
By LZ791
Earlier this summer I flew a local sortie with a recently qualified PPL. I had planned to fly on my own and at the last minute invited Jim (not his real name) to accompany me in the right seat.
A lovely summers day with superb vis what more could one ask for.

The flight to another airfield took us around 35 minutes we stayed for a while and took in the atmosphere and chatted with other aviators.

Jim I knew was keen to fly the PA 28 he had flown it previously for around three hours. I let him do the take off from the RH seat and monitored his take off and general performance, all looked fine.
Approaching home base we made an overhead join then joined the circuit dead side making standard radio calls.

Late downwind with pre landing checks completed we turned base. To my horror I saw the carb heat off and mixture fully leaned yet the engine was still running. Instantly correcting the error I called I have control and continued with the approach to an uneventful landing. JIm was so apologetic could no understand how he had made the mistake, I kicked myself for not monitoring every aspect of his flying there could have been dire consequences.

Later that day I flew again solo this time and climbed to 4000 ft. Out of curiosity I bought the mixture back as Jim had earlier and instantly the engine started to splutter before regaining full power with mixture back to full rich. I consider us both very lucky and can only assume flying from the right seat caused Jim confusion - lesson learnt
By riverrock
Very easy to get controls mixed up when something is different - and the pilot can get confirmation bias (a small drop in power as the mixture is leaned rather than a small drop when carb heat is turned on...
I've caught myself about to change the "Rudder Trim" in a C172 - by changing the fuel selector - as I had recently been in an aircraft with the rudder trim in the same location (felt wrong do I didn't move the knob!). I've also turned off the electrics by pulling the wrong plunger (instead of turning on carb heat) in a DR400 during power checks on the ground, as the carb heat plunger is on the other side (compared to a PA28). So could happen to anyone!
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By Lee Savell
Having been on the flight deck with commercial guys, it was apparent they verbally communicate/confirm every process/change they follow.

Would this not be something to consider in the GA world when flying with another qualified pilot?

Just a thought out loud really, would it have reduced the likelihood of this situation happening?
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By Rob P
Anyone care to guess what I did on short final for Tibenham the other week? This with nearly fifty hours time on the aircraft.

Needless to say one of the switches will be changed

Rob P
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By Lee Savell
Whoops, bet that was a shock!

Could do with a race car style lift up flap/cover for the master.
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By Jim Jones
I still have to concentrate hard regarding aircraft switches that operate the other way round to every other switch in this country.
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By Paul_Sengupta
There's no big deal switching the master off.

But you do get a bit of a fright when you forget it's off, check the fuel gauges out of habit, and they're both reading empty... :shock:

Makes flap selection a bit awkward on an aeroplane with electric flaps too.
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By Gertie
I've almost always flown aircraft with the left hand for the joke and the right hand for the throttle.

So one day I'm having a go in something which needs the left hand for the throttle and the right hand for the stick. All went fine until stalling practice ... out of habit I starting shoving the left hand a little way forward and the right hand fully forward ... I caught it very quickly, and the instructor didn't actually say anything, but I'm sure he knew what had happened.

(And I am never, ever, going to get into a weight-shift microlight.)
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By Rob P
Paul_Sengupta wrote:There's no big deal switching the master off.

Except where the ASI you are monitoring is the top left hand corner of a stupid screen instead of a sensible dial.

Rob P
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By Paul_Sengupta
Rob P wrote:Except where the ASI you are monitoring is the top left hand corner of a stupid screen instead of a sensible dial

Ah, yes, the perils of modernity.

Back in my day...
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By townleyc
Gertie wrote:I've almost always flown aircraft with the left hand for the joke and the right hand for the throttle.

Gertie, I presume you prefer a stick then...