I post this 8 minute video with the hopes others can share tips on
what they do to make first time passengers comfortable on their first
flight. Comments here or in the video most appreciated.

Video starts with me explaining the process from startup, to runup,
take off, cruise and landing trying to keep things in "English" Video
also includes in-flight reactions from the passenger.

Couple of things to note about the passenger. She is not a roller
coaster ride and doen't like heights. Because of this, I modified my
flying to half standard rate turns whenever possible and a steeper
then normal approach to not feel so close to the tree tops on short
final.

Interestingly enough, the camera doesn't show the "bouncing" but that
was due to me putting in flaps and transitioning from 10 knots winds
aloft to calm on the ground. Rather then explain "wind-shear", I just
blamed it on the smog: We had very, very minimal turbulence, something
seasoned GA passengers wouldn't think about but looking at her, she
was kinda getting green around the gills.

Video also includes intercom and ATC communications with a
"sightseeing request" from me to fly over my house.

While not her favorite thing she has done in life, she was ok with
it. Given a "goal" to go to New Orleans, I think she would go, but to
go boring holes in the sky, I don't think I will see her in the right
seat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfDNuuakA5o

In article
>,
" > wrote:

> I post this 8 minute video with the hopes others can share tips on
> what they do to make first time passengers comfortable on their first
> flight. Comments here or in the video most appreciated.

From watching the video, I'd say I have pretty similar views on how to
best deal with a newbie passenger.

The main thing is to explain what you're going to do before you do
anything. A surprised passenger is an unhappy passenger. You were really
great with that on the video.

The thing with keeping the turns shallow is good too. That one depends a
lot on the individual. If I have someone who has indicated a "daredevil"
side, I'll be more aggressive, but with a nervous passenger I'll keep
the turns as shallow as reasonably possible.

--
Mike Ash
Radio Free Earth
Broadcasting from our climate-controlled studios deep inside the Moon

Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?

On Nov 8, 9:10*pm, "Æslop" > wrote:
> Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?

Divorce. JUST KIDDING of course as I have one (still do for IMC)

Not sure where you are based, but if you are in a warm climate, never
fly mid day. Always fly early morning or early evening just before
the sunset. Air is calmest then.

Why is your wife reluctant? Is it flying in general or GA planes.
Mine was due to turbulence so once I figured out the "best times to
fly" she is much more willing to fly with me knowing I am picking
times where I think she will be most comfortable. It must be severe
clear though as she did try clouds but didn't like 'em.

My wife is not a fan for night flying so I avoid it whenever
possible. If night flight is in order, it's the tail end of the
flight so it's easier to transition to.

My wife "thinks too much" on what can go wrong, but she also knows I
don't skimp on safety. Having our own plane helps a lot since
everything is familiar to her flight after flight unlike if you have
to rent various planes.

Talk things out, and NEVER say oops, crap, WTF when something is
amiss. Troubleshoot silently whenever possible. And of course, with
passengers, don't "surprise them" with any abrupt moves.

Hopefully others will chime in with other tips.

Æslop wrote:
> Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?
>
>
Have her ask her doctor for a prescription for generic Xanax.

The first time SWMBO flew with me, she was in tears. With the drugs, she
just calmly reads or watches a video, manages the water bottle, fixes a
few snacks. We're not quite up to scanning for traffic or listening to
ATC yet, but there is hope.
Once, I did a go around after gusting X winds blew the 182 so far off
the centerline. It creeped me out, but when we were on the ground she
just asked "Were we supposed to do that?".

Curt

Æslop wrote:
> Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?
>
>
You cannot push people to fly. Some just cannot do it. My wife would fly
with me, so I was lucky. I had a friend that his wife would not step in
a plane with him. He had just got his private certificate. Thinking that
if she would go up with my wife and me she would go up with him - didn't
happen. She rode with my wife and me, but not her husband.

See if she would be willing to go with an instructor first without you?
Take baby steps.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
Sold :(
KSWI

In article >, says...
>
>
>
>Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?


If she’s just uneasy with something she’s not used to, then simply
presenting this as a daily and normal part of your life might win her
over, one step at a time.

