Left or Right?

[Killroy]

Recently I was talking to a gentleman who has been a captain in commercial shipping and he told me on a ship's bridge the captain is standing/sitting on the righthand side.
When I told him my place on the flightdeck is in the left-hand seat he (and I) wondered why this is the case.I couldn't think of a reason why the captain sits left, especially as so many things in aviation are related to boats.

Any thoughts anyone?

Thanks in advance.

[parabellum]

It was once convention that when following a line feature, such as a road, railway, canal etc. that the pilot keep the feature on his left, by so doing should another aircraft coming in the opposite direction be following the same feature they would avoid a 'head on'. When, eventually, some aircraft had side by side seats at the front then the captain sat on the left so that, if necessary, he could see the line feature.

[Kelly Hopper]

Convention in helicopters puts the P1 on the right. Reason being that he can use his left hand for freq. changes etc. without having to swop hands.
Then a couple (hughes and enstrom) decided that he should sit on the left and build their machines this way.
Overtaking on the right is another reason to be left seated but ships also overtake on the right so that doesn't figure.
Single seat jets have throttle on the left, (as per sitting on the right) so your guess is as good as mine! :confused:

[dixi188]

As most people are right handed, I think the captain sits on the left so he can use his strong right to hit the F/O if he touches anything;)
Happy flying.

[MacBoero]

One factor in shipping may be that captains are only at the helm for limited time (albeit important moments), and typically have a helmsman or two to count on. The captain would take the helm going into and out of port. His helmsman would be steering at most other times, and seeing as ships pass port-side to port-side, it would make sense that the helmsman is on the left.

[GusHoneybun]

as aircraft doors are on the left, i believe that the skipper sits on the left to have a good oggle at any of the totty getting on board.

[Brian Abraham]

parabellum has it I think. Don't have the time to research it right now but seem to recall the convention of what side of the road/railway to fly was set following a mid air (head on) of two airliners on the London - Paris route in the 1920s.

[charter man]

But why are the doors on the left side?

[LarryDCableGuy]

The doors are on the left side so the passengers can wave at the Captain when embarking/disembarking. :ok:

[Just a spotter]

But why are the doors on the left side?As far as I can tell, this is a hang over from nautical days.

Long ago ... ships used to have their "steer board" (a long oar like device used as a rudder) on the right of the vessel which meant they docked on their left side to avoid damaging the rudder. Over time, the name steer board, shortened to sterboard then Starboard. The other side of the vessel was the porting or docking side, shortended to Port side.

Now, why the boards where put on that side, or why we endedup with green and red markers ...

JAS

[charter man]

That is the best bit of trivia I have heard for a long time - well done JAS:D I remember from my sailing days that if you see the green (starboard) light of another vessel then you are safe to continue on course, if you can see the red (port) light then you must change course to avoid a collision, so literally green= safe to continue red=danger, steer away.
Just doing a quick bit of research, the "Steer Board" was on the right because it was physically quite a demanding job and as most people are right handed.....
Enough of all this - back to work everyone

[Der absolute Hammer]

During the American War of Independence from those fiendish colonial expansionist and sadistic (Banastre Tarleton) British people, most of the American recruits were farm boys.
Not being used to drilling and completely unable to tell their left from their right, the drill serjeants tied a bundle of hay on the left shoe and a bundle of straw on the right.
Marching then became??????

Oh ja! JAS is correct I think too.

[Brian Abraham]

But why are the doors on the left side?
Not all were. Some airlines had the DC-3 (and maybe other types) with the door on the right.

[charter man]

The exception proves the rule methinks :hmm:

[A Very Civil Pilot]

The other side of the vessel was the porting or docking side, shortended to Port side.

Originally it was larboard. Port was not adopted by the Royal Navy until 1844.

[dixi188]

DH 106 Comet only had a RH door at the front. Don't know why though.

[Siguarda al fine]

One factor in shipping may be that captains are only at the helm for limited time (albeit important moments), and typically have a helmsman or two to count on. The captain would take the helm going into and out of port. His helmsman would be steering at most other times, and seeing as ships pass port-side to port-side, it would make sense that the helmsman is on the left.

What A laugh. I was 5 years Merchant Marine and never ever, and never will see a master at the helm. He and the Pilot are normaly on the wing of the bridge checking progress. Steering a ship is easy, giving commands to a helmsman is not, and is left to the Pilot or Master

[seejonfly]

Funny how these things evolve over time. Unfortunately, no one ever keeps track of this stuff and eventually no one knows anymore.

Hope all are enjoying life,

Jon

[parabellum]

and eventually no one knows anymore.



Actually I think you will find what I posted at post #2 is as close as you will get to the facts.

Interesting to note that when this same question came up on PPRuNe some twelve years ago the decision then was more or less unanimous, it was derived from following line features, now a whole bunch of unrelated ideas crop up.:confused:

[Mike744]

The captain would take the helm going into and out of port. His helmsman would be steering at most other times, and seeing as ships pass port-side to port-side, it would make sense that the helmsman is on the left.This may happen on smaller craft but a ships captain and the pilot will be present on the bridge when leaving port. The helmsman will be acting under the pilots commands until the pilot disembarks, then generally the bridge watchkeeper and helmsman may continue until clear of traffic when the autopilot may be selected. In deep sea transit the autopilot usually manages the helm unless heavy traffic or heavy weather dictates the use of a helmsman. From my experiences (23 years at sea) the captains chair on the bridge is normally situated more towards the port side of centre.

