Any Lefties with learning difficulties.

[turboplanner]

I've never wiped my bum with either hand......I prefer to wipe it with paper..Alan.

I always remember the scene with Alf Garnett sitting in the outside dunny and fuming with the unfairness of living standards during the war. He reaches round and up comes the face of Hitler on the newspaper square.......and a big smile spreads across his face.

 

 

[facthunter]

I think there are degrees of preferred hand. Most of us here drive RH drive cars. Sitting in the command seat of the normal side by side aircraft is LH.

 

I'm RH dominant.. I doubt it could write LH and be readable, but I type two hands. Over the years I've swapped seats all manner of controls. You have to. I don't really care which seat I sit in. ( Unless it affects the pay). I have seen people swap seats and not do well where a control movement is required to be quick and automatic . I think you would get the same effect going from 3 axis to weightshift, or reverse.

 

Sometimes it might be more of a "comfort zone" thing. People get used to something and don't want change. I accept that some will have more difficulty here than others.

 

In the past left handed people got a raw deal. They were forced to conform and considered "wrong".

 

Try four throttles in your left hand for a RH person or vice versa. when they are not just moved in unison. You just have to do it.. Anyhow I played classic music on a piano. Everyone uses two hands there, so perhaps it is training. Not sure I'm much help. Nev

 

 

[Phil Perry]

I am left handed. I do everything left handed except for the odd thing that was either forced on me or I trained myself to do for one reason or another.

Interesting post Geoff,. . .a couple of my friends have exactly the same thoughts as you, (although not flying Jabs) being left handed and using centre stick controls.

 

Lot's of interesting posts following yours, all very interesting too. The human brain has the ability to do some really useful things regarding bodily motor functions, and I have read a few stories about this very subject. One came up on wednaesday this week, when "Hutchy" won the 600 race on the Isle of man ( TT ) and he had suffered a really terrible left leg injury in a previous smash up, so that he was incapable of using his left foot to operate the gear change on bikes.

 

Someone asked him if he thought he could switch to his RIGHT foot to accomplish this, and his initial reaction was "don't be bloody stupid" . . .rapid gear change on a racing bike is more instinct at the speeds they travel at. . .but in the end. he had a bike modified and practiced and practiced,. . .to the point where he was able to re-engage in competition riding. I've just got back to the shack, and haave not spoken to Brothr Graham ( on the Island) or looked at any newsfeeds as I want to watch the final senior superbike tonight at nine PM. . . don't want to see the result beforehand ! I'll be interested to see how he's done, as the wednesday race was his third victory in the festival,. . .be great if he pulled a podium slot on today's race. . . .

 

So I'd suggest just keep at it mate,. . .it will almost certainly come naturally after a short while, if I can do it ANYBODY can. . .being a natural "Thicko" it took me quite a while to get comfortable when having to switch between right / left throttles in aircraft with sticks then yokes. . . and finally, in the early eighties, flexwing bar control, with opposite foot steering as well. . . . Keep at it Sir.

 

 

[Marty_d]

...so I don't have to keep playing with the passengers leg. I think now she will fit me even better.

I can use either hands (with the stick between the legs)

 

 

[Geoff13]

I am glad someone got it

 

 

[Blenners06]

GeoffNothing like hot spent shells to get you to change sides. Interesting I'm right handed with one handed things (eg writing) and left handed with all things two handed (eg cricket) I learned to fly GA so left hand on the control column and own a Jab (centre stick) so right handed control I found it a little difficult initially when changing to the Jab but now it comes as second nature and I swap from the Jab to GA on a regular basis and it just happens as with all things keep doing it and it will become second nature.

 

Aldo

I am the same as Aldo. I'm right handed for writing but everything else I do left handed (Hold a pool stick, bow hunt, shoot and even kick a ball left footed). My first lessons in the Gazelle felt weird as well having to control stick with left hand and do the throttle with my right (Holding stick with my right feels better). I've noticed some Jabs have a yoke and throttle on the left. Why is it that there is no standard for aircraft configuration?? (Like a car does).

 

 

[Butch]

same here, fly left hand on the stick, right hand throttle. but I am right handed.

Me too !

 

I find it smoother to use my left hand.....no over control on the stick and good control of throttle with the right hand.

 

When I asked my instructor which hand should I use he said it was my choice but left hand is the most common way to fly in GA.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Me too !I find it smoother to use my left hand.....no over control on the stick and good control of throttle with the right hand.

