Solo on the right seat?
 

Hi there!!!

Just wondering if it is illegal to fly, by my self (solo), on the right?
I have no Instructor Rating.
Recently did some time building and, since what might come next,
could be fly on the right, I took the opportunity to try to get used
to fly on the right. First went up with a friend on the left but then
did may be 20hrs solo on the right. Someone at the airfield told
me that, since I don't have an Instructor Rating, this flying solo
on the right would be illegal.

Thanks for your inputs.

Regards,
Zerograv

It's perfectly legal to fly solo from the right seat (at least in the US). Nothing says you have to be in a specific seat.

But why would you want to?

Most light aircraft are more easily flown from the left seat because of the way the instrument panel is set up.

And if you are flying a Piper Warrior, for example, will you be able to reach the fuel tank selector from the right?

The principle reason the pilot sits on the left is to aid LOOKOUT and compliance with the Rules of the Air. Some aircraft are designed to be flown from the right, e.g. helicopters and Slingsby military trainers.

If you fly solo and use a seat other than that designed for solo flight, you may not be breaking the law but, if you have an accident, you leave yourself open to charges of endangering the aircraft and other people. Your insurers may forsake you for operating the aircraft in a manner not prescribed in the flight manual; so unless you have a compelling reason to fly it from the right, don't!

Gday Zerograv

I can only quote oz rules, you may fly from either seat (without a instructor rating) provided you can reach all the controls, that would preclude piper types because of the fuel selector. In saying that you should check the opps manual of the organization from which you are hiring the aircraft, it may state that flying solo you must use the command seat.

Cheers Q

The aircraft flight manual will specify the minimum crew and where they must sit, if applicable.

Gday DB6

That is the case if there is a CofG consideration eg tandem seating, but I don’t remember seeing anything in the light single cessbucket POH’s.

Cheers Q

I can reach the fuel selector of a PA-28 from the right! Obviosuly as an instructor I ask the student, unless flying with an especially pretty girl :E

It is certainly not illegal to do so in the UK. While burning off hours for pre-course requirements of my FI(R) I asked my instructor / head of training if I could fly from the right (with a qualified CPL pax, as it happened, for practice in preparation for the FI course) and he said it was perfectly alright, and that was on the company insurance.

Hi everyone!!!

Sorry for taking ages to thank all of you for sharing your
views on the issue. Have been without access to internet.

As for flying solo on the right .... I WON'T do it again!:O

Regards,
Zerograv

If the POH doesn't specify where you must sit then you can sit where you like if it's a control seat & you can reach all the controls eg Victa Airtourer specifies L. seat for solo ops, neither Piper nor Cessna do.

Strongly suggest an hour or two with someone before doing it on your own.