Bell 47G Pilot seating position

[whiskylima]

Traditionally, most helicopters are flown by the PIC from the right hand seat whereas the Bell 47G appears to be invariably flown from the left hand seat. I was wondering what the reason is for this. Any suggestions would be gratefully received. Many thanks.

[Davey Emcee]

American machine

[Hilico]

American like the Robinsons, which you fly from the...right.

[whiskylima]

Thanks for those replies but other US machines like the Jet Ranger and the Huey plus a host of others, are predominantly flown from the right.

[malabo]

500 is flown from left too. Leans left from counterclockwise rotation of main blades, easier to longline, plus you are leaning over the collective instead of reaching back for it. 47 we'd jam 2 passengers in beside the pilot, better that they were not near the collective, so same seating as the 500. After a while you get indifferent to what side you sit on, in anything.

[JimEli]

3 passenger bench seat put pilot on left

[Spunk]

And I thought this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to fly a Bell47 G and getting paid for it.

[whiskylima]

That makes a lot of sense now, thank you.

[Sir Korsky]

IIRC, you could single pilot from either side, you just needed to switch the balance weight around. Feel free to update my failing memory.

[md 600 driver]

My 600 you flew from the left my friends 600 was right I think you can order either

[Sloppy Link]

Hangover from aeroplanes, throttle controls in a side by side configuration are in the middle of the aircraft hence pilot sits on the left, right hand (not being leftist!) being more precise to control the engines, the left hand can maintain flight control. Helicopters followed suit initially but very soon realised the control column/cyclic needed greater accuracy of control and the collective could be operated more agriculturally hence on the left. Second order consequence, the collective fouled ingress and egress, simple solution, move pilot to the right.
It’s a theory....

[Rigga]

I always thought it was to keep the pax away from the collective.

[RVF750]

I always thought the collective friction was used in flight...till I had my first (and only) lesson. Doh. Things they don't tell you in books. eh?

[Davey Emcee]

Originally Posted by Sir Korsky

IIRC, you could single pilot from either side, you just needed to switch the balance weight around. Feel free to update my failing memory.

You can fly from the rhs with dual controls fitted, but the starter button is on the left hand collective. Also you couldn't reach the fuel shut off control in an emergency.

[212man]

I thought this thread was about a job!

[Senior Pilot]

Originally Posted by 212man

I thought this thread was about a job!

So did I; thread title amended

[Herod]

I flew the 47 in training, many moons ago. Dual controls, with the student, and therefore solo flying, in the LHS. Does anyone know if there is one available for a trial lesson in UK? It's coming up 50 years since I last flew rotary, and i'd like to see if I can still manage to hover. Like riding a bike i'm told; you never forget.

[Democritus]

With some 47's we sat on our own up front.......

[ascj]

As far as tradition goes it was the first so maybe the rest a wrong!!

[megan]

Hangover from aeroplanes, throttle controls in a side by side configuration are in the middle of the aircraft hence pilot sits on the left, right hand (not being leftist!) being more precise to control the engines, the left hand can maintain flight control. Helicopters followed suit initially but very soon realised the control column/cyclic needed greater accuracy of control and the collective could be operated more agriculturally hence on the left. Second order consequence, the collective fouled ingress and egress, simple solution, move pilot to the right.
It’s a theory....

Researched this subject some time ago, and came up with the conclusion you can blame Igor. His machine only had one collective, placed between the two seats, he preferred flying from the left seat so students he was teaching flew from the right. When they went to an operational squadron guess which seat they preferred? Some veterans here will have experience with the single collective between the seats on the Sycamore. Know why PIC sits in the left on a FW? Early days of airline flying in Europe it was all VFR of course, and a decree was issued that aircraft would fly to the right of the navigational feature they were following (railway, road), left seat thus enhanced map reading ability. I could find no better answers.