Right Seat - Left Seat

[Tom Thompson]

I imagine it boiled down to personal preference but was there an advantage to flying from either seat? It's generally understood, at least by Bell, Boeing and Sikorsky, that the right side was the HAC's standard seat. The panels as well as everything else was set up for the right seat - most of the combat pilots I've spoken to always seemed to prefer the left side. Did it make any difference?

[pm3777]

During my 900 hours in Vietnam I preferred the left seat . It fit my left hand /right hand comfort position on the Colletive & the cyclic . Seemed more akward in the right seat. For another reason I preferred left turns & the view from that side. Expect others prefer the right seat for the same reasons that was more comfortable to there adaptation. Was aware of the early position of the rt side door & rescue hoist. The mission & configuration would of course require the seat position in those cases. Also with door gunners the position would be Rt seat to accomadate the use of that position. In my case most missions with VNAF I was instructing or on support/supply type missions. SF PM

[Ray Norton]

because in a single pilot helo, it is easier to remove one's left hand from the collective to operate the switches.

Think about letting loose of the cyclic on a Bell H-13 to tune the radio!

Or think about letting loose of the cyclic on an H-46 with the ATS and SAS inop!

[Bob Quinter]

Right seat also allows the port to starboard approach to carrier, starboard to port wouldn't work to well unless they put the island on port side.

[timothy]

Most of the civil helicopters I've been involved with (Bell, Sikorsky) were right seat for the pilot. Hughes 500 (Army OH-6) was left side for the pilot, I don't know why.
S/F
Tim McMahon

[Don Reichert]

I was always told that one of the first Piasecki (spelling?) helos built for the military had the pilot sitting on the right side and all others just naturally followed. Kind of weak and I don't know if it's a rumor or not.

Also, for Bob. Even with the island on the starboard side, I believe the SAR helo for carrier ops has a position at the starboard fantail, at about 5 o'clock (unless it's been changed over the years). This does make it hard for the right seater to see everything but it also keeps his helo away from the fixed wing approach pattern. We also took up this position for SAR during the "old times" when we used to fly the old O-1B's & C's aboard the USS Boxer (LPH-4) and the USS Okinawa (LPH-3).

[timothy]

Don,
I met Frank Piasecki a few years ago in Philly. I was working for Agusta Helicopters and he used to go to lunch with his people almost every day at a local reataurant. What an honor to meet the old man, probably in his 70's then and still working! He's got to be gone by now, that was around 24 years ago.
S/F
Tim McMahon

[george mckee]

all you Jet guys didn't get a chance to stick your head out maintaining a hover over the stern of a uss everfloat while that radial engine was blowing smoke and flame along the port side. gunners in the rear window can appreciate the noise as well.

[middy]

How about going into the starboard # 1 spot on the carrier ? i for one ( crew chief on #1 / with Col. Steele ) loved that place. nothing but water till just before the wheels touch , but have to immagine it was tough for the pilot , seems like a good place for the left seat .

[george mckee]

hey! who da heck are you? i can't throw a rock in any direction without hitting a relative in scottsboro. shs class of '62.