Left Right
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Left Right
Hope this isn't too daft a question or inappropriate for Tech Log.
I'm right handed. Driving outside the UK, I realise I feel less in control when my left hand is briefly alone on the steering wheel as the right operates gear stick or other controls. So how do righthanders in the left hand seat of Airbus / Voyagers feel? Does it make any difference having to tackle tricky landings left handed if your dominant hand is right? Ditto left handers in the right hand seat? I suspect the answer is no - or not significantly - given the now widespread use. But my niaive preference would be to have the controller in my dominant hand.
I'm right handed. Driving outside the UK, I realise I feel less in control when my left hand is briefly alone on the steering wheel as the right operates gear stick or other controls. So how do righthanders in the left hand seat of Airbus / Voyagers feel? Does it make any difference having to tackle tricky landings left handed if your dominant hand is right? Ditto left handers in the right hand seat? I suspect the answer is no - or not significantly - given the now widespread use. But my niaive preference would be to have the controller in my dominant hand.
Surprising how often this comes up. We learn to fly in the left seat, left hand on yoke, right on throttle. We may be lucky enough to fly gliders or some other aircraft with a central stick and left sidewall mounted speed lever and/or throttle. We get a job with an airline and become an FO flying in the right seat with right hand on yoke and left hand on thrust levers. Later on we move to the left seat and are back to left hand on yoke and right hand on thrust levers. I've never found the handedness to be a problem. Generally the transition to a new type or seat involves a whole heap of stuff to learn that far outweighs any minor issues with what hand is doing what.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Wherever I go, there I am
Age: 43
Posts: 806
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I've never experienced an issue personally nor have I witnessed an issue in any students using their non-dominant hand. More often than not, the issues I've seen and experienced arise from the minor perspective differences that come with the change in the seat. There is a short period of adjustment that results in pilots lining up to the left or right of centreline. The time this adjustment takes depends entirely on how often the pilot flies.
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Away from it all
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From my experience of basic JP instructing, I did notice a longer period to advance in the early exercises for a left handed student. The hand-eye co-ordination had to be developed, whereas it was more natural for a right handed student.