Can the gunner/weapon operator on an AH-1 Cobra operate the flight controls? If the pilot is killed, is the gunner screwed too or can he take the stick? Whether or not he knows how to fly the chopper is another matter.
AFAIK, he’s hosed. The gunner is in front, and I don’t think there are duplicate controls in his section.
I should have Wiki’ed first. The entry describes the two crew as “Pilot and CPG (co-pilot/gunner)” But the marine corps site simply says “Two officers.” I should do some more digging before I start posting questions.
Yes, the Bell AH-1 Cobra has a control stick and cyclic in the gunner’s cockpit.
Consider us both enlightened. I had thought the front cockpit was controls-free.
I hate to make such an incredible over-generalization, but I think that every non-single seat aircraft in existence is required to have full dual controls.
Early Beechcraft Bonanzas had a throw-over yoke instead of dual yokes, as seen in this '47. This one is from a '64.
At the very least, a twin-seat A/C that doesn’t have two sets of controls is the F-14. afaik…
NB
As you can see in the picture that is linked above, the front seat has cute little mini controls on either side of the front seat. The cyclic is on the copilots right instead of between his legs as is usual in most helicopters. The collective is an odd little lever just to the left of the copilot. Much shorter than collectives usually are. Sometime back in the Dark Ages I flew several times in the front seat of a Cobra. Never got to fly it so I can’t tell you how different the feel of the controls are or how it effects the copilot.