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Stick hand

enigmakv

I'm New Here
Hello everyone. I have my sights on a 14A some day. Unable to build so waiting for the resale market to mature.

Anyway, my "day job" is an airline pilot. Due to many complicated circumstances I have been FO for 22 years with a CA seat still not in sight. That means controlling the airplane with my RIGHT hand and the engines with my LEFT.

On weekends I fly helicopters...Aircraft control (cyclic) in the RIGHT hand, "power" control (collective/throttle) in the LEFT.

If I ever own an airplane I think I feel way more comfortable continuing to do all my aviating the same way (aircraft in right hand, power in left).

Is there any reason all the RVs seem to be built with the pilot on the left side and controlling the aircraft left-handed? Or is it just due to tradition?

Has anyone built an RV (esp a 14A) to be flown primarily from the right seat?

Thanks.
 
Left side, right side

I feel that I am significantly less coordinated on my left side than my right. So when I moved to the left seat in the airline I sometime wondered if I'd ever have a good landing again. But in about six months I felt just as comfortable in the left seat as in the right. You're making a big deal out of nothing.

As the RV14A market matures, the airplanes will become more expensive used.
(JMO)
 
In my opinion.. you?re fretting over something that?ll take just a few flights to get used to. No different than when you were less experienced and you transitioned to the right side for your CFI training, or for your first two pilot crew job. Feels weird at first, but you?re quick to get used to it.
 
Just set up the panel on the right and go fly..... You will need to reach over and latch the canopy though.

And you would want to plumb the brakes left to right so you have brake authority over the passenger.
 
well, I don't know the answer, but I am building with flying from the right seat in mind. My wife is 5'2" while I am 5'7". I plan to set up for one of to fly left and one to fly right.

I facilitate this, I put a push button start on both sides. I figure that I can turn on mags, master, and easily from the right seat. Then starting the engine will be easier from the right. Throttle with left hand, push button to start with right.

Everything else is set up for mainly left seat flying.
 
The great thing about Experimentals - you get to do & spec out your plane any way you want.
I have a buddy down the street who flys his RV6A from the right and is known for doing things the way he wants. He advertises his products here, Ross Farnham of SDS.
 
Yes you can build it custom the way you want it. I have TWO (2) friends with side by side RVs that set it up to fly from the right seat. I have another friend that set his side by side RV up to fly from the left seat but it had a left hand throttle, mixture, prop only. I have another friend that setup his side by side RV with the typical center throttle, mixture, prop but also had a left hand throttle on the left side.

As others have said, I typically can go left or right and fly ok. Yes after getting use to one side, my landings and fitness is not as good on the one side but with some practice, it makes no difference.
 
I worried about the right/left hand on the stick going from an RV-8A to an RV-10. It took just a few seconds to realize that my concern was unfounded.

I go between left and right hand all the time - never an issue.

Carl
 
If I ever own an airplane I think I feel way more comfortable continuing to do all my aviating the same way (aircraft in right hand, power in left).

Remember hand not flying is doing way more than just the throttle.

Left hand flying will take only a couple flights to get used to after all we already drive a car (except for a few countries that are confused) with left hand and most people are reasonably adept at that.
 
It?s a non-issue

With about 1700 hours of very current time in F-4s (right hand stick, left hand throttle), I fretted over the same issue as I was about to check out in an aero club Diamond Katana (left hand stick, right hand throttle).
Once at the controls, I didn?t notice the difference. Piece of cake.
 
I fly from the right seat, and didn't do anything unique to "set it up" to do so.
 
I often land the RV-6 (left seat, right throttle) then jump into the Fokker biplane for a flight (center seat, left throttle). I never give a thought to which hand is working the throttle or holding the stick.....just fly the plane. :)
 
Dual throttle

Good day,

I like flying with right hand as well, so I installed right hand infinity Grips in both seats and added a second throttle on far left side of panel for me to use.
Not really that hard.

Fly safe.
 
Standard pattern is left, and that is the reason the PIC normally seats on the left. In the military world, they prefer to hold the stick with their right hand... as a pro pilot one should be able to adapt quickly to whatever :D
 
Carl and Rafael started their 14A in 2013 and flew it in 12/16. >> their build web site >> http://www.rv14a.com

They set up the cockpit so it could be flown from the right or left seat. Carl needed to fly it from the right, it had the brakes controls - levers between the seats.
 
My buddy on here has a 6 that he built, and he has a throttle that?s located on the left, like a RV4, and the center throttle cable connects to the lever arm below the pivot on the left throttle. So the left throttle is direct to the Carb, and the right throttle (center) can actuate the throttle also. This way the pilot in the left seat can chose which throttle to use, while the pilot in the right seat can use the stick in the right hand, and the throttle in the left hand.
 
Same as many others here, I grew up with the stick in my right hand and was worried to at the airlines in the left seat, complete none issue. I fly many different airplanes from both seats, not an issue. I do prefer to land from the left now, but I have an 8 and I am flying it with the stick in my right hand.

The only thing I'd be concerned about for setting it up as right seat as primary would be resale.
 
Hello everyone. I have my sights on a 14A some day. Unable to build so waiting for the resale market to mature.

