Right Seat Pilot Build

[Direct C51]

Something I have always disliked about airplanes is the standard for the PIC to sit in the left seat, or solo from the left seat. I'm a helicopter guy by trade, and am just very used to and proficient with my right hand on the stick. I can fly a yoke just fine with the left, but my control touch is so much better with my right hand on the stick. Almost all panels and cockpits are set up with the pilot on the left. This is fine if you have all of the controls on the left side, but then your passenger can't reach them. I'd like to build a Sonex with center controls for throtle, mixture, etc, and mount the PFD on the right side of the panel. Is there anything inherent in the design that does not allow one to fly solo from the right seat? I understand if I were to ever sell, it might be worth it to buy some aluminum and make a new panel with the PFD on the left again. Besides that, am I missing anything?

[daleandee]

Is there anything inherent in the design that does not allow one to fly solo from the right seat? I understand if I were to ever sell, it might be worth it to buy some aluminum and make a new panel with the PFD on the left again. Besides that, am I missing anything?

Not missing anything that I'm aware of. The Sonex cockpit is small enough that center mounted gauges are easily seen from either side. As a center stick flyer I fly predominately from the left seat but have been known to sit in the center and use the outside rudder pedals.

Here, for your enjoyment, is a Sonex being flown from the right seat ... and quite nicely too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taEbUDcwZg8

Best,

Dale Williams
N319WF

[Bryan Cotton]

I spoke with Joe Norris about this at the March workshop. The Sport Trainer (ST) controls puts throttle, mixture, flaps, and brakes in the middle. Joe says it is easy to solo from either seat and often flies solo from the right. This is the route I want to go. Still light and simple. I learned on a PA12 with sticks, then an Enstrom, then gliders but along the way nearly half my time was left handed on yokes. I agree it feels awkward, based on taking pictures with my right hand in the glider while flying with the left. Also the Enstrom was left seat PIC to enable you to take two passengers (in an A model, which struggled on hot days with two people sometimes!), and to tune the radio you had to fly left handed.

I plan to fly both left and right handed. Had long discussions with a buddy of mine, retired Sikorsky test pilot, retired Air Force helo pilot and jet jock. He decided to learn to fly left handed and that inspired me. I am younger, if he can learn it so can I!

The Sonex trainer fleet has some neat throttle setups. Some have primary LHS controls but a duplicate throttle on the far right. The duplicate throttle is a cable that does a big half loop under the panel and moves the quadrant. That gives your passenger a right hand throttle but no flaps or brakes. Not a bad compromise. I want ST controls so my kids can do primary training. I will make them fly both left and right handed. If you are just thinking of courtesy to your passengers it seems ok to take care of yourself first and worry about them second.

[Bryan Cotton]

One funny left/right seat story:

Years ago, back when cars had carbs, I had about 100 hours tailwheel time, a helicopter rating, and an even smaller amount of Cessna nosedragger time. One of my buddies was also a new pilot, but he only flew nosewheel. We were both curious about flying right seat. Since we were both checked out renters at MMK we piled into the mighty 152 for a short x-c to Block Island, RI. He flew down there in the right seat. I played safety pilot on the left. The approach was hairy, I kept finding my hands wandering to the controls, then retracting them as I judged it to be intermittently survivable. The touchdown was the worst I had experienced (at that point in my flying career) but due to the forgiveness of the mighty 152 and its robustness, all worked out ok. My buddy was dejected. As he taxied up to the FBO, he suddenly brightened. "You know what the best part of that landing was? They are going to think YOU did it."

Now we are flying back, and I am in the right seat. I have the controls in my right hand, throttle in the left hand, all as God intended it to be. It was the best I ever felt in the 152, as I had not really made peace with the airplane in general. Back at home base, I did the best 152 landing I ever had done! Could not feel the ground, just a long squeal as the tires slowly spun up, angels were singing, I think I saw some butterflies and a unicorn, etc. We are pulling up to the pumps and my buddy says "know what the best part of that landing was - they are all going to think I did it!"

Apologies if I have told this story here before. I lose track. But I like the story!

[Direct C51]

Great story Bryan. I have flown right seat exactly twice. Once in an RV-7 and once in a Sonex. The physical seating location didn't make a bit of difference for me. The stick being in my right hand like I'm used to just felt right and I flew both very well. I'm fairly certain I'll either build with throttle etc on the left or fly from the right seat with center throttle controls. Left handed flying might be learnable but I spent over 2000 hours training my right hand to fly. It would take a lifetime to fly 2000 in a Sonex and get my left hand to the same caliber.