Why Are Doors on the Right?

[Jeff_S]

Here's an interesting question posed to me yesterday. I was telling my brother how the new Mooneys will have a door on each side, and being the ever-inquisitive attorney that he is, he said "why do the single door planes have the door on the right?" I seemed to recall from somewhere in the recesses of my brain that the Bonanza was the first one to popularize this, and Piper and Mooney (and others) just followed. It's easy to understand that a single door saves weight, but the question is why on the right instead of the left? If you think about it, the left would make more sense, allowing everyone else to get in before the pilot.

So all you historians out there, do you know WHY the door has been on the right? Safety reason? Something else?

Enquiring minds want to know...

[Hank]

Champs and Cubs had the door on the right long before Beech was incorporated. I'd guess it dates to the early enclosed cockpits, it worked so everyone else followed suit. 

My guess:  right hand on stick, since most people are right handed. This put the throttle on the left. The door went on the right because the throttle was in the way. With tandem seating, it just didn't matter. 

But I'm only guessing here. . . .

Edited February 25, 2016 by Hank

[MyNameIsNobody]

Hank, Spock says "Logical"...Probably a Bingo.

[neilpilot]

Logically, wouldn't you want the pilot on board before the passengers?  If passengers were to pre-board, it's more likely that they could alter panel configuration or flight controls before the pilot was present.

[ArtVandelay]

Because the Captain should be last to leave the plane and insure others get out before he leaves. So no door needed.

[DAVIDWH]

Not sure about aircraft, but U.S. and Japanese cars have fuel caps on left while German cars are on the right.

German designers were a bit afraid of drivers trying to re-fuel an empty tank while standing on the Autobahn. I have driven that crazy road and I understand why.

Anyway, I think the Chevrolet of the sky, C-172, got it right with two doors.

Now headed to airport to do the Mooney crawl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NNNNNlet me go do my Mooney crawl.

[N201MKTurbo]

It makes the pilot (owner with the money) more comfortable. You don't have to deal with the door latch or all that air blowing on you from leaky door seals.

[Piloto]

The last person to get in the plane is the one that hand propped it, while the pilot was holding on the brakes and engine controls.

José

[chrisk]

26 minutes ago, Piloto said:

The last person to get in the plane is the one that hand propped it, while the pilot was holding on the brakes and engine controls.

José

Now this sounds like a viable possibility to me!

[Htwjr]

Because that is where the step and the wing walk surface are.

[47U]

On February 25, 2016 at 7:55 AM, Htwjr said:

Because that is where the step and the wing walk surface are.

To build on that, where would the step crank go if there were a door there?

Perhaps not recommended... but I'm sure many of us have done it.  At enroute stops pax can deplane/enplane with the engine running with the door on the right side with the pilot in control of the aircraft from the left seat.

[bonal]

Because its not on the left remember its a right hand world

[M20F]

1 hour ago, 47U said:

To build on that, where would the step crank go if there were a door there?

You need to step up to the Executive and enjoy a self retracting step and a cigar lighter.

[bonal]

you climb onto the wing walk and you have to insert the key and open the latch having the door on the right makes this easier to do with your right hand otherwise if it were on the left side and you were a completely un coordinated left hand person you would be off the front of the wing by the time you reached across to access the lock with your right hand

[47U]

24 minutes ago, M20F said:

You need to step up to the Executive and enjoy a self retracting step and a cigar lighter.

I've got the cigar lighter.  My voltmeter is plugged into it, along with all the usb peripherals.

A longer body would be nice from time to time, though.  Luckily, at only 48 gallons, the rear pax are ready to get out and stretch their legs by the time we stop for gas.

[Piloto]

1 hour ago, bonal said:

you climb onto the wing walk and you have to insert the key and open the latch having the door on the right makes this easier to do with your right hand otherwise if it were on the left side and you were a completely un coordinated left hand person you would be off the front of the wing by the time you reached across to access the lock with your right hand

Unless you are in the UK how do you get into your car?

José

[bonal]

11 minutes ago, Piloto said:

Unless you are in the UK how do you get into your car?

José

When standing on the ground next to a cars door you have ample space to position yourself as needed the wing walk is a rather small space that does not allow for much variation in terms of body position relative to the lock and latch. next time you are standing on the walk in front of the door try doing this with your left hand and see how it goes. then use your right and see how much better the ergonomics work out.  As a lefty I always reach the lock standing on the ground in front of the wing unlock and pop open the door using my right side brain left handed approach. same reason the handle is on the left side of the toilet cause most people operate their Johnson bar with the right hand.

[kortopates]

The last person to get in the plane is the one that hand propped it, while the pilot was holding on the brakes and engine controls.

José

Sounds good but any hand propping is done by the pilot; not a untrained pax - I hope. It's probably best the vast majority of pilots won't try it either these days. But I realize you are referring to long ago.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Yetti]

Because in Texas the person in the right seat (shotgun) has to open the gates

[DonMuncy]

1 hour ago, Yetti said:

Because in Texas the person in the right seat (shotgun) has to open the gates

Yetti,

What do you think is the percentage of people on MS have ever had to get out to open a gate (or a gap if you are from east Texas).

[Hank]

I've done my share, but never in Tejas . . .

[Mark89114]

Because in the old days Acme airplane hinge company made too many right hand hinges and it became a tradition from there on.....

[M20F]

On 2/27/2016 at 7:29 PM, DonMuncy said:

Yetti,

What do you think is the percentage of people on MS have ever had to get out to open a gate (or a gap if you are from east Texas).

We are more innovative in North Dakota, gates are for suckers!

 

[Hank]

But cattle guards are expensive! A gate only requires one extra fence post, cut off at ground level, to attach the barbed wire to, and two loops of wire around the far fence post. Fancy gates are metal,mouth hinges, latches, etc. really fancy pastures have cattle guards.

[M20F]

3 minutes ago, Hank said:

But cattle guards are expensive! A gate only requires one extra fence post, cut off at ground level, to attach the barbed wire to, and two loops of wire around the far fence post. Fancy gates are metal,mouth hinges, latches, etc. really fancy pastures have cattle guards.

Unlike Texas we have oil money 

It also isn't exactly fun getting out of a nice warm tractor cab at -30F with a 60 knot wind to open a gate...