If she resents it as not only a waste of your time, an unjustified risk
and also feels that your last flight would have been put to better use
by buying a new couch, then you are at TBO

>
>

In article >,
says...

>
>> Why is your wife reluctant?
>
>I try to plan day trips over highways and larger rods where she can see
>a place to land. Also a lot of fly-overs airports and keep her busy with
>the nav and maps.
>
And just how large a rod do you need to keep her busy?

Sorry, when encountering people of lesser capacity it's just too easy to
meet them on their own level.

> wrote in message
...
On Nov 8, 9:10 pm, "Æslop" > wrote:
> Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?

>Divorce. JUST KIDDING of course as I have one (still do for IMC)

I can't afford flying AND divorce. Kind of a catch-22 there :-)

>Not sure where you are based, but if you are in a warm climate, never
>fly mid day. Always fly early morning or early evening just before
>the sunset. Air is calmest then.

>Why is your wife reluctant? Is it flying in general or GA planes.

Yes. She flies "OK" on airlines. She just doesn't want to try a 182.

..

"Curt Johnson" > wrote in message
...
> Æslop wrote:
>> Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?
> Have her ask her doctor for a prescription for generic Xanax.
>
> The first time SWMBO flew with me, she was in tears. With the drugs, she
> just calmly reads or watches a video, manages the water bottle, fixes a
> few snacks. We're not quite up to scanning for traffic or listening to ATC
> yet, but there is hope.
> Once, I did a go around after gusting X winds blew the 182 so far off the
> centerline. It creeped me out, but when we were on the ground she just
> asked "Were we supposed to do that?".

Not a bad idea. She has less aversion to drugs than small aircraft.

"Ross" > wrote in message
...
> Æslop wrote:
>> Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?

> See if she would be willing to go with an instructor first without you?
> Take baby steps.

It's not me (AFAIK), it's the small aircraft. But there's no harm in
offering. Thanks.

On Nov 7, 10:17*pm, " > wrote:
> I post this 8 minute video with the hopes others can share tips on
> what they do to make first time passengers comfortable on their first
> flight. Comments here or in the video most appreciated.
>
> Video starts with me explaining the process from startup, to runup,
> take off, cruise and landing trying to keep things in "English" *Video
> also includes in-flight reactions from the passenger.
>
> Couple of things to note about the passenger. *She is not a roller
> coaster ride and doen't like heights. *Because of this, I modified my
> flying to half standard rate turns whenever possible and a steeper
> then normal approach to not feel so close to the tree tops on short
> final.
>
> Interestingly enough, the camera doesn't show the "bouncing" but that
> was due to me putting in flaps and transitioning from 10 knots winds
> aloft to calm on the ground. *Rather then explain "wind-shear", I just
> blamed it on the smog: We had very, very minimal turbulence, something
> seasoned GA passengers wouldn't think about but looking at her, she
> was kinda getting green around the gills.
>
> Video also includes intercom and ATC communications with a
> "sightseeing request" from me to fly over my house.
>
> While not her favorite thing she has done in life, she was ok with
> it. *Given a "goal" to go to New Orleans, I think she would go, but to
> go boring holes in the sky, I don't think I will see her in the right
> seat.
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfDNuuakA5o

Bumps are a bit harder at higher air speeds, so fly somewhat slower. I
also found mentioning 'another pair of eyes' is not a good thing for a
low time GA pax -- it induces an OMG fright response. I do, as you
did, talk about everything I am about to do, especially if it involves
a change in attitude or noise level. I had one first timer in the
right seat follow the motions of the yoke, and I talked my way through
each one. "OK, now we're going fast enough to fly, you can feel me
pulling on the yoke a little bit. . .feel that?.. and look, we're off
the ground!" that was followed by a "WOW". Then putting her hand on
the gear lever, saying 'push it to the side, then lift it up and that
will bring the wheels up" and I had a convert for life. I wonder, has
anyone had a right seat pax who just grabbed at the controls and
threatened the safety of the flight?

On Nov 9, 12:12*pm, Ross > wrote:

> See if she would be willing to go with an instructor first without you?
> Take baby steps.

