My first three aircraft had switches going in different directions..Trident opposite to VC10 and DC9 used windshield as datum with opposite switch direction depending on whether above or below windshield which led me into making an error which could have been fatal. Very heavy icing at night during high speed and turbulent descent ..skipper, hand flying, orders engine ant icing on which I thought I did but he had it on already (very dark cockpit, long day and one of those movements where you have to use your muscles to hit the right switch)..leaving the squall I went to turn it off…
******* so selected one on and waited to see if it didn’t fail before cycling the other done. P&W and well built.
WRT Crossair - they often flew a shortcut departure off 28 which ATC gave them when passing around 4’000ft iirc..which was a right turn instead of the left SID. Skipper ex Aeroflot crop sprayer with horizon that had a geared aeroplane symbol in the centre and indicated the opposite way to western horizons. ATC transmitted crossair confirm you are in the left turn which skipper obviously interpreted as he had mistakenly turned right early and rolled left from the left turn.