Taxying from the left side

[Joker's Wild]

Am looking for thoughts and opinions on the subject of whether ground taxying an aircraft single pilot from the left (non-flying) side, is a wise idea. Example aircraft might be A109, SK76.

[Grainger]

Better check the POH for each model concerned.

Certainly R22/R44 "solo flight from right seat only"

Why do you want to ?

[John Eacott]

Bit difficult when the LH seat hasn't any brake pedals...... <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

[leading edge]

John Eacott

You must be refering to the 109, because all of the S76s I have flown have brakes on the left side.

However, there was an incident when an S76 was accidentally lifted into a hover when the LHS pilot reached for the parking brake (which is not readily visible from the LHS) and raised the collective instead.

Having said that, if you are not looking what you are doing, it is probably just as easy to grab the wrong thing from the right seat as well since the parking brake is not very well placed.

With extreme caution, there is probably no more of a problem taxiing from the LHS than the RHS but I guess that individual companies will set their own rules.

LE

[John Eacott]

"You must be refering to the 109, because all of the S76s I have flown have brakes on the left side"

No, I was just making a general observation. IIRC, the Sea King didn't have left seat brake pedals either, nor the early Bristow Pumas (?), nor some 365's (maybe all, but someone more current could comment). S61, anyone remind me?

[leading edge]

John

The question referred to the 109 and the S76.

For information, Bristow S61s have brakes on the LHS, as do the S76s. The Puma 330J did not and the 332Ls initially delvered did not although some of the aircraft not in the initial batch and subsequently bought used may heve them.

LE

[elpirata]

in the scotia L puma fleet, ex brinteL do not have brakes on the left wheres the ex bond ones do

[Multp]

You will have guessed by now that LHS brake pedals are optional extras! (Except for, some strange reason, on the S61 variants.)
Good point about the Flight Manual. If you are on your own in the LHS just,say, ground positioning and ANYTHING 'orrible was to happen, the Insurance Company would probably want to wriggle very happily to avoid liability.

[Robbo Jock]

To repeat what Grainger said, why would you want to? If you're alone in the aircraft, surely you've the pick of the seats?
(And by the way, R22/R44 are a little difficult to ground taxi, from either seat! <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> )

[Joker's Wild]

Given that many wheeled helicopters operate two-crew with controls and wheel brakes on the left side, it follows that the chap in the right seat might elect to jump out and have the occupant in the left seat re-position the helicopter via ground taxi.

If there is nothing in the RFM prohibiting this from being done, is it still prudent? <img src="cool.gif" border="0">

[Steve76]

I see no problem with allowing the non-flying pilot to taxi from the LHS. I have taxied the aircraft countless times from the LHS completely incident free. The controls and the brakes still work the same and the view perfectly suitable. In fact my cojoe taxied around plenty today without problem.
The only concern is the inexperience (usually...not always) of the cojoe. If they are new to wheels they tend not to be as alert to the lean the aircraft can develop, and the potential for rolling. Additionally I have found some guys will taxi too fast for conditions, such as icing and snow.
As for the incident mentioned earlier with the 76 rolling over; I read the same report a couple of months ago on pprune and was amazed that it managed to occur at all.
The cojoe reached over to apply the park brake and yanked the collective on. This is bizarre due to the fact that the collective has a magnetic brake holding the control secure until a button is depressed on the handle of the collective. Its also strange that the cojoe mistook the collective for the park brake. Back to basics there.
Try this version of helicopter twister.....a fun game for all the crew.
Sit in the LHS. Depress the LHS collective trim release, push on the toe pedals and reach over to haul on the RHS collective. <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">