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Right or Left-Handed Panel?

vomatic

Active Member
I came across a pretty old post about panel layout. The topic came up about putting your radios/nav/AP on the left or right side of the glass display.

Ironflight offered (keep me honest Paul) that the NASA folks did some usability testing and for a right-handed pilot, the stack should go on the right side so input could be made with right hand while the plane was (briefly) flown with the left. Much like we all did in the Cessna and Piper days. Take-off, landings and most flying would be done with the right hand.

My question is, how did you choose to lay out your panel? If you're right- handed, did you put the stack on the right or left? If it is on the left, do you have any issues operating the stack with your left hand? Is Paul's team right about putting the stack on the right side? Is everything easier to operate that way?

I need to make this decision in the next 60 days. Thanks everyone.
 
A simple opinion worth nothing; don’t overthink it. We’ve all flown many types of configurations and flying is a two handed endeavor no matter what. There are other variables that will affect you layout that will probably be a surprise; lots of stuff fighting for limited space. Consider your mission and then maybe your stick grip selection/button functionality as a start. Decide your balance/compromise between functionality and aesthetics (s3x appeal). Enjoy this part of the journey. Best of luck.
 
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I came across a pretty old post about panel layout. The topic came up about putting your radios/nav/AP on the left or right side of the glass display.

Ironflight offered (keep me honest Paul) that the NASA folks did some usability testing and for a right-handed pilot, the stack should go on the right side so input could be made with right hand while the plane was (briefly) flown with the left. Much like we all did in the Cessna and Piper days. Take-off, landings and most flying would be done with the right hand.

My question is, how did you choose to lay out your panel? If you're right- handed, did you put the stack on the right or left? If it is on the left, do you have any issues operating the stack with your left hand? Is Paul's team right about putting the stack on the right side? Is everything easier to operate that way?

I need to make this decision in the next 60 days. Thanks everyone.

I'm right handed, radio/transponder on the left, GRT EFIS in the middle, ipad/FF on the right.

The RV-8 panel is so small that you can touch all of it with either hand at any time. That said, I tune the radio/transponder with my left hand usually, since it doesn't require a lot of fine control. The ipad usually gets my right thumb using the other fingers to stabilize where my thumb touches. EFIS - I use whichever hand is free when on autopilot, or left if hand flying.

I sometimes take the stick with my left hand when I need the right hand for things, or just tap on the autopilot.

I personally spent way too much time overthinking the left-right aspect of the panel.
 
Perhaps I'm odd.

I am right handed but when flying left seat I always use left hand on the stick. Also, when I fly pipenas I use only the left hand on the yoke.

I've never flown my RV from the right seat. I should try that. But I think I would then use my right hand for the stick. Again, similar to my pipena past.
 
You’ve been researching a long way back! ;)

Yes, generally speaking you have better fine motor control with your dominant hand, and that is preferred for complex fine control tasks. Tuning a radio is easy with either hand. Typing in a bunch of identifiers for an IFR route - goes better and quicker with the dominant hand. Of course, most pilots can fly just fine with either hand, so switching hands on the stick doesn’t make a big difference - and yes, I fly tandems with my right hand, and fly left deft in side-by-sides with my left hand. Yokes, center sticks, side sticks, between the seats - doesn’t seem to make much difference. I really can’t take my hand off the side stick in the little jet for more than a few seconds, so I tend to work the EFIS and radio in that with my left - its more cumbersome, but it works.

And right-seaters in airline cockpits have been tuning things with their left hands since before Ernie Gann’s day.

Truth is - pretty much all layouts work, and arguing about it with someone who has their mind set doesn’t do any good. I long ago stopped trying to convince folks about it either way. If you are looking for an objective answer, do the fine work with the dominant hand.

