Aviation

[peter1958]

Why does the co-pilot always sit on the left of the pilot? (I've asked a pilot and he doesn't know)

[Buenchico]

Are you sure you've got that the right way round? The tradition (in fixed wing aircraft) is that the Captain sits on the left, with his First Officer on the right, as in this TriStar cockpit:
http://www.freshgasflow.com/images/flight401_i mages/basic_cockpit.jpg Nobody seems to know why but it's sometimes suggested that (since most people are right-handed), this gives the Captain greater control, with his most 'sensitive' hand, over the throttle controls. (In earlier days, with radial engines, the Captain would use his right hand to adjust the delicate balance between the throttle and fuel mixture).


In practice, the First Officer will actually take on the role of pilot (as in the recent crash at Heathrow) but the Captain remains in command.

Chris

(PS: If Clanad answers this question, he should be regarded as a reliable source because he's an airline pilot).

[heathfield]

Perhaps because most aircraft were developed in those countries where they drive on the right. Road vehicles are consequently left-hand drive, and so sitting on the left would provide some sense of familiarity to the pilot. Just a guess.

[peter1958]

Thank you - trust me to get it the wrong way round - but your answer makes sense

[sddsddean]

But just to confuse the issue, helicopter 'captains' do sit in the right seat. I believe this is because the collective and throttle controls are 'in' the left hand, so they are less likely to get fouled against the side of the fuselage, but surely the 2nd pilot would have this problem in the left seat? Strange isn't it?!

[Clanad]

Thanks for the recommendation, Chris (By the way, good to see you, long time!).
It's generally accepted that, as aviation developed over the years from its simplest beginnings, it carried with it many nautical traditions. Hence, airspeed is measured in knots, the naviagtion lights at night are red=left, green=right, etc. In sea going ships, the Captain is positioned on the left side and this is one reason why the Captain or pilot in command is on the left... pure tradition.
However, there were practical reasons as well. Again, in the early days, airplanes were required to pass each other (as today in visual conditions without air traffic control's input) with each on the others left. Since early navigation was visually accomplished by reference to landmarks, (Pilotage), this was most easily accomplished by viewing out the left side of the aircraft. Finally, due to a phenomena known as P-factor (having to do with the forces caused by the rotating propeller) most single engine aircraft turn more easily to the left than to the right. (The variable are those propellers that rotate in the opposite direction). Therefore, having the pilot on the left tended to make the aircraft easier to control. Additionally, in the first aircraft where it was thought safer to have more than one pilot, the co-pilot did not always have all the controls and/or instrumentation the pilot had. I've flown some fairly modern aircraft that only had wheel brakes on the left, none on the right. These were small, general aviation aircraft however.
Contd.

[Clanad]

Contd.

As to helicopters, my adage is "Don't trust an aircraft whose wings fly faster than its fuselage"... however my more adventurous friends that fly such machines tell me that the pilot's position has been dictated (again, by tradition) from Mr. Igor Sikorsky, inventor of the infernal machine (it doesn't fly, it simply beats the air into submission) preferred it that way, especailly for teaching new rotorcraft pilots...

[KARL]

I believe it is because the standard circuit pattern around any aerodrome is a rectangle where the aircraft enter and then orbit anti-clockwise. This means that you make left turns from each leg (sector/side) onto the next and also in the direction other turning aircraft might be coming from (i.e. particularly if they turn early). Sitting on the left means you have maximum available view from the cockpit toward the leg you are turning to. This applies under VFR (visual flight rules) but is irrelevant under IFR (instrument flight rules) or automated landing practice except that the left seat tends traditionally to have more instruments to hand.