When I asked my instructor which hand should I use he said it was my choice but left hand is the most common way to fly in GA.

Well, that is true for some GA types Butch, but what about aircraft like the Bellanca Citabria, and Aeronca Champ, where the throttle and trim are on the left cockpit wall, as is the old Tiger Moth and a few other older aircraft. Then the right hand on the stick is rather important. . . aircraft types do vary, and it's nice if you can, to fly various types, so that whatever you sit in, you can adapt to with no real fuss. Austers are quite popular in OZ, and a lot of these have a centrally mounted vernier throttle on the panel centre,. . viz left hand on stick . . .

 

But with Austers of most marques, you have to change hands on the stick to slide the left window back to throw your spent fags out of the window. . . .( Not in the bushfire season BTW ) C-150/152/172/ 180 /182 in fact most of them . . . are left hand yokers / right hand throttle. . .because the engine primary noise control is mounted in the middle of the lower panel, next to the mixture knob, propeller control and dangling dunlop lever usually left of the throttle ( this one is easily recognised by it's "Wheel "shaped knob, designed for uneducated Americans) make sure this is selected in the down position ON THE DOWNWIND LEG before landing, to preclude objectionable graunching noises shortly after you flare. . .)

 

Some aircraft have the flap control on an electric switch on the panel,. ( Cessna ) some have a car style handbrake lever between the seats, a la PA28 etc. . . Auster flaps are a pull down lever over your head on the left side, bit like a Foxbat flap lever. . .( yes,. . .I know,. . .it's in the middle ) etc. . . It all makes for a very interesting cornucopia of things to do when you're bored with life on the ground. . . . .If you really believe that you are laterally incontinent, then there's nowt to prevent you from flying in the right hand seat, providing there's some wheel braking control over there, but don't try this if you're doing instrument flying, as most of the bloody clocks will be on the passenger's side. . .and that's a bugger if you should "inadvertantly" end up in cloud. . . .and CERTAINLY don't do it in a taildragger. . . .unless you are an instructor with lots of faith in your student, and / or loads of spare money . . .

 

Happy ambidextrousness. . . . .

 

Phil

 

 

[robinsm]

Lightwing fly right handed, throttle on the left.

 

 

[facthunter]

The Auster would have to be one of the worst in this respect. Swap hands on the stick, and move the flap a couple of times when on final. My advice in all this is don't let it bother you too much, or get into a situation where the shortcomings are critical. Nev

 

 

[Butch]

Well, that is true for some GA types Butch, but what about aircraft like the Bellanca Citabria, and Aeronca Champ, where the throttle and trim are on the left cockpit wall, as is the old Tiger Moth and a few other older aircraft. Then the right hand on the stick is rather important. . . aircraft types do vary, and it's nice if you can, to fly various types, so that whatever you sit in, you can adapt to with no real fuss. Austers are quite popular in OZ, and a lot of these have a centrally mounted vernier throttle on the panel centre,. . viz left hand on stick . . .

Hi Phil,

 

I'm only a low hour RAA pilot with experience on 2 types ( both stick, right hand throttle and one with centre hand brake)

 

I've done a lot of work with machinery ( backhoes, skid steer, dozers and all sorts of farm machines) , you have to be able to adapt quickly to the machine you are working at the time using both hands and feet simultaneously.

 

Maybe it's more mind over matter in an aircraft, it's always in the back of your mind that if you turn the wrong knob or push a lever the wrong way it could end in tears !

 

Having had my share of F--k ups with machines over the years due to lack of concentration it makes me twice as careful when I fly and tend to check twice do it once ( the old measure twice cut once trick).

 

cheers Butch

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Hi Phil,I'm only a low hour RAA pilot with experience on 2 types ( both stick, right hand throttle and one with centre hand brake)

I've done a lot of work with machinery ( backhoes, skid steer, dozers and all sorts of farm machines) , you have to be able to adapt quickly to the machine you are working at the time using both hands and feet simultaneously.

 

Maybe it's more mind over matter in an aircraft, it's always in the back of your mind that if you turn the wrong knob or push a lever the wrong way it could end in tears !

 

Having had my share of F--k ups with machines over the years due to lack of concentration it makes me twice as careful when I fly and tend to check twice do it once ( the old measure twice cut once trick).

 

cheers Butch

I wasn't for one minute suggesting that folks have a go at every different control configuration BTW,. . ! that could be expensive. But I've found after many years flying lots of different ones that I seem to be easily able to fly ALL of them badly without any difficulty mate.

 

Phil