Left Hand Advatage

[D_Rob]

Had a little discussion today with my sim instructor on whether or not you have a bit of advantage being left handed.

We were specifically talking about flying and writing at the same time. i.e. you're enroute and need to get a clearance amended. So if you are right handed you switch over to left hand on the stick and pull out your pen and write on your right knee board. This will most likely screw up your BAW and your scan anyway since you have to look down. However, of course if you are left handed you can keep your right hand on the stick and just write with the left, no big whoop.

However, being right handed you have better hand eye cordination with your right hand, so it might just even out in the end. I guess it can change a lot too with which chair you are in, obviously. Anyway, I just thought it was an interesting idea and also wonder if any of you more experienced gentlemen/ladies have any tips for writing and flying at the same time.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Well how much hand-eye coordination do you need when just holding the stick? Whenever I copy clearances, all my left hand is doing is making sure the aircraft stays S&L which isnt too hard, even in the sim (with enough practice).

 

[A4sForever]

Had a little discussion today with my sim instructor on whether or not you have a bit of advantage being left handed....???

Not a factor.

Of course, the airplane will only roll into the target to the left.

 

[Single Seat]

Well how much hand-eye coordination do you need when just holding the stick? Whenever I copy clearances, all my left hand is doing is making sure the aircraft stays S&L which isnt too hard, even in the sim (with enough practice).

When you're over a TIC (troops in contact) trying to fly, look out the window, and copy down a 9-line in combat... being a lefty is an advantage. F-16 with side stick on the right... advantage. Marshall stack trying to copy down your new marshall instructions while looking out the window and avoid the boondogle at the push point, advantage.

 

[exhelodrvr]

Had a little discussion today with my sim instructor on whether or not you have a bit of advantage being left handed.

We were specifically talking about flying and writing at the same time. i.e. you're enroute and need to get a clearance amended. So if you are right handed you switch over to left hand on the stick and pull out your pen and write on your right knee board. This will most likely screw up your BAW and your scan anyway since you have to look down. However, of course if you are left handed you can keep your right hand on the stick and just write with the left, no big whoop.

However, being right handed you have better hand eye cordination with your right hand, so it might just even out in the end. I guess it can change a lot too with which chair you are in, obviously. Anyway, I just thought it was an interesting idea and also wonder if any of you more experienced gentlemen/ladies have any tips for writing and flying at the same time.

I think that depends on your level of ambidextrousnous. (Or whatever the official term is.) Left-handed people with a low level of that have problems flying.

 

[A4sForever]

Naaaaaaa .... com'on guys. It is NO FACTOR. If it is ... you're not a very good pilot.

To wit:

When flying tactically in the Navy, I frequently "switched hands" from day one ... ... to accommodate having less than three hands available for my cockpit chores: whether it entailed flying, writing on a kneeboard, checking a strip chart @ 100'/450KIAS, timing waypoints, upside down in a dogfight looking over my "strong" shoulder, drinking a Coke, whatever ... you just do it. And sometimes I even held the stick between my knees if the situation required it. VFR or IFR ... no matter .. and I certainly wasn't the only guy doin' it.

In the airlines, you start off flying w/ your right hand in the right seat w/ your left hand on the throttles ... great: been there done that, you might think. But then you move up and get into the left seat, acquire the scrambled eggs on your cover, the fourth strip on your sleeve, and the big paycheck every two weeks ... and voila !!! You fly w/ your LEFT hand w/ the RIGHT on the throttles.

There's NO break-in ... NO "prep" ... NO "time-outs" NO "advantage" ... NO "accomodation" ... YOU JUST DO IT.

From day one, if you will ...

 

[HooverPilot]

In the C-2, we alternate left & right seats by legs normally. You get very good at flying with both hands. I flew the S-3 before the C-2 and the transition was somewhere in the first 5 minutes in the sim. Flying the ball took a bit more training, but that was more prop vs jet vice left vs right. Oh, and I'm left handed and keep my kneeboard on the left leg. No problems.

 

[stalk]

...Of course, the airplane will only roll into the target to the left.

Geez, if there's a right hand overhead pattern just ask for the straight in. Navy planes don't break right.

 

[Flash]

When flying tactically in the Navy, I frequently "switched hands" from day one ... ... to accommodate having less than three hands available for my cockpit chores: whether it entailed flying, writing on a kneeboard, checking a strip chart @ 100'/450KIAS

I thought that is why you had a FO?

 

[A4sForever]

I thought that is why you had a FO?

A First Officer ... ???

Oh ... wait, you meant an NFO .. i.e., a male secretary???

 

[Flash]

Oh ... wait, you meant an NFO .. i.e., a male secretary???

I did leave the door wide open on that one.

 

[exhelodrvr]

When flying tactically in the Navy, I frequently "switched hands" from day one

Hey, it's a lot cheaper than some of the alternatives!

 

[TrueAce]

The advantage some lefties have are much more in depth than that. The right side of the brain controls spatial awareness so if you're left handed and right brain dominate this can give you an advantage in 3-D tasks such as flying.

 

[whitesoxnation]

this is something that I've always wondered...

Whenever I am driving a car fast I feel more comfortable turning to the left

Same thing on a motorcycle.

It feels like I am pulling if I am turning to the left, and pushing to the right... even if it is on a motorcycle where you are centered

Anyone else ever felt this or is there a reason?

 

[Single Seat]

I bought a queen size memory foam pad, cut it in two lengthwise (to double it up), and it was awesome. That is when my stateroom wasn't 2,000 degrees.