"Teacherjh" wrote in message
...
What I am advocating is to ensure that any conversations or actions take
place
with the pilot, either directly or through channels designed for that
(such as
the Aviation Safety Counselor). Putting the passenger in the equation
will
only mess things up, as he or she is (generally) not in a position to
understand the nuances of the decisions being made.

With all due respect, Jose, you seem to be advocating a paternalistic
relationship between pilot and passenger, not unlike the paternalistic
doctor/patient relationship that was typical back in the days before the
importance of informed consent was widely recognized. Particularly in the
situation Jay described, the relevant factors are not particularly nuanced;
with ten minutes of study, the passenger would be able to understand the
situation better than the pilot did. No one has a right to keep the
passenger "out of the equation" in deciding whether flying is worth the risk
to the passenger.

--Gary