Airplanes with joysticks on the side
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Airplanes with joysticks on the side
Hello!
I've always wondered if the captain ever lands airbuses because they have the steering stick on their left-hand side. Wouldn't this be very uncomfortable for a good while unless lefthanded? or does the F/O land the machines if he's right handed?
/özcan
I've always wondered if the captain ever lands airbuses because they have the steering stick on their left-hand side. Wouldn't this be very uncomfortable for a good while unless lefthanded? or does the F/O land the machines if he's right handed?
/özcan
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I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume this is a serious question. Most flying training is conducted with the student in the left seat, using the left hand to fly the aircraft and the right to control the throttles. Flying the airbus from the left hand seat is no different to flying any other aircraft from the left hand seat.
And it's called a sidestick, NOT a joystick!
And it's called a sidestick, NOT a joystick!
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ok thanks for the reply!
still seems a little bit strange to fly with your left hand it must be a little tricky to learn but i just found out that the airbus-planes with the sidesticks have got different "steering aids" such as maintaining banks and such so it shouldn't be too hard after all
thanks for the reply
still seems a little bit strange to fly with your left hand it must be a little tricky to learn but i just found out that the airbus-planes with the sidesticks have got different "steering aids" such as maintaining banks and such so it shouldn't be too hard after all
thanks for the reply
I'm guessing you've never flown a plane before. But I can tell you that for me it feels more natural flying with my left hand. Yes I am right handed, but as said above when learning to fly you sit in the left seat and use the left hand on the yoke, right on the throttle.
In a plane with a yoke how do you think a right handed captain uses the throttles with your theory on right handed people using the right hand to fly the plane?
Jamo
In a plane with a yoke how do you think a right handed captain uses the throttles with your theory on right handed people using the right hand to fly the plane?
Jamo
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i'm currently flying the pa-28 and i can turn and stuff without a problem with the left hand while adjusting the throttle but i prefer using both hands on the yoke when going straight and level but what i heard the system will do that for you even when the "real" autopilots are disengaged as long as you point the plane in the right direction
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ummm the modern airbus series' (the A320 family as well as the A330/340 and A380) have control law's, your mistaken if you think the plane without the automatics enaged can still fly itself. The sidestick is not a conventional control system in theory, as the sidestick is used to command a 'g' load. Allowing the stick to return to neutral commands no G loading, allowing the aircraft to maintain its current pitch and roll, NOT straight and level as you suggest. Of course the controls act the same as a Boeing, in the sense that moving the stick left will make the airbus roll left, but to stop the roll, from what I understand, you just need to neutralise the controls, and the aircraft autotrims to maintain the pitch and roll. Also since the airbuse controls your throttles, you dont have to worry about the power either 
The whole system allows the pilot to use the aircraft to its maximum potential, and won't let you past the flight envelope. I Agree with Jamo that the sidestick being on the left shouldn't present a problem to any Captain. It would be bold to say it would be more un-natural to control the aircraft from the F/O's side as all students are taught to fly from the LHS 
Unless you know of some career First Officer courses? lol
and Ozcan, if you feel the need to use both hands on the control yoke, you're over controlling. Especially in a light aircraft! Were you taught fingertip control?
If your a PPL you may need to book some hours with an instructor and learn fly with your fingertips you dont need to hang onto it for dear life! your strapped in! using one hand, and a lighter touch a) Allows your right hand to use other controls as well as your throttle, and b) Using a lighter touch will make your life eaiser, especially on approach
Not having a go you understand, just friendly advice from one aviator to another
AT
The whole system allows the pilot to use the aircraft to its maximum potential, and won't let you past the flight envelope. I Agree with Jamo that the sidestick being on the left shouldn't present a problem to any Captain. It would be bold to say it would be more un-natural to control the aircraft from the F/O's side as all students are taught to fly from the LHS Unless you know of some career First Officer courses? loland Ozcan, if you feel the need to use both hands on the control yoke, you're over controlling. Especially in a light aircraft! Were you taught fingertip control?
If your a PPL you may need to book some hours with an instructor and learn fly with your fingertips you dont need to hang onto it for dear life! your strapped in! using one hand, and a lighter touch a) Allows your right hand to use other controls as well as your throttle, and b) Using a lighter touch will make your life eaiser, especially on approachNot having a go you understand, just friendly advice from one aviator to another
AT
Unless of course you learned to fly in an aircraft with the controls in the configuration God intended - stick in the centre and throttle in the left hand!
