Why are aircraft left-hand-drive?

[Jimbo]

All the k@k in Samoa with changing from one side of the road to the other, made me wonder how it is that aircraft are all left-hand-drive. Anyone know?

Did it just turn out that way, or did the authorities from all over the world get together and discuss it, or did one nation's industry power prevail, or what?

[Gyronaut]

Good question? Dunno the answer to that ...

I heard that Mugabe was going to change Zim from driving on the left to driving on the right just to thumb his nose at those Blittish again. He is going about it very cleverly though. To ease the transition: For the first three days it will only apply to busses and trucks and then only from day four to cars and taxis.

Clever dude he is eh?

[RV4ker (RIP)]

USA = LHD....

[cosmin]

The standard and default airport circuit is with left turns, the left chair gives the best airfield view in this case.

[THI]

The standard and default airport circuit is with left turns

- Why are the airport circuits left turns and not right turns?

[SoLo]

Because pilots sit in the left seat

[cosmin]

Yes is a pair that simply works

[RV4ker (RIP)]

The reason pilots (at least the Captain or PIC) sit on the left side has to do with original 2-seat single-engine prop-driven planes, and Newton's third law which states that for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction.

In most original aircraft engine designs, the aircraft propellor rotated to counterclockwise when viewed from the pilot's seat. Mr. Newton says that when you apply power, the aircraft will rotate along its longitudinal axis clockwise, or to the right. Therefore, if the pilot occupies the left seat when s/he is flying by him/herself, then that slight change in the lateral Center of Gravity will help compensate for the prop torque. So the left seat PIC position has been standard practice since the 1930's, even though more modern props turn clockwise.

On multi-engine planes and all large jets, there is no torque effect, and both pilot positions have equal controls, instrumentation and visibility. It is just a custom that the PIC sits on the left. There is certainly no advantage in flying one side or the other.

Why choppers flown from right

[John Boucher]

To fly a helicopter you need to use your left hand to control the "collective" pitch while your right hand controls the "cyclic" pitch. You need to maintain cyclic pitch control at all times to keep the helicopter stable. The collective pitch control needs to be monitored. The pilot sits in the right seat so that he can use his left hand to tune the nav and com radios and or adjust flight Instruments such as the altimeter or what ever during flight all while maintaining positive control of the cyclic control in flight.

What direction does a helicopter rotate when there is a tail rotor failure? Pilot on right for clear view of intended landing spot...

Why We Sit On The Left

Behind many of the things we do in flying lies a long history. This often dates well before flying. Have you ever wondered why left patterns are standard? Before airplanes and cars, men rode horses. Most people are right handed. As a matter of good practice weapons were carried on the right side and kept available to the right hand. Since it was always desirable to keep the right hand and weapon available, horses were mounted from the left side. using the left hand for lift by pulling on the saddle horn. To keep the right hand free from attack on the narrow roads of England they rode on the left side of the track. This forced an attacker to cross an open space. This also kept the right hand available for for attack or defence against oncoming travellers. I have not yet found the logic for why the Americans drive on the right side.

By happenstance, the military cavalry was the least dogmatic of the services in all countries. When the military adopted the airplane, the cavalry was the natural choice for pilot selection. The cavalry looked upon the airplane as another mode of transportation like the horse. Best to be mounted from the left as by habit. Early cavalrymen nee' pilots were even required to wear spurs. Did I really say the least dogmatic of the services?

You will need to search old film very hard to see an old time aircraft being mounted from the right by the pilot. I have never seen such. In fact, most passengers mounted from the left. When aircraft were designed for side by side seating, the pilot in command (captain) sat on the left. The preferred pattern direction was left because that gave the pilot better visibility. By convention the standard traffic pattern is now to the left.

[Morph]

some helicopters have clockwise rotating props and others counter clock wise

As far a pilots are concerned it's the same as why do we use feet instead of meters and knots/miles instead of km/h. It's a single standard that everyone complies to. Therefor circuits are generally LH and therefore PIC is generally in the left seat

[bluesmancoops]

Why choppers flown from right [/quote]

because they don't know any better

[John Boucher]

Unless you fly with George in The Meerkat, Squadies 196 in their Gyros - makes no bloody difference to them.... Klomp draadsitters - in die middle!

Ask Len why his door of the Sycamore is on the left hand side....

[Gyronaut]

Factually, my gyro has a door on the right and the left. I only use the right hand door to get in and out. No, this is not because I am a former helicopter pilot, its because the throttle and brake levers are on the left and could interfere with your reproductive system if you don't exercise great care.

Most tandem gyro's are configured like this.

On a point of interest, there is no law or regulation that dictates which side of an aircraft the pilot in command should sit. The only stipulation is that he must have full control over the aircraft.

Fly safe

Len

[John Boucher]

Eish Len.... you must be having a tough week?