Good advise Ross especially when probably most of the first time
passengers are taking their first ride with a newly minted pilot.

Your suggestion takes the "personal side" out and the instructor
probably can better assess the first timer more objectively and answer
the questions hopefully in a better way then I could myself.

Plus the flying experience of the instructor would hopefully make the
ride for the passenger a little more comfortable especially when the
rubber meets the road on landing. LOL

On Nov 9, 7:46*pm, "Æslop" > wrote:

> Yes. She flies "OK" on airlines. She just doesn't want to try a 182.

This makes me curious, did she try at all or did she try and have a
bad experience with a small plane?

Seems with flying it's "all or nothing" and while perfectly normal to
have more worries on a small plane with news media broadcasting "it's
raining small planes", and not unusual for one to be hesitant, with a
good experience, usually fears do diminish (probably never go away
which is not a bad thing either!).

> wrote in message
...
>Good advise Ross especially when probably most of the first time
>passengers are taking their first ride with a newly minted pilot.
>
>Your suggestion takes the "personal side" out and the instructor
>probably can better assess the first timer more objectively and answer
>the questions hopefully in a better way then I could myself.
>
>Plus the flying experience of the instructor would hopefully make the
>ride for the passenger a little more comfortable especially when the
>rubber meets the road on landing. LOL

Good advice... assuming it's the right instructor!

When I was a student, we had a flight scheduled to practice slow flight, stalls, and steep turns.
So the appointed time comes, and my instructor arrives... with his girlfriend in tow. No problem, I
assume given she's his girlfriend she's been in a lightplane before. Nope... it was her first time!

At my instigation, the agenda for that day got changed to some much more tame maneuvers.

Eric Law

In article >,
says...
>

>
>Good morning!
>

Good morning!
If you have done all that usenet archive research, you will easily have
found that I do not try to hide my activity under multiple identities, do
not cross-post, do not spam multiple groups, only post to groups of
pertinent interest, usually offer citations to support assertions, know what
I'm talking about, thank others for correcting me or enlightening me,
frequently post in foreign language groups and have aleady been to
University. Based on the latter I will have to decline your generous offer.

On Nov 10, 8:50*am, "Eric" > wrote:

> At my instigation, the agenda for that day got changed to some much more tame maneuvers.
>
> Eric Law

Got to give you credit for being PIC :-)))) even if you were "only a
student".

Bet it was a valuable lesson to be learned if not about flying, about
having to endure passenger reactions.

>>>>> "phole" == phole <slop> writes:

phole> Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?

Why must she? Why insist on it?

--
"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a
friend.... if you have one." - George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second... if there is
one." - Winston Churchill, in response.

wrote:
> On Nov 8, 9:10 pm, "Æslop" > wrote:
>> Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?
> /snip/
>
> Talk things out, and NEVER say oops, crap, WTF when something is
> amiss. Troubleshoot silently whenever possible. And of course, with
> passengers, don't "surprise them" with any abrupt moves.
>
> Hopefully others will chime in with other tips.

This reminds me that there is a person that may have been a pilot if it
were not for me. I had just gotten my PPSEL and my room mate at the time
wanted to go up and see what this was like. I have very few hours at the
time, probably less than 50. We went up and just did turns and straight
flight. He wanted to know what was the wildest thing you have to do to
get a license. I thought maybe it was the approach to landing stall. I
was telling him all the things I was doing and what was going to happen,
when the plane stalled just before I was to tell him the nose would
drop. He grabbed just about everything in the plane and want to go back
down immediately. I never could get him to go back up. When I got
married, I had my take lessons and she got though three solos before we
started having a family and put her lessons off. She was never afraid to
fly, but she could see no reason to go bore holes in the sky. Now, when
we used the plane to save 3 hours to travel one way to see the grand
kids, that was another story. That was OK.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
Sold :(
KSWI

"Bob Fry" > wrote in message
...
>>>>>> "phole" == phole <slop> writes:
>
> phole> Got any advice on getting a reluctant wife to fly?
>
> Why must she? Why insist on it?
>
She mustn't, and I am not insisting. I love my wife, and would like my wife
to fly with me. Not married, eh?

