Flying from the right seat

[aucfi]

If you are a right handed person, you will find flying on the right side is much easier than left side.

Very true. Im a lefty and felt well adapted to the left side. When I started flying right seat, I was all tore up. But like everyone else says, it just takes time. I make myself fly left seat every now and then just to keep the skills polished on both sides. Same for tandem, switch it up whenever you can.

 

[mozzer]

after 4 years in the right seat im most comfortable there. as far as losing altitude,airspeed, etc.......suck it up and nail it.

 

[LewisU_Pilot]

The two most important instruments to a CFI in my opinion are the Airspeed and TC. I could never understand why they are the 2 that are farthest away from the right seat.

 

[Foxcow]

It definately takes some getting used to. For the first couple of hours in the right seat for me, I was loosing 200+ ft in a steep turn. It was the most frustrating thing. All of a sudden, it just snapped. Don't worry, you will get the hang of it.

 

[Catbert]

I'd have to agree with ubpilot. After about 4 or 5 hours in the right seat I realized that the key was to give up using the cowling as a reference and instead just look straight ahead. (Directly in front of you, not towards the center of the plane.) After I figured that out, everything from steep turns to landings just worked.

I think using the cowling as reference might work for early students, but after a while it's a crutch. What about those planes (multis?) where there is no cowling reference.

my $.02.

 

[sky37d]

Okay, but is it really that hard to land from the right seat?
I'm thinking of doing some training for my wife. To get her comfortable, I thought I would put her where she can see all the controls. That would mean that I have to fly from the right seat, and is it really that difficult?

 

[LewisU_Pilot]

Okay, but is it really that hard to land from the right seat?
I'm thinking of doing some training for my wife. To get her comfortable, I thought I would put her where she can see all the controls. That would mean that I have to fly from the right seat, and is it really that difficult?

You are an MEI and have never sat in the right seat? How does that work?

 

[sky37d]

Because it's my plane. And MEI means Multi Engine, Instrument. No CFI associated with that.
Back to the question. How hard is it to fly from the right seat. I was thinking of just going out and doing some take off's and landings, by my self.

 

[LewisU_Pilot]

Because it's my plane. And MEI means Multi Engine, Instrument. No CFI associated with that.
Back to the question. How hard is it to fly from the right seat. I was thinking of just going out and doing some take off's and landings, by my self.

My apologizes. When I see MEI I automatically think Multi Engine Instructor. Flying from the right seat is kind of like learning how to drive from the right side. You have to get comfortable moving your viewpoints and holding the yoke with your right hand and using your left hand for other operations. When I started my CFI training I found myself taxing left of the centerline and landing on the left side of the runway. I would suggest going up a couple times with someone sitting left seat just incase. After a couple landings you should get the hang of it. I had the hardest time with cross wind landings from the right seat

 

[sky37d]

Thanks.
I have wondered about that.
I have a couple of friends who fly the same kind of plane I do, and perhaps I can get one of them to fly with me. I live on a 2700' grass strip. Take off's are no problem, most of the time, but landing is always a challenge.

Okay, next question.
Can I be a CFI ME, or would I have to learn to fly 172's again?