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alternate locations for the throttle quadrant?
- Thread starter DAS
- Start date
D-Dubya
Well Known Member
Have seen several people with concerns over the same thing, especially when they were used to a specific configuration. Turns out to be a non-event, as you most likely won't even think about it after a minute or two. To paraphrase Eric Cartman, "You can do what you wannnnt!"
It is all about adapting.
A lot of pilots learned to fly in airplanes where the throttle was in their right hand. They have to adapt when getting into an RV-8, 4, or 3.
It is no different going the other direction.
Once adapted it seems second nature jumping between a 7 and 8.
There is lots of discussions in the forums you can search for.....
A lot of pilots learned to fly in airplanes where the throttle was in their right hand. They have to adapt when getting into an RV-8, 4, or 3.
It is no different going the other direction.
Once adapted it seems second nature jumping between a 7 and 8.
There is lots of discussions in the forums you can search for.....
flyboy1963
Well Known Member
easy to try
sit in the right seat of almost any side by side....see if your left hand is smart enough to run the throttle, flaps etc.
flight instructors have to do this every day!
personally I learned in the right seat, then trained in the left, then....etc. etc.
perhaps my right hand/arm muscle coordination is slightly better, and I blame that whenever I make a less than stellar landing!....with my left on the stick.
as others have said, I think it can be learned more quickly than you think....drive a motorcycle, then a tiny car with automatic, then a 5 ton truck with a standard. Totally different, yet we adapt in seconds.
sit in the right seat of almost any side by side....see if your left hand is smart enough to run the throttle, flaps etc.
flight instructors have to do this every day!
personally I learned in the right seat, then trained in the left, then....etc. etc.
perhaps my right hand/arm muscle coordination is slightly better, and I blame that whenever I make a less than stellar landing!....with my left on the stick.
as others have said, I think it can be learned more quickly than you think....drive a motorcycle, then a tiny car with automatic, then a 5 ton truck with a standard. Totally different, yet we adapt in seconds.
Charles in SC
Well Known Member
When I was getting my CFI that was the first thing I had to get used to. It was a not a problem and took maybe a hour. After that you never even think about it. The only thing is that it might be hard to get a CFI to fly with you in your plane if the only throttle is on the left. I have given dual in a Bonanza with a throw over yolk, but only when the pilot was qualified and current.
trischbieter
Member
left side throttle quadrant
I trained in a C150 then purchased a RV-7A with the throttle/mixture on the left. Took my only a few flights to get used to it. Probably took more training for the right hand to fly then the left hand to operate throttle as I was taught to not use both hands on the yoke of the C150.
I trained in a C150 then purchased a RV-7A with the throttle/mixture on the left. Took my only a few flights to get used to it. Probably took more training for the right hand to fly then the left hand to operate throttle as I was taught to not use both hands on the yoke of the C150.
scsmith
Well Known Member
left hand on yoke, right hand on stick
I've flown plenty of spam-cans with yokes from the left seat, and my left hand is happy enough with that. Even tail-wheel airplanes with yokes, like the C-180.
But my right hand has 35 years of muscle memory using a center stick.
Sure, I can fly around with my left hand on the stick, straight, make a few turns.
But, a strong gusty cross-wind landing in a tail-wheel airplane? I wouldn't even try it left handed. I'm just sure I'd screw it up. I don't even know how to begin to adapt-
Sure, like I said, I can go fly around, do some turns, maybe a stall, even an aileron roll left handed. But it just doesn't feel like that prepares me to have the finesse required to land a tailwheel airplane.
I've just resigned myself, if I ever build a side-by-side stick airplane, I will fly from the right seat.
I've flown plenty of spam-cans with yokes from the left seat, and my left hand is happy enough with that. Even tail-wheel airplanes with yokes, like the C-180.
But my right hand has 35 years of muscle memory using a center stick.
Sure, I can fly around with my left hand on the stick, straight, make a few turns.
But, a strong gusty cross-wind landing in a tail-wheel airplane? I wouldn't even try it left handed. I'm just sure I'd screw it up. I don't even know how to begin to adapt-
Sure, like I said, I can go fly around, do some turns, maybe a stall, even an aileron roll left handed. But it just doesn't feel like that prepares me to have the finesse required to land a tailwheel airplane.
I've just resigned myself, if I ever build a side-by-side stick airplane, I will fly from the right seat.
I recieved this advice a few years ago and now that I'm flying, it makes sence so me. Glad I followed the advice.
If you're right handed, the stick is for the left hand. Right hand is for everything else including tuning radios, jotting notes on my mini kneeboard, and anything else that requires more dexterity. In other words, there's a lot to do for the right hand. The left hand spends most of it's time just holding the stick steady.
btw, I fly with a throttle quadrant. Really glad I did that too.
Bevan
If you're right handed, the stick is for the left hand. Right hand is for everything else including tuning radios, jotting notes on my mini kneeboard, and anything else that requires more dexterity. In other words, there's a lot to do for the right hand. The left hand spends most of it's time just holding the stick steady.
btw, I fly with a throttle quadrant. Really glad I did that too.
Bevan
I mostly spend my time on VAF reading and being amazed at the vast amount of incredible knowledge here, but having been through this problem recently myself I feel I might be able to make some useful comment on the issue. I am extremely right handed. My left hand is for opening jars and carrying bags, and that's pretty much it. It doesn't get a lot of use in anything requiring precision.
