Magni M24 solo from right or left seat?

[DavePA11]

Ran into someone flying Cavalon, and noticed they solo from the right seat. Is this true for M24 and other side by sides? Thanks!

 

[13brv3]

I did some training last fall in an M24 (wonderful craft), and assumed that since I was in the left seat, that was the normal solo position. I checked the manual, and it DOES say the left seat is the main pilots seat.
Rusty

 

[Inquiring Mind]

Ran into someone flying Cavalon, and noticed they solo from the right seat. Is this true for M24 and other side by sides? Thanks!

I did solo on M-24 from left seat, same as during training with instructor.

 

[Abid]

If its a left turning prop, the torque will tend to roll the fuselage right so it would make more sense to do it from left seat

 

[DavePA11]

It was even placard to solo from right seat. I would have thought it would be left seat too. Thanks for the replies!

 

[Tyger]

Any idea of why the Cavalon was placarded as such?
Note that, in the M24, the seats are not strictly side-by-side.

 

[Philbennett]

The two aircraft solo from different sides or at least they do in the UK and I don't imagine this point is country specific.

You solo an M24 from the left seat, a Cavalon from the right.

 

[Andino]

I would think which side is important, to counteract the prop torque.

 

[Tyger]

In this video (mainly about torque roll), CFI Paul Salmon says that having a single pilot on the left in the M24 is not much different, as far as torque roll, to having both seats filled (9:04)

 

[Andino]

The two aircraft solo from different sides or at least they do in the UK and I don't imagine this point is country specific.

You solo an M24 from the left seat, a Cavalon from the right.

I checked the manuals, and you are correct. Odd that the Cavalon specifies right seat solo only, given that the Rotax spins anti-clockwise when viewed from the spinner (producing right torque roll). A Rotax 915 would seem to produce considerable right torque roll during a max power take-off. I wonder why AutoGyro specifies right seat solo?

 

[WaspAir]

Is there a lateral cg range specified in those models?

It's not uncommon to see that for helicopters.

The arm wouldn't be very big with cockpits that narrow.

 

[Andino]

Is there a lateral cg range specified in those models?

It's not uncommon to see that for helicopters.

The arm wouldn't be very big with cockpits that narrow.

Agreed, the lateral CG arm would be short. Still, every little bit helps, and left seat solo in a Rotax machine makes more sense.

 

[ventana7]

The left seat makes more sense as the above posts mention. The Xenons/Trendak were available to be customized as per pilot request and the 12 that I imported to the America's were mostly right seat PIC. I fly mine from the right seat as it allows my right hand which is my dominant hand doing the more precision work of controlling the cyclic.

The gyros I learned in- an RAF and and RAF with the Sparrowhawk mod both had me flying from the left seat but with controls that made it possible to have right hand on cyclic and left on throttle.

The Xenons were only necessary to move the brake handle to change left to right. I also fly a right hand pattern at most airports as helicopters do and as the - open for interpetation - advisory circular makes possible where it says something to the effect of "avoid the flow of fixed wing traffic."

Rob

 

[Philbennett]

I wonder why AutoGyro specifies right seat solo?

Well it makes more sense to be right seat solo because the torque roll element at unstick is trivial in reality and the noise around Rotax 915 is just that, noise. That motor has the most "lovely" characteristics of any motor you'll find in a light aircraft. Of course competency and airmanship are taken as a given. As Sir Barnes Wallis once said "there is no point trying to make things fool proof because the fools are so damn clever"

Re: right seat, a bigger issue is the throttle / stick / pre-rotator / person relationship. If you P1 in a Cavalon sat on the right you have the stick in your right [and for most people the dominant] hand with throttle on the left, which is then means the throttle is centre of the cockpit and isn't snagged getting in and out. If you P1 in an M24 to achieve the same the throttle is now in the door or you operate the stick with the left hand which means for most pre-rotating can be a struggle and the number of people I've seen use two hands and locking the wheel brake is more than 1!

It also helps flying the circuit which are usually left handed and so sat on the right gives better viz ironically as the cabin is quite narrow and now you don't have the A-pillar in the way.

 

[Tyger]

What does P1 mean?

 

[BEN S]

The tech going down range.

 

[BEN S]

Andino, as if to prove my point...
Anti-clockwise...nice.
As for flying from either side. I suppose if its not a mechanical issue and you were watching a CFI fly solo, he would choose the right side as well, that wsy he keeps his training consistant with flying customers.
Also like mentioned above, this puts right hand on stick and left on throttle. The way God intended.

 

[Andino]

Interesting points, Phil, thank you.

Ben,...you're welcome?