Question: I know there are some aircraft that are to be soloed from the rear seat only, but is there a rule about which seat a solo pilot occupies in a side-by-side airplane? The flight school I am renting from has a line in the rental agreement that stipulates “solo flight from left seat only,” but I can’t find it in the FAR/AIM.
Answer: There is no FAR that stipulates which seat a pilot should or must occupy when flying solo in a side-by-side airplane.
However, in many airplanes the ignition and master switch are on the left side, and if they are equipped with round dials and a post-1967 panel, the instruments are set up for the benefit of the person in the left seat. So it makes sense to fly from the left cockpit seat.
This rule at the flight school was likely created after a pilot who was not familiar with the sight picture and operation from the right side of the aircraft decided to try solo flight from the right seat—and it led to an accident or incident. As a precaution, the flight school made it a rule and called it to the attention of renters to prevent it from happening again.
As CFI candidates learn, it takes a few hours to become familiar and comfortable with operations from the right seat. The sight picture is different, and there is that awkward have-to-reach-across-to-get-to-the-ignition/primer/master thing.
As far as solo from the aft seat, that is usually dictated by the aircraft’s center of gravity.
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