Anyway, my "day job" is an airline pilot. Due to many complicated circumstances I have been FO for 22 years with a CA seat still not in sight. That means controlling the airplane with my RIGHT hand and the engines with my LEFT.

On weekends I fly helicopters...Aircraft control (cyclic) in the RIGHT hand, "power" control (collective/throttle) in the LEFT.

If I ever own an airplane I think I feel way more comfortable continuing to do all my aviating the same way (aircraft in right hand, power in left).

Is there any reason all the RVs seem to be built with the pilot on the left side and controlling the aircraft left-handed? Or is it just due to tradition?

Has anyone built an RV (esp a 14A) to be flown primarily from the right seat?

Thanks.

I'm a 9000+ hour helicopter guy, and I have hundreds of hours of RV-8 time, so like you I l prefer the stick in my right hand and power (or collective in the copter) in my left. I built my RV-10 with the symmetrical panel and almost always fly it from the right seat. No issues there as long as the panel design doesn't make it less desirable to a future left seat flyer purchaser:)....

Also the line guys think the kid, or girlfriend flying left seat is the PIC when you taxi to the pumps:).
 
Build your plane the way you want. I fly my 6A from the right seat. Wouldn't have it any other way and no regrets.

Jonas Marcinko flew his Kitfox from the right seat in all those YT vids. Works ok for him. :)
 
We see a number of airplanes come through our shop that are set up with the command seat in the right seat. As mentioned, build it the way you want. You will fly looking out the window during the critical times, like takeoff and landing, and the control inputs will come naturally. :)

Vic
 
Full dual controls

Installed a left side throttle in the RV-6, so now it has full dual controls (sticks, rudder pedals, brakes, and throttle controls). Wasn't all that much work, except for the fact that I fabricated a throttle lever instead of using a push-pull knob.

Cheers, David
RV-6A KBTF
 
REAL pilots fly with right hand on stick, left hand on throttle...:D:D:D

All of my stick time was in military aircraft, so it was natural that I would want the same configuration in MY aircraft. When I built it, I just biased the instrument panel so that sitting in the right seat was no problem. I considered the 'two throttle' configuration, but with my limited skills, wasn't sure how I'd make that happen.

I have many hours in RVs in the left seat; I can do it, but there is no doubt that my fine motor skills for things like formation are in my dexter hand: I built it, I can sit in whichever seat I want! :):):)

Having to fly 'wrong handed' gave me an insight into all the left handed guys in the military who were forced to learn to fly in an aircraft designed for us right-handed guys...
 
I have been in a few airplanes. Stick, yoke, left seat, right seat, only seat, whatever. As everyone else has stated:

Don't overthink it.

Build the plane you want.

Modify the plane you buy.

Fly the plane you are in from the seat you are in.

Don't overthink it.

Grin.
 
I am not ambidextrous. My right is clearly dominate. Before flying my 14 I flew the previous 400 hours with my right hand on the stick and loved it.

I worried about switching back to the stick in my left hand. It was not an issue. However, whenever I fly my other plane with my right hand on the stick it is so much more pleasurable but not really more precise.

Flying from the left seat with my left hand has also made it easy to do all the EFIS and NAV button pushing. My other plane is vfr only and I hardly ever push any buttons in it so I never had a down side.

I'd set it up for the left seat with a left hand stick. You won't struggle.
 
Also ex military ex helo guy. Was worried about the left hand to yoke thing. It was never a real issue but my mind still sees it as awkward

Built the six with a left hand throttle lever using parts from the Vans RV8 rear cockpit throttle lever kit. Very glad I did. I feel cool now��. Haha

Really was never an issue.
 
I?m building my 14 so that 10 seconds after rotation I turn on the GFC500 and it files me all the way to my destination no hands required just like the airlines :p
 
I would rather fly with my right hand on the stick, but I think I would be even less coordinated trying to touch the G3X touch buttons with my left hand, especially in some bumps. I guess t really want two right hands

Me too. Flying left or right is pretty much a wash, but hitting the right thing on a GTN-650 with my left hand in a bit of turbulence is like throwing darts. And it?s still awkward to copy a clearance when right-seat (swap hands, find pen, ...).
 
I get your concern, I had the same thoughts. I flew F-16s for 23 years, flew the 330 at the airline for 10 as an F.O. Just had my first full flight sim for my 320 Capt checkout today. I didn't even notice I was flying with my left hand ( I am right handed). It came to me totally naturally. However, you can fly your plane from whatever seat you want! We have a RV-7 pilot in my squadron who flies his RV from the right seat for the concern you mention, not sure if he ever tried it from the left seat. Or you could buy a -4 or -8!
 
Got very comfortable flying my Hiperbipe on the left side (LH stick, RH power), but when the RV-8 joined the fleet it was no issue to switch. I used to jump from one airplane to another with only minutes between flights... No issues.

Don't over think it, and build what you want.
 
Stick Hand

A very good CFI told me you fly with your brain not your hand. After that I never thought about the issue again even though I switch back and forth all the time.
 
Here's the way I built my RV-6 20 odd years ago. I'd do it the same if I were to do it over again. But I've also flown other RV's with the throttle in the middle and it becomes second nature very quickly.
Build it how YOU want to fly it.
Laird
 

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