why is the pitot tube on the left wing?

[Sunfish]

Why is the pitot tube on the left wing in Pipers and Cessnas?

As I was idly cutting a hole in the wing skin for the pitot tube mast, I wondered why Left?

Is it just to keep the plumbing length the shortest? Is there some obscure technical reason to do with Coriolis force or something? Is it tradition? Habit? A throw of the dice?

I suppose I will ponder this during the week of deburring to come:*

[rioncentu]

Less distance to walk/sneak when you realise you left it on???:=

Mind you this only applies to those of us smart enough to fly a plane which has a door for the pilot;)

[The Green Goblin]

Because you can see it from the left side of the aeroplane.

Ideally it would be mounted on the nose of the aeroplane, however on a single engine aeroplane the prop slipstream isn't ideal.

[The Green Goblin]

P.S Sunny, I hope you strengthen that firewall :cool:

[Oktas8]

Shortest plumbing and tradition.

Being seen by the pilot is not relevant - consider low wing aircraft, unseen pitot either side.

[Spode]

Another useful reason may be that if you sit on the left, as we do, then you will possibly yaw the plane to the right, to give yourself even more visibility. For example if I sideslip it's by yawing right, so I can still see. As a result the nose may disrupt airflow over the right wing. So put the pitot on the left.

However I don't think the nose sticks out far enough for it to be an issue.

It's probably, a tradition, or old charter or something.

[T28D]

T28 right wing F86 Right wing no real reason just where it is appropriate for the plumbing.

[Kharon]

Sunny old son, think about 'undisturbed' airflow, direction of engine rotation, then slip stream, no brainer really. http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/thumbs.gif

[The Green Goblin]

Shortest plumbing and tradition.

Being seen by the pilot is not relevant - consider low wing aircraft, unseen pitot either side.

Being seen by the Pilot is very relevant. Would you want to know if you've left the cover on? Or you have hit a bit and it's hanging off the wing?

Traditionally aeroplanes were high wing with a good view of it. Prior to the pitot tube they had venturi's on the left side of the fuselage.

On a low wing aeroplane such as a Bonanza etc I never had a problem spotting the Pitot from the hot seat.

[Brian Abraham]

Prior to the pitot tube they had venturi's on the left side of the fuselage.??????????

[T28D]

Brian, This was when aviation sucked

Prior to the pitot tube they had venturi's on the left side of the fuselage.

[The Green Goblin]

Funny thing is they appear to be on the right side?? I remember one that used to be in the charter game some time back. They were on the left side from memory.

Here is a venturi setup on an old Cessna :)

http://makingtimeforflying.********.com.au/2007/12/blast-from-past-venturi-driven-vacuum.html

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4853343657_4e09afb686.jpg

Okay after further investigation some appear to be on the right and some appear to be on the left.

[judge.oversteer]

GG.
Think it might be a Luscombe Silvair, eh?
JO.

[T28D]

Chrome plated, one of the up market models, throw your Brasso away

[Hasherucf]

Why do some cessna 206's have the static ports just behind the engine bay . It is not un-disturbed air and there is definitely a pressure drop once you start the engine . It does make it difficult to adjust the VSI.

[Lumps]

Nanchangs and Yaks have pitot tubes on the right wing, and engine turns opposite to cessna piper etc. an observation, pointing towards the undisturbed airflow hypothesis.

But - did the Griffon engined Spitfire have its pitot tube on a different side to the Merlin powered Spits?

[Brian Abraham]

Brian, This was when aviation sucked

Prior to the pitot tube they had venturi's on the left side of the fuselage. T28D, after 63 years associated with the industry I well know it sucks. Never the less, venturis were to run the gyros, not the IAS. Old Tigers had a pointer regulated by a spring located on a outboard strut giving the IAS.

[Ejector]

Less distance to walk/sneak when you realise you left it on???

Mind you this only applies to those of us smart enough to fly a plane which has a door for the pilot

Those dumb B737 and A320 pilots should learn from you !

[Wanderin_dave]

Nanchangs and Yaks have pitot tubes on the right wing, and engine turns opposite to cessna piper etc. an observation, pointing towards the undisturbed airflow hypothesis.*Pedant mode on* Actually while the Chang's is out to the right, the Yak 52's is on the left. God knows why as their grand-daddy the Yak 18 had it out to the left and the Chang pre-dates the 52.


But - did the Griffon engined Spitfire have its pitot tube on a different side to the Merlin powered Spits?
Both on the left.

It's not going to be engine rotation. It would take some MIGHTY side-slip angles to get the prop wash out near the wing-tips. I think it's just a convenience/internal plumbing thing.

And just to further muddy the waters:
Tiger Moth - Right
Chipmunk - Left

[TBM-Legend]

B-25 right wing.... Mirage and F-100 Super Sabre nose.....B-17 side of nose...Hudson under nose....

[Centaurus]

And just to further muddy the waters:
Tiger Moth - Right
Chipmunk - Left

Mustang right wing.
Wackett Bomber right wing. Wirraway right wing

[hurlingham]

Pilatus PC12 - one on left & one on the right.

[morno]

And just to confuse the issue even more, on the PC-12, the pilots pitot tube is on the right, the co-pilots pitot tube is on the left.

morno

[Arm out the window]

H model Iroquois on roof.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6240/6270018919_caf92e39c5_m.jpg

And watch out for obstructions on the pitot static system

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRbxphsj4cZ6c97JG2Iq8Z6DBS_hHTPPjSD3Ej_3Qa 4FZVLc_mN

[Fantome]

morno - did they learn you how many threads on the knurled flange bracket, too?

[aileron_69]

I think this goes along the same lines as why the fuel filler on your car is on the left or right side....cos the designer felt like putting it there :E

[Avitor]

Could the rotation of the propeller have a bearing on it?

[Arm out the window]

Could the rotation of the propeller have a bearing on it?

At least one, otherwise it would seize up.