I got my start in flying as a kid with flight simulators, and have been involved with them my entire life since then, so I probably have something like 25000 hours of stick time on them, and all of that was with a fighter-style joystick and throttle quadrant setup, with the stick in the right hand and throttle in the left. Sims by their very nature are all hypersensitive, just like RVs, so it's good training. In the real flying world I came from a few hundred hours of 172 time, until I purchased my first airplane, an RV-7A.
Flying a 172 with my left hand is no issue as the control movements are very large and often require quite a bit of muscle, but transitioning into flying the the RV7 with the stick in the left hand, and making movements of only a few millimeters at most, I had nothing but problems. I was finally able to reach a point where I felt I could fly safely, even in crosswinds, with my left hand, but even after 40 hours or so I just wasn't happy with it. I had to actually *think* about every single move I made with the stick, whereas with my right hand everything was muscle memory, instinctual and smooth.
Someone here on VAF described it best: "If you're right handed can you brush your teeth with your left hand? Sure. Can you be effective at it? Sure. Will you ever be as good at it as you are with your right hand? No."
After reading that I made my decision to move to the right seat. I ripped the highly left seat-centric panel out (all instruments were on the left), completely redid it, taking the opportunity to remove and replace some old hardware, and installed right side brake pedals. To preserve the airplane's resale value I strove to keep the panel as ambidextrous as possible, by placing everything of importance in the centre, and it's now perfectly flyable from either seat as pilot in command. I've included a pic of the layout.
http://www.lotussim.com/preview/images/FZMR-2014-6.jpg
Within two hours of flying right seat and right hand stick my landings improved five fold over what I was able to accomplish with the left. Everything was instantly smoother and every manoeuvre felt precise and great. This was the experience I was sorely missing, and I adore the airplane now. I now have about 100 hours in this configuration and I'm never going back. If I ever buy another RV I'll be doing this procedure all over again I'm sure. Maybe one day I will have the time to build one!
Don't worry about getting used to the sight picture change from flying right seat either. I got used to it in about 2 or 3 flights. I was recently flying left seat in a Marchetti SF260, and now left seat actually feels a little strange to me, hehe, but still good. Anyway, it's an easy transition. Instructors do it all the time.
As for left hand duties I have no problem using the dynons or radios with my left, even in heavy turbulence, as these are still simple single axis coarse finger movements, unlike the stick, despite the tiny buttons and knobs. As for writing notes I just put the stick in my left hand for those moments. That hand is smart enough to hold a level flight attitude at least.
The only inconveniences of the right seat are not being able to see the elevator trim tab position easily during the preflight check, so I just sit on top of the seat to view that, and I have to reach across any passengers to operate the tip up canopy lock, but they never seem to mind.
Apologies for the slightly long winded post!
Cheers.
-Mike
I got my start in flying as a kid with flight simulators, and have been involved with them my entire life since then, so I probably have something like 25000 hours of stick time on them, and all of that was with a fighter-style joystick and throttle quadrant setup, with the stick in the right hand and throttle in the left. Sims by their very nature are all hypersensitive, just like RVs, so it's good training. In the real flying world I came from a few hundred hours of 172 time, until I purchased my first airplane, an RV-7A.
Flying a 172 with my left hand is no issue as the control movements are very large and often require quite a bit of muscle, but transitioning into flying the the RV7 with the stick in the left hand, and making movements of only a few millimeters at most, I had nothing but problems. I was finally able to reach a point where I felt I could fly safely, even in crosswinds, with my left hand, but even after 40 hours or so I just wasn't happy with it. I had to actually *think* about every single move I made with the stick, whereas with my right hand everything was muscle memory, instinctual and smooth.
Someone here on VAF described it best: "If you're right handed can you brush your teeth with your left hand? Sure. Can you be effective at it? Sure. Will you ever be as good at it as you are with your right hand? No."
After reading that I made my decision to move to the right seat. I ripped the highly left seat-centric panel out (all instruments were on the left), completely redid it, taking the opportunity to remove and replace some old hardware, and installed right side brake pedals. To preserve the airplane's resale value I strove to keep the panel as ambidextrous as possible, by placing everything of importance in the centre, and it's now perfectly flyable from either seat as pilot in command. I've included a pic of the layout.
http://www.lotussim.com/preview/images/FZMR-2014-6.jpg
Within two hours of flying right seat and right hand stick my landings improved five fold over what I was able to accomplish with the left. Everything was instantly smoother and every manoeuvre felt precise and great. This was the experience I was sorely missing, and I adore the airplane now. I now have about 100 hours in this configuration and I'm never going back. If I ever buy another RV I'll be doing this procedure all over again I'm sure. Maybe one day I will have the time to build one!
Don't worry about getting used to the sight picture change from flying right seat either. I got used to it in about 2 or 3 flights. I was recently flying left seat in a Marchetti SF260, and now left seat actually feels a little strange to me, hehe, but still good. Anyway, it's an easy transition. Instructors do it all the time.
As for left hand duties I have no problem using the dynons or radios with my left, even in heavy turbulence, as these are still simple single axis coarse finger movements, unlike the stick, despite the tiny buttons and knobs. As for writing notes I just put the stick in my left hand for those moments. That hand is smart enough to hold a level flight attitude at least.
The only inconveniences of the right seat are not being able to see the elevator trim tab position easily during the preflight check, so I just sit on top of the seat to view that, and I have to reach across any passengers to operate the tip up canopy lock, but they never seem to mind.
Apologies for the slightly long winded post!
Cheers.
-Mike
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Here's one set up that might interest you.
http://www.classicaerodesigns.com/web/images/423-lrg.jpg
Good luck!
http://www.classicaerodesigns.com/web/images/423-lrg.jpg
Good luck!
