Why do we board airliners from the left?

[pmccarthy]

My morning newspaper today tells me why we board aircraft from the left. It is a naval tradition, they say, because the Greek and Phoenician triremes had a steering oar on the right, or steer-board side, so had to pull up to the dock on the left, or port, side. A nice story, but complete BS.

 

My reading of early aviation books tells me this: aircraft with rotary engines such as the Clerget suffered precessional yaw that made it difficult to turn right during rotation and takeoff. The preferred turn after takeoff was to the left. This meant that circuit patterns, even on all-over fields, were to the left. When side-by-side seating came along, the pilot sat on the left for a clear view into the turn and of the circuit. When airliners came along, the entry door was on the left so that the pilot could monitor boarding and confirm the door was closed.

 

So there!

[cherk]

???  dock on the left, or port, side. ???🙃

steer-board / larboard...left ___starboard...right !😊

[RossK]

4 hours ago, pmccarthy said:

My morning newspaper today tells me why we board aircraft from the left. It is a naval tradition, they say, because the Greek and Phoenician triremes had a steering oar on the right, or steer-board side, so had to pull up to the dock on the left, or port, side. A nice story, but complete BS

Not sure about the relation to aviation, but the naval stuff is correct. Steerboard became Starboard (right) and Port, well Port (left)

They would never dock steerboard side to the dock as damage to the steerboard was highly likely.

Other note, the word "Posh" is alleged to come from sea travel to Africa. Wealthy travellers would book a P.O.S.H. Cabin ticket.

Portside Out  - Starboad Home. The idea being they could see land out their cabin window on both trips.

Edited November 1, 2022 by RossK

[facthunter]

With Aerobridges almost universal they are always near the command seat (LHS). I think it was traditional from very early when most planes had one pilot.  Ground power and airconditioning units are kept away from passengers on the other side and also Cargo and catering.  Nev

[onetrack]

It's because you always mount horses from the left. Aircraft are just a further transport progression from horses.

 

Why did they mount horses from the left? Because the cavalrymen carried their swords on their left, and you don't want to swing a sword attached to your waist, up and over your horse, with it smacking into the horses side - it could make the horse bolt.

 

So, by progression, pilots are merely sword-carrying cavalrymen riding their steeds into the sky! I rest my case, M'Lud!

[spacesailor]

Until the French dictator desided to go against tradition . Him being LEFT-HANDED .

spacesailor

[facthunter]

Born with a Curse in those days. Nev

[cherk]

3 hours ago, cherk said:

???  dock on the left, or port, side. ???🙃

steer-board / larboard...left ...port ...loadside___starboard...right !😊

 

[red750]

Which begs the question, then, why low winged GA aircraft generally board from the right? Aircraft like the Beechcraft Musketeer, Bonanza, Baron, Piper Warrior, Arrow, Mooney, etc. Yes, there are some variants with a door each side, but even the Beech Model 36 and Baron have the rear seat doors on the right.

 

 

[facthunter]

To enable people and stuff to get out before the pilot does. Better to have 2 doors in case there's a fire on that side. nev

[facthunter]

I don't like flying any of that stuff which has only 1 front door. Includes Mooney Beech Piper.   Nev

[kiwiaviator]

We used to board the RNZAF B727's from the rear. The airstairs also found favour for leaping out at altitude with large amounts of cash.

 

Edited November 2, 2022 by kiwiaviator
low quality photo

[kgwilson]

When taking a pretty young thing for a joyflight the only aircraft to use is a PA28 or other righty door variant as the view after being seated and assisting her in was often something to behold.

[red750]

That now qualifies as indecent assault, kgw.

 

 

 

 

[Kiwi]

9 hours ago, red750 said:

Which begs the question, then, why low winged GA aircraft generally board from the right? Aircraft like the Beechcraft Musketeer, Bonanza, Baron, Piper Warrior, Arrow, Mooney, etc. Yes, there are some variants with a door each side, but even the Beech Model 36 and Baron have the rear seat doors on the right.

 

 

Recently I asked the question about the door on the right side of the Pipers. On the Cub it needed to be on the right side so when you prop started it you could reach in to adjust the throttle. 
When the PA-28 was designed the door was put on the right side because they had always put the door on the right side of the aircraft.

[BrendAn]

11 hours ago, RossK said:

Not sure about the relation to aviation, but the naval stuff is correct. Steerboard became Starboard (right) and Port, well Port (left)

They would never dock steerboard side to the dock as damage to the steerboard was highly likely.

Other note, the word "Posh" is alleged to come from sea travel to Africa. Wealthy travellers would book a P.O.S.H. Cabin ticket.

Portside Out  - Starboad Home. The idea being they could see land out their cabin window on both trips.

what about s.h.i.t.      ship high in transit.  

[onetrack]

BrendAn, that is not true, and it's called a false etymology ...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_false_etymologies_of_English_words#:~:text=Shit%3A The word "shit",is of Proto-Germanic origin.

[pmccarthy]

In German it is scheissen. The gold rush miners used to call an unsuccessful hole a scheisser, later spelled shicer, because it still had one use.

[BrendAn]

8 hours ago, onetrack said:

BrendAn, that is not true, and it's called a false etymology ...

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_false_etymologies_of_English_words#:~:text=Shit%3A The word "shit",is of Proto-Germanic origin.

It makes sense. That Wikipedia story doesn't. They don't even have an example of the words history. 

I will stick with what I know .

[BrendAn]

5 minutes ago, BrendAn said:

It makes sense. That Wikipedia story doesn't. They don't even have an example of the words history. 

I will stick with what I know .

I take it back o t. I just read a few more articles and realised I have been wrong for years. Bugger.

[facthunter]

Humble Pie is not fattening.  To err is human . To forgive,  Divine. Now....err... back to topic.  Nev

[onetrack]

The use of the word "transit", used to describe transportation, can only be traced back to its first recorded use in 1873.

 

The word was not ever used in shipping from earlier centuries, as the chain emails and urban legends would have us believe. So, it's not possible that cargo on a ship was marked with the word "transit" before the 19th century.

 

However, the word "transit" was in use in astronomy from the 1680's. "Transit" only started to become applied to transportation, once railways started to dominate the transportation scene in the late 1800's.

[Flightrite]

None of the big stuff I drove the CMD’er was able to confirm the door was closed! That was the trolley Dollie’s job😉

 

[spacesailor]

A lot of remarks on the English language! .

BUT

Who named the little isle , off the French coast , i,m sure the Vikings, ,Normans, Saxons, Dutch, & Romans .

Didn,t call it England .

spacesailor

[facthunter]

They had a different ANGLE on it... Nev