History of Captain in left seat.

[Fizzer]

Can any light be shed on the reason the Captain sits in the left seat and the FO in the right and not vice versa? :confused:

[BOAC]

Apart from the fact that you get a better view of the scantily dressed girls coming aboard, and RHIP, I think it dates from Maritime procedures and certainly Rules of the Air (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1991/Uksi_19912437_en_2.htm) [17(4)] require the left-hand seat to monitor the avoidance.

[IRRenewal]

BOAC,

What came first, the P1 in the LHS or the rule you refer to?

[411A]

Apart from the fact that you get a better view of the scantily dressed girls coming aboard....
Depends on the aeroplane.
Some DC-3's and CV240's had the pax boarding door on the RHS, and a better view for the co-jock...whom may well be in a better position to actually do something about it, if you get my drift.:}:rolleyes:

[Lemper]

The rule came first, nd at that time the pilot was sitting in the middle, the gunner, mechanic, mail bag and passenger behind him. Logically, when a second pilot was needed, it had to be seated in fron too, hence on the right of the "first" pilot for avoidance rule purpose.

[Dualinput]

Captains sitting left is pretty much a historic thing. In olden days all airplanes were props which obviously had torque effect so turning them to the left was a tad bit easier. So left turns were more popular generally...since that time traffic/circuit patterns were to the left and pilots used to sit in left seats as they got better visual references of runway/terrain. Since then the tradition has I guess continued to have the captain in the left seat leaving the right seat for the FO.....
cheers,
google

[parabellum]

Before the days of GPS etc it was common for the pilot to have to map read and this would include following line features such as railways, canals, roads etc. Convention required that the aircraft following a line feature kept it on it's left, (port), side so that opposite direction traffic, following the same convention, would be avoided. When aircraft became two seats up front the 'pilot' sat on the left.

[squeaker]

So how come helicopters have it the other way round?
I think it is all done with smoke and mirrors..........

[cavortingcheetah]

:hmm:

Most captains are right handed and it is considerably easier to smack the first officer on the back of the head with the right palm.
As for the helicopterily talented, dyslexia springs to mind as a possible cause for seat placement.:p

[Pilot Pete]

No, no, no. It stems from Medieval times. Most Knights were right handed and hence wore their swords on the left, making it easier to draw their swords across their body and to fend off a foe (F/O) who was on their right. That's why the captain sits on the left............. Or is that why we drive on the left in the UK.....I can never remember which.:cool:

PP

[A Very Civil Pilot]

But didn't Napolean make all the pilots sit on the right? :) Not being an airbus pilot, I wouldn't know.

[Lemper]

One Effo came to me with this explanation: Captain sits on the left because it comes from Latin (or Italian, if you wish), where "left" is said "SINISTER" ("sinistra" in Italian), hence the sinister should be in the right position, which is left, and as "right" in latin is said "dexter" from which English has "dexterous" ("deft" or "skilful" in saxon) the Effo has to sit in the right seat..........
I will show this guy how sinister I am when I make him demonstrate his dexterity on an hand flown approach.......:cool:

[cavortingcheetah]

:hmm:
Thank goodness, finally some intelligent, erudite and well reasoned postings on Pprune!:)

[Fizzer]

Thanks for the humour, references and logic offered by responders. The right handed Captain was a beauty, best I look out for south paw FO's !!
Fizz

[springbok449]

Squeaker,

In a Helicopter the P1 sits on the right hand side so that he can see what the winch man is up to...

[BOAC]

Actually springbok, I think you'll find that seating pre-dates winches and was to counter the torque on the early helis.

[saffron]

for helis ; I understand it is to do with the position of the derrick on the stern of naval frigates/destroyers

[egsshell]

Scene: A shed somewhere near Kittyhawk.
Enter stage left two early aviators.

Orville: Now we have perfected The Flyer, what shall we do next?
Wilbur: I know, how about we both go up together.
Orville: Great idea. I'll need to fix another seat in. Where shall I put it.
Wilbur: Oh, put it on the right and just move the controls to the left side.
Orville: That should work fine. I'll get on with it right away.

[rsuggitt]

"No, no, no. It stems from Medieval times. Most Knights were right handed and hence wore their swords on the left"

No no, this is the explanation for why one gets on a horse rom the left side.

[Pilot Pete]

And actually why we drive on the left in the UK.;)

PP

[NutLoose]

not all do.....have nearly been taken out by one such scroat..............:ugh:

[OverTq]

Some helis have the captain's seat on the left, just to confuse things! (Bell47, Mil 8 etc)

[Lasiorhinus]

Americans invented hairyplanes, and built a lot. Still do, in fact.

Americans drive cars that put the driver on the left.

Americans built hairyplanes that put the driver on the left, the same as the car.

KISS Principle at work.

[undersiege]

To bad everything else the americans have done recently has not been "KEEPING IT SHORT SIMPLE!!!!!:ugh::E:}."

[On-MarkBob]

The reason the Pilot sits on the left is because of the 'Right Hand Traffic Rule'. An aircraft following a line of landmaks, such as a railway line, river or coastline shall "keep the landmaks on their Left Hand side". Thus the Commander of the aircraft can see the landmarks. In some older aircraft it was almost impossible to see much out of any side from the opposite seat, so this rule made sense in those days.

British ANO Rule 19 if my memory serves me correctly.