Then there is the continuing arguments we used to have. As I recall, the Air Force test pilots liked the radios on one side, the Navy guys on the other. And the Army pilots were adamant that the radio should be placed underneath the wicker seat, where God and Orville intended……. ;)

Paul
 
I was thinking about this when planning the panel. But I realize that I am right handed but the rental airplanes all have the traditional yokes and I fly left handed, controlling all the radio and nav right handed. When I jumped into another rental with a different cockpit setup, my brain took a few minutes to adjust and there was nothing to it. Either way, after sitting in front of my to be completed panel today, I realize it doesn't matter much. The only thing I did regarding the placement was to put the ignition key on the right hand side so that I could manipulate the throttle/mixture on the left while turning the key on the right. But if you have the push-button type ignition then this issue goes away.

Good luck on your build.
 
Your question implies a traditional radio stack, but assuming you’re planning to use one of the latest EFIS systems things are a bit different. With my Dynon Skyview system I can control the radio, transponder, autopilot and nav functions from the touchscreen in addition to using the moving map and charts. I laid out the panel so that the left side of the 10 inch Dynon, where I like the PFD, is roughly in the center right in front of me, which moved the Map, radio, transponder etc side to the right to a more natural position for me since I'm right handed.

With the main panel shifted to the right, there was no room to the right of it for the Avidyne IFD440 so I placed that on the left side where it's a little less convenient. I can reach it with either hand but its more cumbersome to use with my left hand. I can fly with my left hand or let the autopilot fly while using my right hand for the 440. I haven't tried it yet, but I can also use the Avidyne app on my iPad to control the 440. The iPad can be on my Kneeboard or on its mount on the right hand side above the lower switch panel, so I can control it with my right hand.

I also have a Skyview Radio panel and a Garmin Audio panel on the left side. Both can be worked with my right hand, but as mentioned above the Skyview radio can also be controlled from the main touchscreen and the audio panel isn't used often, mostly just an occasional button press to change radios or a knob turn to change volume. Both can easily be done with my left hand.

On the right side of the panel, I placed the two controls that I expect to use a lot, the Skyview knob panel (which changes the selected altitude, baro and heading) and the autopilot panel. When cruising along with the autopilot on I expect those to be my main interfaces with the system in addition to the main Skyview screen, and they've very convenient to my right hand.

My airplane has only been flying for a month so I don’t have much experience with the layout but so far it seems to work.
 

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GTN-650 on the left, high. Easy to see and manipulate with the left hand (I’m right handed). Dynon knob panel (most manipulated module on the panel) is low and left (left hand falls on it, after a few flights the knobs are known by feel). Audio panel the least used of all, so it gets a low spot with limited visibility. Autopilot and Comm #2 mounted for right hand use. Once the autopilot is engaged the right hand is free to operate if needed. Comm #2 tends to not need much attention.

Carl
FE7-C979-A-3-B2-E-4563-AF4-B-913-AC20-B97-E8.jpg
 
Left side then center for anything you’ll use often in flight(VHF1, Hdg/Alt knobs). Comm panel and maybe 2nd VHF on right if needed. If flying form you don’t want to be swapping hands to change freqs. If you don’t fly form you should. It’s fun! Just my biased opinion having flown T-38s and F-16s as far as centerline cockpits go. Recommend GPS at the top of the stack so you can use the top edge as a hand hold in turbulence while typing with your thumb.
 
My question is, how did you choose to lay out your panel? If you're right- handed, did you put the stack on the right or left?

Good questions. I think left/right handed is one factor in panel layout but not the most important. Critical safety functions and normal flight operations switches and buttons need to be logical arranged and in easy reach when strapped in tightly. Required displays need to be within easy and logical visual scan. Like others have said, we are all probably pretty good using either hand to fly or to tune the radio. We all, except some odd countries, tune our radio (and some do text messaging) in our cars/trucks every day while driving with left hand just seconds from potential disaster. We all also spend hours on a computer typing with left hand while “flying” our mouse with our right hand.
Worry about logical layout first. We all should remember the John Denver crash where the fuel selector and gage were behind him out of sight and unreachable in flight. An extreme example put easily illustrates what is most important.
 
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