One fallacy which prevails when a p!ssing contest starts between Boing and Airbus pilots as to which is best is that Airbus pilots have little control over their aircraft. This is far from the truth. I've flown both, the airbus feels no different to a conventional aircraft despite the control laws -and in many cases flys better than a Boeing.
As far as I'm concerned, the sidestick has one major advantage in that it leaves you plenty of room for the important things in the cruise - reading the newspaper and eating dinner!
One fallacy which prevails when a p!ssing contest starts between Boing and Airbus pilots as to which is best is that Airbus pilots have little control over their aircraft. This is far from the truth. I've flown both, the airbus feels no different to a conventional aircraft despite the control laws -and in many cases flys better than a Boeing.
As far as I'm concerned, the sidestick has one major advantage in that it leaves you plenty of room for the important things in the cruise - reading the newspaper and eating dinner!
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You gentlemen who have contributed here seem to have forgotten ( or did not know ) that real stick and rudder pilots ie fighter pilots fly with the throttle or throttles in their left hand and the control column in their right.
828a
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But what about overhead throttles? I know Caribi, Buffali, & many or most amphibs have them - are they "unnatural" or do you adjust quickly?
(I once had a student who had driven a farm tractor all his life - he kept wanting to pull on the throttle to increase power!)
(I once had a student who had driven a farm tractor all his life - he kept wanting to pull on the throttle to increase power!)
Dan Winterland
You just remind me a good sail plane instructor I once had!
Even with a stick in center according with some instuctors you ought to be able to fly with either hands because on day you might get a cramp or spasm on your good hand that may prevent you from using it.
Yours truly,
Rwy in Sight
You just remind me a good sail plane instructor I once had!
Even with a stick in center according with some instuctors you ought to be able to fly with either hands because on day you might get a cramp or spasm on your good hand that may prevent you from using it.
Yours truly,
Rwy in Sight
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The Push/Pull throttle thing reminded me of the difficulty I had when I first started flying.
I had worked for many years on fire engines and generators, in fact any static engine using hand throttles it is 'Pull' to increase, 'Push' to decrease rpm. It felt wrong to do the opposite in an aircraft.
An instructor explained to me the reason it is 'Push' to increase in an aircraft is because you want all the knobs 'in' when flying, not pulled out, it's safer and there's less to get in the way. Made sense to me.
Regards,
W.B.
I had worked for many years on fire engines and generators, in fact any static engine using hand throttles it is 'Pull' to increase, 'Push' to decrease rpm. It felt wrong to do the opposite in an aircraft.
An instructor explained to me the reason it is 'Push' to increase in an aircraft is because you want all the knobs 'in' when flying, not pulled out, it's safer and there's less to get in the way. Made sense to me.
Regards,
W.B.
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Ah my old nugget from a French Airbus guy...
'you can always spot what ze Boing pilot 'ad for dinner as 'alf of it's on 'es trowzers....'
'you can always spot what ze Boing pilot 'ad for dinner as 'alf of it's on 'es trowzers....'
Last edited by reverserunlocked; 16th Nov 2005 at 04:43.
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I had an interesting experience many years ago when I had to flight test a PA28 modified to be flown by a paraplegic pilot! This had an interesting arrangement where a two axis hand control on the left was throttle and rudder, with a standard control wheel for your right hand. It worked a treat, and many paraplegics got a PPL. The hardest thing for them to gain the licence was having to demonstrate an unaided evacuation, while the hardest for me was getting the hang of crosswind landings!
But seriously, the main point here is that humans are highly adaptable and will cope with whatever configuration the designers come up with. They will then amuse themselves endlessly arguing over which configuration is best
But seriously, the main point here is that humans are highly adaptable and will cope with whatever configuration the designers come up with. They will then amuse themselves endlessly arguing over which configuration is best
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I often wonder if the t-bar throttle control on the Warrior et al was designed to subliminally remind you of the gear lever on Chopper bicycles.
By far the coolest machine I shall ever ride/drive/fly.
By far the coolest machine I shall ever ride/drive/fly.
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But seriously, the main point here is that humans are highly adaptable and will cope with whatever configuration the designers come up with.
during my ppl training,I had a summer job on a tractor and had a few days where i would get off the tractor and drive my manual car to the school and jump in the old cherokee for a fly.
Its amazing thinking of the differing confugurations my brain so naturaly slipped into as i changed from one machine to another. we really should spend more time as a species taking care of our most treasured rating on the best machine of all! your body!!!
(but i dont need to say that to you lot do i....you all know just how important your bodies are cos of our chosen professions.......... cos none of you drink or smoke do ya!!!)
rite, ill stop ranting.