So I'm preparing for my CFII, (which will be my initial FI test), and I'm having a difficult time getting "comfortable" in the R seat. Every flight I take I always sit in the R seat, and while I can fly from there and everything is ok, I didn't realize just how much more comfortable I am in the L seat until yesterday.

Yesterday I had to fly from Orlando to Lantana and the weather was not so good. For this reason I decided to fly from the L seat for the first time in about 3 months. Even with the weather, instantly I was more comfortable, and the whole flight was just so much more relaxed for me from that seat. It had been so long I didn't even realize how much higher my comfort level from the L seat is than the R until I did that flight and had a point of recent reference to contrast the two.

Any tips on how I can gain this same level of comfort from the R seat as I have in the L? I've got a good amount of R seat time (maybe 15 hours now as PIC flying pilot + another 50 or so from R seat not flying) so I feel like I'm having a harder time with the transition than most.

Any tips?

After 50 hours you should be getting the hang of it.

But after 5 years and 4000 hours as a regional FO, most folks have trouble going back to L seat for upgrade. Maybe you'll be a natural.

What he said.

More time in the R seat. If there's something specific, there are probably some good suggestions on this board, but otherwise, you got to rely on the basics and not your "instincts" IME. I've always switched out fairly frequently in a variety of aircraft. When I get "lazy" and operate more on instinct, that's when my performance is worse. Eventually enough time in one side gets me back into "instinct-mode" and my performance is great without thinking so much, but I'm always trying to avoid that when I switch and that's what makes it work for me.

I agree, just more time and experience and landings. Eventually you will build muscle memory.

Few if any trainer aircraft are meant to be flown from the right seat, which is undoubtedly part of the issue. You are seeing with a large amount of parallax if you can see an entire instrument and its markings at all, plus the poor ergonomics and distance involved. You will adapt eventually, but I would not feel any personal stress about it, maybe you are slower than the others but you'll get used to it.

Try setting up a desktop simulator, sit to the right side and fly that a while. Another trick is to find things on instruments to use as markers instead of trying to actually read the numbers. If at 75 knots there is a post light through your line of sight, use the post light. Another idea, take some pictures of the panel from your head location and see what you can find to help in terms of viewing angle.

Thanks for the tips folks.... I especially like the tip from Cubdriver about the markers on instruments. I did a flight today IFR from North County F45 to Boca KBCT, Pompano KPMP, then back to North County. RNAV 05 BCT, LOC PMP, Full ILS with procedure turn and published missed F45.

Felt comfortable, & I think passable for a checkride, but I still know my performance would have been better in the L seat... I just can't see the damn HSI very well from the R side so it's difficult to read the headings. What I was doing was leaning way over, setting the bug, then using the bug. It was just a bit cumbersome on an approach with shifting winds...

On landing, I have no problem with the flare from the R seat, but I still have to force myself to keep the nose from pointing too far to the Right.. That is getting easier, but I think the instrument stuff will never be fully comfortable from the R seat just because I can't read the DG/HSI & Attitude Indicator well..

No trouble reading the Altimiter, VSI, Airspeed, or TC though..

Anybody in S Fla want to be a safety pilot for me tomorrow?

LOL

That "damn HSI", eh??

I could be wrong, but it sure seems like you have no appreciation for just how easy you have it with that "damn HSI".

Gonna be real interesting when you try to instruct a client who comes to you with his/her own plane that doesn't have an HSI, for sure. Here's hoping you don't try to do that in actual IMC.

I do appreciate the HSI. I was simply expressing frustration about not being able to read it easily because of the angle from the R seat.

Having said that, I don't really find a standard VOR/LOC presentation to be any more difficult than an HSI.

I fly a variety of aircraft. The one I used today happens to have an HSI.

I am comfortable with or without the HSI, and in 6-pack or G-1000 TAA.

Thanks.

I apologize. I didn't notice your name was Jimmy Doolittle, father of IFR.



Yeah.

Get your CFI and instruct a little while before getting/instructing as a CFII.

But I know you will ignore this, and that actually makes me happy because I know what's going to happen.