JapanFlyer, I think it makes most sense for the right hand to be controlling the more critical of controls since most people are right handed. For this reason I think that almost all single seat or tandem seat planes and helicopters have the yoke on the right (or middle for right hand use) and throttle on the left. As to why the captain in an airplane sits on the left? I have no real clue. Maybe he was never meant to fly the plane... more just process the flight engineers comments, monitor all the vitals and direct the co-pilot where to go. Or maybe back when controls were much heavier, the Captain would need both hands on the wheel and throttle was controlled by the co-pilot with his left while his right hand was free to help out. Who knows?