> wrote in message
...
On Nov 9, 7:46 pm, "Æslop" > wrote:

>> Yes. She flies "OK" on airlines. She just doesn't want to try a 182.

>This makes me curious, did she try at all or did she try and have a
>bad experience with a small plane?

>Seems with flying it's "all or nothing" and while perfectly normal to
>have more worries on a small plane with news media broadcasting "it's
>raining small planes", and not unusual for one to be hesitant, with a
>good experience, usually fears do diminish (probably never go away
>which is not a bad thing either!).

She went up once in a small plane a LONG time ago and was very nervous about
it and is very
reluctant to try again. I don't have a lot of details on her previous
flight. Just that she did not like it.

On Nov 11, 8:42*pm, "Æslop" > wrote:

> She went up once in a small plane a LONG time ago and was very nervous about
> it and is very
> reluctant to try again. I don't have a lot of details on her previous
> flight. Just that she did not like it.

If there is no specific reason, it makes it "tough".

Only thing I can think on getting her on a GA plane is for her to have
"incentive" such as a shopping trip somewhere (getting close to Xmas),
visiting a relative for a day trip that would not be possible by car
or winning her through her stomach ($100 hamburger run).

If you do convince her, everybody's suggestions in this thread should
be seriously considered so her impression of GA would have a better
outlook.

On Nov 12, 8:19*am, " > wrote:
> On Nov 11, 8:42*pm, "Æslop" > wrote:
>
> > She went up once in a small plane a LONG time ago and was very nervous about
> > it and is very
> > reluctant to try again. I don't have a lot of details on her previous
> > flight. Just that she did not like it.
>
> If there is no specific reason, it makes it "tough".
>
> Only thing I can think on getting her on a GA plane is for her to have
> "incentive" such as a shopping trip somewhere (getting close to Xmas),
> visiting a relative for a day trip that would not be possible by car
> or winning her through her stomach ($100 hamburger run).
>
> If you do convince her, everybody's suggestions in this thread should
> be seriously considered so her impression of GA would have a better
> outlook.

These days I think a hundred dollar hamburger is at McDonalds on the
way home after a single touch and go! Back in my dating days it never
occurred to me to offer the choice of a hamburger 150 miles away or a
great dinner 5 miles away. I had lots of distant hamburgers.

On Nov 12, 7:47*am, a > wrote:

> These days I think a hundred dollar hamburger is at McDonalds on the
> way home after a single touch and go! *

Ain't this the truth. Even in my short 49 years of the top side of
where the green grass grows, I can remember I could get filled up on a
meal from McD's for less then a dollar. Those were the days.

> Back in my dating days it never
> occurred to me to offer the choice of a hamburger 150 miles away or a
> great dinner 5 miles away. I had lots of distant hamburgers.- Hide quoted text -

Yep, my kinda style of dining anyway and the commute much better.

Fat ole greasy 1/2 pounder is more fullfilling then some black tie
event. At least I don't have to figure out which fork to use when
eating a hamburger! LOL

On Nov 12, 11:59*am, " > wrote:
> On Nov 12, 7:47*am, a > wrote:
>
> > These days I think a hundred dollar hamburger is at McDonalds on the
> > way home after a single touch and go! *
>
> Ain't this the truth. *Even in my short 49 years of the top side of
> where the green grass grows, I can remember I could get filled up on a
> meal from McD's for less then a dollar. *Those were the days.
>
> > Back in my dating days it never
> > occurred to me to offer the choice of a hamburger 150 miles away or a
> > great dinner 5 miles away. I had lots of distant hamburgers.- Hide quoted text -
>
> Yep, my kinda style of dining anyway and the commute much better.
>
> Fat ole greasy 1/2 pounder is more fullfilling then some black tie
> event. *At least I don't have to figure out which fork to use when
> eating a hamburger! LOL

High class is when the flatware isn't plastic and where the ketchup
doesn't come in envelopes. Really high class is when there is no
ketchup on the table -- people like Bloss have to ask for it.