tours) that have been ordered or converted to LH, but they are also fairly uncommon in utlilty work.

Bell mediums do have an exception (not sure if STC or 337) for LH PIC, but this is only for long-line work. When you are flying any other mission, its RH PIC.

 

 

*Heavy 2 pilot aircraft may be different, but I can't say for certain

[500E]

Not all 300 are left seat have not seen a 500 that is right seat P1 ( expect some one will tell me different). centre collective has no fuel shut off.

Slinging is easier from the left seat in the 500 due to collective being on the left side you don't have to stretch your arm or have collective extension.

As for ease of flying the left seat is a bit strange with having to use right hand to work cyclic and all radios\squawk ect, especially as I am left handed

[Wally]

As to the Hughes designs (300s & the 500s), the US Army, the major customer at launch, ordered all RH pilot's seats in the TH55 and OH6. Only the civilian models had LH seats to increase the number of pax. That ends in accepted absurdities like the Army's TH55 IP "soloing" in the left hand seat, way the heck out of CG. It's that important, in their judgment, that the PIC not have to swap cyclic hands for non-aircraft control tasks, and the PIC that counts is the Army aviator in training. They could train them any way they wish.

[500E]

Wally not talking about Mil aircraft but take your point.

Don't really mind left or right seat cant say I have noticed any CG problem with left or right, only with full tanks and 2 pax in rear and then a tail low attitude.

[ConfinedSpace]

Simply, North American made helicopters are right seat configured and European - French made helicopters are left seat configured. The reason for this is because of the engineering. Specifically, which way the main rotor turns. Since the tail rotor is to counter-react the natural yaw from the main rotor, historically, the tail rotor was place on the side that would neutralize this reaction. And, as a result, helicopters would tend to be pushed in a sideways direction caused by the tail rotor. To fix this problem, the main rotor was tilted to counter-react the tail rotors push. As a result of this, the helicopters hang skid low on the side that the main rotor was tilted towards. To fix this, the pilot would sit opposite side of the low hanging skid to balance out the helicopter. And because the French like to be the French, they engineered the main rotor to turn opposite of North American made helicopters. Thus, in a Eurocopter, the pilot would sit on the left, and in a Bell the pilot would sit on the right. It has nothing to do with the cyclic or collective and which hand works what.

 

 

ppl, what part of the term "historically" did we not understand. Obviously, there will always be lots of "notwithstanding" in the mix. Just remember to enjoy the view...

[Gomer Pylot]

"Historically", the tail rotor was on whichever side the designer put it on, regardless of which way the main or tail rotor turned. Some configurations work better than others, but all have 'historically' been used.

[Linc]

I knew I had read about this before.

 

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum article:

Steel tubes welded into a box frame and covered with fabric made up the XR-4 fuselage. The two-place side-by-side cockpit contained dual cyclic controls and a single collective pitch control with a twist throttle, mounted between the seats. This configuration proved difficult in practice, since a left seat pilot would have to roll power on in a manner opposite to standard practice, in addition to controlling the cyclic with his left hand. This arrangement, combined with the need for a center instrument console that the pilot could reach with his left hand, began the tradition of the pilot-in-command occupying the right-hand seat in helicopters.

[Wally]

Wally not talking about Mil aircraft but take your point.

Don't really mind left or right seat cant say I have noticed any CG problem with left or right, only with full tanks and 2 pax in rear and then a tail low attitude.

 

The TH 55 had a single tank, left side, right behind the IP when alone in the aircraft. Pronounced lean to the left, don't remember how much cyclic I had to the right.

[500E]

Wally My post said not all 300are left seat think this covers the TH55 and 269A