Lefties...
 

Folks,

Listening to a program on radio 4 the other day and wondering how many left handed pilots there are out there...


Lunar

Re: Lefties...
 

Count me in! Great for writing whilst flying.

TiP:cool:

Re: Lefties...
 

and eating...and.....

Re: Lefties...
 

Nearly got chopped on my mil rotary course for overcontrolling, instructor eventually spotted I was a leftie and gave me more time to "train" my right (cyclic) hand to be more sensitive and hence stop the overcontrolling. Must have worked, because I passed the course. Mind you, I 'm still a crap pilot but my kneepad writing is really neat!

Re: Lefties...
 

I'm a leftie as well, just means that we're in the right side of our minds :E

Re: Lefties...
 

Me too. At an early age I gave my right arm to be left handed. :cool:

Try this: http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/lh_tests.html

Re: Lefties...
 

You're all sinister :E ;)

Cheers

Whirls

Re: Lefties...
 

Never heard so much boll**s in my life. Right handed persons have to learn to use their left hand for the collective (which is new to them).
Flying a helo has never had anything to do with being left or right handed:rolleyes:
Mind you in this new (PC) world, I wouldn't be surprised if there is an extra time slot added to a course for being too short, tall, fat, dull, airsick,.insomniac, or even....normal.

I think what the instructor was trying to tell you was that you might be better at using your right hand elsewhere than flying a helo!!!

Re: Lefties...
 

I defy anybody to come up with any proof that us lefties are disadvantaged when it comes to flying.

I would describe myself as ' of average ability' yet had no trouble learning fixed wing. Despite being a bit over fifty ( quite a bit actually) soloed the R22 on my 11th sorti/ in my 8th hour. I got my licence in the minimum time and flying my own 44 with well under 50 hours in my logbook.

Lets be honest guys. Flying a heli isnt difficult. Like learning to drive it takes commitment and practise but lets do what we can to dispel any 'I'm an exceptional person because I can fly a heli' myths. It just isn't the case.

I'm not talking about operations at minima in the North Sea, military flying in and out of harms way, HEMS etc - deep respect to you all out there - just middle of the envelope. nice day stuff in a simple, modern heli, 'like what us hobby pilots do.'

Hairy

Re: Lefties...
 

I think Hairy missed the crucial part just after that first solo - you know - the bit where we all had to take our pants down, bend over and have a liberal dose of sunshine blown up where, for non-helo pilots, it doesn't shine....

Re: Lefties...
 

Anyone can be born right handed.

Its just that some of us grow out of it....

Re: Lefties...
 

First solo was OK.

The best bit by far came a few months later, shortly after the new R44 arrived and our first trip out in it

It was flying into the grounds of Billesley Manor nr Stratford Upon Avon for a sandwich and being given VIP treatment, right down to the uniformed manager greeting us at the helipad, etc etc.

Flying out I asked the lovely Nicky why she was ( unusually for her!) quiet. She turned round with a tear in her eye and said, 'Ive never felt so special'.

Weve flown off for lunch in it since and had no idea how well hotels seem to treat their flying visitors.

The whole heli thing has been a fantastic life changing experience. I avoided a 7 hour round trip by road via M25 ( aaaargh!) on business just the other day. It took 45 min each way, quite literally door to door.

All I can say is - if you are left or right handed ( just to keep on topic!), are not a heli pilot already but are lucky enough to get a go ' be prepared, be very prepared, to want one'.

Hairy

Re: Lefties...
 

Thomas,

the main difference though, is that the collective moves up and down (in one dimension) whereas the cyclic goes round and round (in two dimensions). Therefore, I would have thought it was harder for someone to control the cyclic with the hand that is their normal one.

I fly a Schweizer from the left seat PIC and when I need to change frequency on the radio, for example and use my left and to control the cyclic - well, it ain't pretty flying at all!!

What I have noticed (and I stand, as always, to be corrected) is that the difference between a left-handed persona and right-handed person, is that the left-handed person is better at using their right hand for things that the right-handed person is for using their left! i.e. my left-handed writing is appalling whereas my right-handed writing is very neat. However, my ex (who is left-handed) had equally appalling writing with either hand! But the difference between them was not that marked.

Hairyplane,

Wow, that's fantastic. It must be because you're left-handed 'cos I'm right-handed and did my PPL in more hours, I'm younger than you, I found flying very difficult and had to work hard and I don't own my own aircraft. :rolleyes: :bored: .

Cheers

Whirls

Re: Lefties...
 

Now Hairy, did you have to let on? Some of us are quite happy to sit here quietly, saying nothing, and have everyone think we're super-special demi-gods just because we fly helicopters. ;) :)

As for which hand you use on the cyclic, once you start instructing, you have to learn to be ambidextrous anyway. Otherwise you'd never manage to pull carb heat, change radio frequencies etc. It's really not that hard....but if any of you want to think that it is and that we helicopter instructors are wondrous beings and fantastic super-pilots, feel free; I don't mind in the least. :)

Re: Lefties...
 

Let's not confuse holdingthe cyclic with the left hand (which is a common occurrence), to be able to flick switches etc; and flying the cyclic with the left hand which is very very difficult indeed (in fact, for nearly everyone, it's impossible!).
DON'T try it unless you either have a safety pilot and dual controls, or you're prepared for a nasty surprise.
Whirlygig - collective (up and down) isn't that much different from the tiny cyclic movements one makes in the cardinal directions when talking about ambidexterity. The bit that counts is when co-ordinating all three controls together.
Welcome aboard Hairy.

Re: Lefties...
 

All lefties have to be able to use their non dominant hand more than right handers ever do because we are always using devices designed for right handers, some examples are can openers, scissors, all cameras (video and stills, all switches on right hand area) and helicopters to name a few so we are forever adapting.

My writing is woeful with either hand but my flying is good with either whether is was teaching, ferrying, spraying or whatever. I find it interesting that lefties on this post have all been having a laugh while a post or two from THE OTHERS seem a little agressive...Thomas!

Lunar

Re: Lefties...
 

As an unfortunate who is partly ambidextrous I have been troubled by the phoneme that determines the dominate side of the brain. This has proved difficult on occasion when immediate left or right turns have been demanded. However the advice of an old military instructor many years ago to write Left and Right on the correct flying glove has helped over the years. The complicated bit regarding one arm going up and down and the other waggling about in the forward, back and left and right direction never seems to have been a problem. The little arrows on the correct glove may well have helped during some emergency situations. In passing my handwriting is s**t with both hands.
outhouse

Re: Lefties...
 

Back when my girl Whirls(gig) was a blonde....she had "TGIF" marked on her shoes. All of her lady friends suggested she was putting a bit too much emphasis upon the "Thank Goodness It's Friday" thing....to have Gig remind them...."TGIF" simply meant "Toes Go In First".

I don't know if that stemmed from being a lefty or a blonde however.

Re: Lefties...
 

I'm left handed but can't really say has made much difference except writing notes...............

Re: Lefties...
 

TGIF" simply meant "Toes Go In First".

Cool bird, hopfully relates to controls and not a reaction to any unwelcome advancement.
outhouse:ok: