# How difficult for left handers to fly side stick planes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 13, 2016, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609 "2016-12-13T14:10:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/21 "2016-12-14T16:11:54Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > In WWII days with unboosted controls it was common that pilots could roll right more readily than left. Most people have stronger biceps than triceps. Not an issue since the 1950s with powered controls. In a high powered prop plane (or a low powered one with a very light construction) you would have torque to deal with, making it easier to turn to one side vs. the other. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/22 "2016-12-14T16:30:14Z")
For sure. Although even by WWII fighters had rudder and aileron trim. Not that they’d be adjusted perfectly, nor that you’d fiddle with them while fighting. But you’d generally want 3-axis hands-off flying at a typical fighting speed and power setting. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/23 "2016-12-15T00:17:10Z")
I’ll just point out that there have been 1-armed pilots flying fairly substantial aircraft. Not military fighters, but it is possible to manage many aircraft with just one working arm/hand. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/24 "2016-12-15T00:24:07Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > 1. Helos are different in that they have two sticks for each seat, each festooned with buttons and switches. Each pilot has a cyclic stick centered in front of them and a combined collective stick & throttle system alongside on the left side of the seat. So akin to the 2a) arrangement above, but more complicated. Patting your head, rubbing your tummy, walking, chewing gum, holding a phone to your head with your scrunched up shoulder, and juggling tennis balls all at once is what helo pilots call “taking a relaxing break from flying” Them dudes be weird. 😃 When I walked into the hangar to sign up to learn to fly helicopters, Jack the owner/instructor said, ‘You can’t fly helicopters unless you can juggle.’ So I picked up the three juggling balls that were on his desk, and juggled them. He said, ‘OK.’ Personally, I see it this way: Helicopters are to airplanes as motorcycles are to cars. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/25 "2016-12-15T04:49:08Z")
which is a funny thing to say, Johnny, to me anyhow. I’ve always been told that motorcycle riders make better helicopter pilots, learn it faster or better or something I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/26 "2016-12-15T05:01:17Z")
Some people would say that motorcyclists and helicopter pilots are completely mental. ‘Me, crazy? _You’re_ the one flying with me!’ ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2016, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/27 "2016-12-15T09:11:05Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > For sure. Although even by WWII fighters had rudder and aileron trim. Not that they’d be adjusted perfectly, nor that you’d fiddle with them while fighting. > > But you’d generally want 3-axis hands-off flying at a typical fighting speed and power setting. There were untrimmed fighter aircraft in use at the start of WWII. I’m not sure that trim would correctly counter tourque steer in early planes? It’s intended to balance the plane in level flight, I’m not sure it always completely cancled engine torque in turns? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/28 "2016-12-17T17:00:15Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > … > I flew a couple of airplanes where there was a throttle lever on both sides, so you could choose with hand to use the stick and which to use the throttle as you preferred, or as the whim took you during a flight. > … > [@GusNSpot](#): > > There are planes with a center stick and have engine controls on the left or right. > … Not disputing either of you, but I’d be curious to learn which specific makes and models had/have a cockpit just one person wide with the throttle(s) on the right or on both sides. My days of peering longingly into any oddball aircraft I found tied down are decades ago now. And wandering aimlessly around a GA airport nowadays will get one arrested. But IIRC I’ve never seen or heard of this arrangement. What’s got it? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/29 "2016-12-17T17:50:45Z")
Seems I have seen several but the only one I can remember for sure was an early Pitts that was built by a guy who had it at Harvey Young in Tulsa. ( controls on the right ) So being a home built, most may not count that?? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/30 "2016-12-19T17:56:59Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > Most people in England are right-handed and have no problem driving a car with a stick shift (using their left hand). This. It doesn’t even really occur to me that I’m using my “non-dominant” hand to change gear. Same with guitars - I’ve always found it odd that the seemingly more “technical” part (making the chord shapes) is done with the weaker hand, while the mindless strumming is done with the dominant hand. But then I don’t play the guitar 😃 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/31 "2016-12-19T19:30:03Z")
I’ve seen lefties play guitar upside down. Which really seems like doing it the hard way. Going to extra effort to make sure your non-dominant hand does the hard part when for once life would be easier for a leftie if they did it the standard way. I guess “doing it wrong” is a hard habit to break. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2016, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609/32 "2016-12-20T13:08:37Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Not disputing either of you, but I’d be curious to learn which specific makes and models had/have a cockpit just one person wide with the throttle(s) on the right or on both sides. My days of peering longingly into any oddball aircraft I found tied down are decades ago now. And wandering aimlessly around a GA airport nowadays will get one arrested. > > But IIRC I’ve never seen or heard of this arrangement. What’s got it? To my best recollection (it’s been over 10 years now!) the Max-Air Drifter I flew had both a left and a right throttle to go with the center stick. Homebuilt, so not sure if that was an original feature or an owner/builder modification. Like Gus, I’ve seen it on homebuilts, usually ones without in-flight adjustable trim so you can get tired holding the stick steady and being able to switch hands and give one a rest is a pretty nice feature. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-difficult-for-left-handers-to-fly-side-stick-planes/774609.md?page=1)