joystick on A380, pilot left handed?

it's always been so pilots have to be both-handed. How else could it work? The pilot has throttles on right, co-pilot, left, etc, etc. Should a right-handed pilot only use the right rudder pedal? rob

the point is: joystick is different from yoke handling. I can drive car with left hand, but I cant do it if its a joystick......they must have some training prior to the trasition from yoke to joystick....

nottobe wrote:

the point is: joystick is different from yoke handling. I can drive car with left hand, but I cant do it if its a joystick......they must have some training prior to the trasition from yoke to joystick....

Many of the pilots had considerable experience flying aircraft that you typically control this way, so adapting wouldn't be as big a jump as one might think. And while stick-controlled jets and performance props with sticks are different from yoke-controlled aircraft, the idea is still the same. Even if you fly a Cessna trainer, you'll be making turns and pitch changes with your left hand while controlling the throttle with your right.

As to the 'bus drivers, by the time they've achieved Captain status they have flown quite a variety of aircraft with a variety of control methods. The fly-by-wire technology originated with fighter aircraft, not Airbuscraft, and it's not uncommon for airline pilots to have logged many hours flying fighter jets before entering commercial flight. Also, they get a lot of practice flying left seat and right in the full-motion simulators which prepare them for flying in their actual cockpit, where the two pilots may actually switch seats on the return leg.

After blowing all that hot air I should point out that being an airline pilot (in any modern jetliner, especially an Airbus and most certainly in the A380) is more of a programming job anyway. How much time on an actual flight with no failures do you think the pilots would really have their hands on the joystick?

About the lack of hands on flying, that sure is true. However, provides some interesting insight into the "programmer's" actual flight time. I didn't realize that plenty of captains (when possible) hand flight to cruise altitude and beyond at times.

originalgrunge wrote:

About the lack of hands on flying, that sure is true. However, provides some interesting insight into the "programmer's" actual flight time. I didn't realize that plenty of captains (when possible) hand flight to cruise altitude and beyond at times.

That's certainly a good point as well as a great link. These Captains are not only expert pilots who are capable of hand flying these incredible aircraft, but they also are masters at hand's off flight programming as well. And like I mentioned before, many of them have fighter jet experience. I know plenty of them are also avid GA enthuisasts as well! Talk about amazing individuals!

WOW flying a massive jet to cruise that must take a lot of musle work 😳 but the landing manualy must be great fun 😀

The whole thing about pilots having to be left handed to fly left handed side sticks is ridiculous. I fly a Piper Cherokee with my left hand on the yoke and my right on the throttle..im right handed. it works great. i fly a sailplane with my right hand on the stick and my left hand does the spoilers. That also works. It is a natural thing.

hey what do you got agaisnt left handers. naw i just kidding ya. im left handed so i guess it would be easy for me to fly buses.