Do you know…where to sit in an aircraft?

Over the years I have had to tackle this one a couple of times. The first time was while talking to an RV-6A builder. He was trying to figure out how to install a second throttle on the left side of the instrument panel. The problem he was trying to solve was he wanted to be able to fly with his right hand on the stick and his left hand on the throttle. The RV-6A kit is stick-equipped, but the throttle is a centre panel mounted set-up, leaving you to fly with left hand on the stick and right hand on the throttle.

I suggested he just install the pilot instruments on the right side and fly from there. This solution would give him the stick in his right hand and the throttle in his left, without having to build a second throttle installation.

He was aghast at this idea and blurted out “But that is illegal – the CARs require the PIC to sit on the left”.

It is amazing how many myths there are in aviation and this is one of them. We have enough rules to fly by without people making up non-existent ones. The CARs are dead silent on this subject. The PIC can it in the washroom as long as he or she has controls to fly the plane from there. Flight instructors, who are always the PIC, spend their whole lives flying from the right hand seat. So do most helicopter pilots. Even airline pilots take turns being PIC from the right seat to maintain familiarity with the view from the other side of the wide cockpit. When soloing a J-3 Cub, you sit in the back seat, due to C of G considerations. PIC in the left seat is not a rule, just an old tradition. Break it if it you need to.