Navigation terms

Ever wonder why left is called PORT and right is called STARBOARD?

Sea navigation was developed centuries back, air navigation comes later so the air navigation terms decent from there.

Back before rudder was invented, the vessel (aka boat) was steered by oar, like most of the sailors are right handed, the oar steers the boat at the right. Starboard comes from old english "steorbord", steor meaning steer and bord meaning board, hence the term come about being starboard.

To prevent steering board being crushed while docking, sailor moor on the left, close to port, hence the term port comes about.

Now, why is Port indicated in red light and Starboard indicated in green light?

We all know Red is commonly mean to caution and signal NO GO, and green means GO.

In the course of collision, to make sure it doesn't happen, the red and green light become traffic lights.

Imagine, the 2 aircrafts come head on, QANTAS n SQ (just for example), QANTAS will see on its left side is green, which is SQ starboard, same goes to SQ, it will see green on the left which is QANTAS starboard, at this time, both aircraft will take green way, bank to the left, clear away from collision course, genius :) (TCAS can solve the problem so not too worry)

Another scenario, SQ bank left and QANTAS bank right, toward each other, in the course of collision, SQ will see green on the upgoing wing, which is starboard of QANTAS, same goes to QANTAS, it will see green on the downgoing wing, which is starboard of SQ, SQ will climb, QANTAS will descent, to the green light, away from collision, fantastic? (once again TCAS is more reliable)

If you ask me aircraft move so fast how to see? Like I said, these terms and rules come from sea navigation, bare with the OLD MEN who started using them on air navigation!

alvin