Helicopter captains vs. airplane captains?

Question

Why do helicopter captains sit on the right hand side of the aircraft but captains of airplanes sit on the left hand side?

Answer 1

First, helicopter captains are not called captains. They are referred to as PIC or Pilot in Command.

Second, in military helicopters PICs they sit on the right hand side, due to the cyclic and collective controls configurations. In some helicopters, such as the US Marine CH46E "Sea Knight", the right hand side is protected with exterior armour plates which cover the flight controls and incidentally, the right hand side of the plane. The idea is you want to keep your most experienced stick wiggler protected, along with the flight controls.

Civilian helo ops do not typically confront the problem of incoming fire, thus where the pilot seats is a matter of personal preference, depending on the operations being performed.

Answer 2

Not always true.

For helicopter logging and other slinging operations, the most experienced pilot sits on the left (easier to operate the controls whilst looking down) while the relief pilot sits on the right side.

The main reason why the helicopter pilot sits on the right is so they don't have to climb over the collective lever which must always be to the left (for a heli-logging machine, the left pilot must climb over the collective).  The collective and cyclic aren't easy to switch between hands like a throttle and stick for a fixed wing plane.

Answer 3

not generally true. on some occasions, like captain test ride, the actual PIC would be the instructor sitting at the right place.

alle russian made helicopters have captains sitting at the left side,for example.

generally said the right side is preffered for the single pilot helicopters, since the pilot has better reach of the radio controls while handling the cyclics stick with the  right hand. the left hand is ALWAYS used for manipulating the collective, and the collective is the less critical control in mostparts of the flight of a helicopter. thus the left hand has the better reach of radios etc, when the pilot is sitting at the right side.

BTW. the PIC vs. Captain naming of the boss on board is artificial, because both are true and both are used in both helicopters and airplanes.

Answer 4

Because Helicopter captains drink beer and Aircraft captain drink whiskey, it goes back to mid evil times.

Answer 5

It has to do with single pilot operations.  I learned to fly in a Bell 47.  In that helicopter the pilot sits on the left hand side and flying solo was a chore.  In order to tune the radios you had to let go of the collective, take your left hand to hold on to the cyclic, take your right hand and tune the radios etc.  When later I flew a the Bell Jet Ranger as a single pilot I sat on the right hand side.  The center console was now on my left which made working switches and k***s easier while flying.  

On most larger helicopters like the CH-53 and the CH 46 & 47 the crew enters the flight deck from the back of the flight deck between the up front seats, so there is some climbing up and over controls to sit in either seat.  

Just because a person is sitting as the "co-pilot" does not make them any less qualified to fly that aircraft.  More often than not both pilots equally quallified. They may just be switching positions for the days mission, one pilot may fly in the "pilot" seat on the outbound leg of the flight, then they might switch seats for the return trip.