Military aircraft typically have the stick in the pilots right hand, throttle quadrant in left hand. I imagine this stems from more people being right handed. In order to line up with this custom, Marchetti moved the PIC to the right side for military sales – which is the market to which later planes were sold. Some but I believe not all got a throttle control on the left side of the cockpit too, but not a mixture and prop control. Perhaps @NorFlyer can weight in on how that works for aerobatic flight.
Here’s a photo I took at Latina Air Force Base in Italy, around New Year 2009, showing the layout of a plane that was almost new at that time.
In the French air force Grob 120s, the student seats on the right and the instructor on the left. Same reason.
Does that hold for all military aircraft, or just fighters?
Do military B777 and Airbus variants have this?
Those that have floor mounted control sticks, which tends to align with those in which aerobatics are done.
90% of all my time has been flown with a floor mounted stick in my left hand, so I’d prefer it the other way
Most of my flying is in Jodels, with 2 sticks and 2 throttles. I know I use either hand on stick, but don’t know which I’ve used most.
The Bolkow Junior is one stick and 2 throttles. Left hand on throttle, right hand on stick, in left seat.
Flying the Jodel solo from the right seat, I used left stick and centre throttle. (The left seat was being repaired.)
Isn’t the military concept HOTAS, hand on throttle and stick?
Most aerobatic aircraft throttle on the left, right hand on the stick, even the non aerobatic Piper Cub etc
“Most aerobatic aircraft throttle on the left, right hand on the stick, even the non aerobatic Piper Cub etc”
Piper Cub is tandem. Maybe most/all tandem seaters have throttle on the left? What about homebuilds? RVs? Is it a choice?
(Massive thread drift.)
Maoraigh wrote:
“Most aerobatic aircraft throttle on the left, right hand on the stick, even the non aerobatic Piper Cub etc”
Piper Cub is tandem. Maybe most/all tandem seaters have throttle on the left? What about homebuilds? RVs? Is it a choice?
(Massive thread drift.)
On a tandem RV you can place the throttle on either side, but from what I read on vansairforce.net, most people opt for throttle left. Interestingly enough, despite being a mostly right-handed person, I rather fly with the stick in my left and have the right hand free for throttle, radio, writing down something on the kneeboard, etc., and would opt for throttles on the right in a tandem seater.
Some side-by-side cockpits have two throttles, one in the centre and one on the left. Here is a Zlin Z142: