Germany on the other hand has a legal (AIP being used as a legal basis) requirement for the PIC to seat in the left-hand seat
I wonder how they deal with flight instruction where the student is not legally capable of being PIC in the airspace in question?
My initial reaction was "WTF???" But it's true. From the German AIP, ENR 1.1 Section I Para 2:
(1) The provisions of the Aviation Regulation (LuftVO) concerning
the rights and duties of the pilot shall apply to the pilot-in-command,
irrespective of whether he is operating the aircraft himself or
not.
(2) Aircraft shall be operated by the pilot-in-command during flight
and on the ground. He shall take the seat of the pilot-in-command
except during training, familiarisation and test flights or, in the case
of paragraph 3, if the operator has decided differently.
(3) If several pilots entitled to operate the aircraft are on board, one
pilot shall be appointed as pilot-in-command. The appointment
shall be made by the operator or his legal representative or, in the
case of a legal person, by the authorised agent. On a par with persons
in charge according to sentence 2 are those entrusted with
the management or supervision of the other person's company or
those explicitly entrusted by the latter to make the appointment
according to sentence 1 at their own responsibility.
(4) If, contrary to the provision of paragraph 3 no appointment has
been made, the person operating the aircraft from the seat of the
pilot-in-command shall be responsible. If the seat of the pilot-incommand
is not specifically designated in the flight manual or in
the operating instructions of the aircraft, the following seats shall
be regarded as the seat of the pilot-in-command:
1. the left-hand seat for aeroplanes, powered gliders and gliders
with a side-by-side seat configuration,
2. the seat to be occupied during a solo flight for aeroplanes,
powered gliders and gliders with a tandem seat configuration,
3. the right-hand seat for rotorcraft.
[My bold]
A whole new meaning to the word "Gründlichkeit" as far as I'm concerned.
Anyway, sorry for the thread drift. Back to the topic now.