[NorthRider]

It´s because if the FO is green the captain will start to turn red:}

I allso waguely remember that in the passage of the Bible where Jonah gets eaten by the wale, that the animal has one eye red one green...But I not often read the book. And if I am wrong I mean no disrespect to anybody.

[Fark'n'ell]

Northrider

I allso waguely remember that in the passage of the Bible where Jonah gets eaten by the wale, that the animal has one eye red one green...But I not often read the book. And if I am wrong I mean no disrespect to anybody.

I believe you are speaking of the Orca.Wonderfull animals, really friendly too.So much for the bible.

[Kelly Hopper]

Can I diversify?
Are there more left hand drive cars on the roads of the world or right hand drive?
I know the correct answer but just want to see opinions!

[Brian Abraham]

An answer re the first airliner midair 7 April 1922, and why fly on the right of track. And you think SLOP is new!!!!

1922 | 0215 | Flight Archive (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1922/1922%20-%200215.html)

LONDON-PARIS MACHINES COLLIDE
On Friday of last week an extremely regrettable and most unusual accident marred the running of the London Continental Air Service, which has hitherto been remarkably free from serious disasters. It is an accident, also, all the more unfortunate in that it involved the recently inaugurated Daimler Hire Service. A Goliath belonging to Grands Express—F-GEAD—piloted by M. Mire and carrying a mechanic and three passengers had left Le Bourget at 12.6 p.m. for Croydon. The weather was very misty and visibility bad, and when flying over Thieuloy, near Grandvilliers, at a height of only a few hundred feet, a D.H. 18, from Croydon—G-EAWO—of the Daimler Service, piloted by R. E. Duke and carrying a boy steward and mails, suddenly loomed out of the mist. Before either pilot could turn, the machines collided, and then crashed to earth in flames. The D.H. 18, it is stated, had its wing and tail broken off by the impact and fell immediately, whilst the Goliath swooped to earth a little further off. Assistance was at once rushed to the wrecked machines, but with the exception of the boy steward —Hesterman—who was terribly injured, all were found to be dead. The boy was taken immediately to the village, but died from his injuries some time later.

R. E. Duke was a well-known pilot of the Continental services, and had a distinguished war record in the R.A.F. He was formerly, before joining the Daimler service, with the Aircraft Transport and Travel Co. and the Royal Dutch Aviation Co. M. Mire, the French pilot, was also well known as a Continental Air Service pilot, and had been flying for Grands Express for over a year.

The following message of condolence has been sent by the Secretary of State for Air to M. Laurent Eynac, French Under-Secretary of State for Air, and to the Chairman of Daimler Hire, Ltd. :—

In my own name and that of the Air Council I offer you my deep sympathy on the fatal air collision which occurred yesterday, the only accident of this kind in the history of air transport between Great Britain and France.
(Signed) FREDERICK GUEST,
Secretary of State for Air.

Wiki entry
First mid-air collision of airliners - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_midair_collision_of_airliners)

Flight - Airline Industry news, aviation jobs & airline recruitment (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1924/1924%20%200350.html)

NOTICE TO AIRMEN
Rules for Flight over Air Routes.
It is notified :
1. In order to give general application to the rules designed to minimise the risk of collision, which have hitherto only applied to aircraft flying over an officially recognised air route, the following rules have been agreed on by the British, Belgian and Dutch Governments :—
(a) The normal procedure in order to reduce the risk of collision to the minimum consists in flying in a straight line, steering by the compass and carefully watching the air space in the region ahead of the aircraft. Every pilot, when flying on a compass course, shall, whenever it is safe and practicable, fly on the right of the straight line joining the point of departure to the point of arrival.
(b) When an aircraft is flying beneath cloud, it must keep at a fair distance below the cloud base in order to see and be seen.
(c) When a pilot decides to follow a route which is officially recognised or consists of a line of ground marks such as a road, railway, canal, river, etc., he should bear in mind that the risk of collision with another aircraft following the same route is considerable. Every pilot following such a route, therefore, shall endeavour to keep it at least 300 metres on his left.
(d) Every pilot who decides to cross any route he is following shall cross it at right angles and as high as circumstances permit. Should he desire, after crossing it, to resume flight in a direction parallel to the route, but keeping it on his right, he must keep sufficiently far from it to avoid aircraft following it in the normal way.
N.B.—These regulations shall in no way relieve pilots from the necessity of conforming to the regulations set forth in Annex D of the International Air Convention of October 13, 1919.
2. Pilots are not obliged by the above rules to follow an officially recognised air route, where such exists. " Point of arrival " and "point of departure" in rule (a) include all turning points on routes which are normally not flown on one straight course. The straight line referred to is that joining the extremities of each section of the route which is flown on one course.
3. Certain portions of the following routes have been officially recognised by the authorities concerned :—
London—Paris
London—Brussels
Paris—Brussels
London—Rotterdam
Amsterdam—Berlin
Rotterdam—Berlin
Rotterdam—Brussels.
4. Instances have recently occurred in which pilots have been careless in the observance of the rules which have been expressly designed for the general safety of all aircraft.
5. The importance of rigidly adhering to these regulations cannot be too strongly accentuated, and all pilots are invited to report at once to the Secretary, Air Ministry (D.C.A.), any infringements which may come to their notice.

[parabellum]

Thanks for that Brian, I knew I hadn't dreamed it!;)