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Prone pilot

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A prone pilot lies on their stomach rather than seated in a normal upright or reclining position.

During the 1930s, glider designer Reimar Horten began developing a prone position for his flying wing gliders. However it proved uncomfortable and he later settled on a semi-prone arrangement with the knees somewhat lowered.

During World War II it was suggested that a pilot in the prone position might be more effective in some kinds of high-speed aircraft, because it would permit the pilot to withstand a greater g-force in the upward and downward direction with respect to the plane. The fuselage could also be made shallower and therefore have reduced weight and drag. Many speculative designs of the late-war and early postwar periods featured this arrangement, and several prototypes were built or converted to test the idea. However testing revealed difficulties in maintaining a head-up attitude to see forward and in operating some controls. These problems outweighed the advantages and the position was never adopted for high-speed flight.

Many modern hang gliders, developed since the 1960s, typically offer a prone pilot position during flight, with the pilot lowering their legs and standing upright only when taking off or landing.

List of aircraft with prone pilots

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Many hang gliders since the 1960s have allowed the pilot to lie prone in flight. These are not included here.

Type Country Class Role Date Status No. Notes
Akaflieg Berlin B9 Germany
Akaflieg Stuttgart fs17 Germany
Armstrong Whitworth AW.171 UK Supersonic Experimental 1957 Project 0 Never ordered.
Beecraft Wee Bee USA Tractor Private 1948 Prototype 1
Blohm & Voss BV 40 Germany
DFS 228 Germany
DFS Liege-Kranich Germany
Farrar V-1 Flying Wing USA
FMA I.Ae. 37 Argentina
Gloster Meteor F8 "Prone Pilot" UK Jet Experimental 1954 Prototype 1 Conversion of standard aircraft
Guerchais-Roche Émouchet France
Henschel Hs 132 Germany
Horten H.III Germany Glider
Horten H.IV Germany Glider
Horten H.VI Germany Glider
Ikarus 232 Pionr Yugoslavia 1
Ikarus S-451 Yugoslavia Tractor Experimental 1952 Prototype 1 Enlarged 232. First 451 built.
Lamson PL-1 Quark USA
Northrop XP-79 USA Jet Fighter 1945 Prototype 1 Flying wing
Reid and Sigrist R.S.3 Desford UK
Savoia-Marchetti SM.93 Italy
Ultra-Efficient Products Penetrater USA Pusher Ultralight 1985
Wright Flyer USA Pusher Experimental 1903 Prototype 1
Wright Flyer II USA Pusher Experimental 1904 Prototype 1
Wright Flyer III USA Pusher Experimental 1905 Prototype 1 Photos also show the pilot sitting up.

Bibliography

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  • Prizeman, R.; "Getting down to it", Flight, 1953, pp.584 ff. (First page: Internet Archive).