I do a lot of first time intro flights or joy rides in gliders, I normally
begin after they've had a chance to look around and gather their awarness of
what is around them and the distant views.. some get concerned that they
are now alone up there, the powered aicraft that took them aloft is no
longer in front of them.

I have them follow me on the controls and show them the basics.. pitch
(fwd/aft) controls airspeed, left and right keeps the wings level (we have a
stick).. everythign happens slow and easy.. after awhile I ask them if they
are ready to fly.. or I comment that they are doing pretty good, me being in
the back seat, they don't know I took my hands off the controls a couple of
minutes earlier and they are doing the corrections.. some don't believe I
have let go until I show them my hands, some take coaxing to actually move
the stick..

One young lady, once the tow plane had left.. I had her pull the release....
then she says "now wait a minute, that plane pulled us up here, and now it
is gone.. how are we flying?"

I explained that we are flying on gravity and the wind currents.. gravity
pulls us back to earth, much like a falling leaf, but with these flight
controls, and the shape of the wing, I can control how we fall.. I can
control the direction and the forward speed.. I can turn.. slow down.. speed
up.. and every once in a while, you feel these bumps.. and that insturment
there tells us it is rising air.. so by trying to stay in the rising air..
we can stay aloft and climb higher... as the wind or air moves up and over
the ridge below us, we ride that rising air much like a surfer rides the
wave.. gravity pulls him to the bottom of the wave.. but he can control it
and ride the upswelling wave..

So in a sense... we are "Falling With Style"...

But yes.. I have had passengers that enjoyed the ride.. enjoyed the views..
seemed to understand everything going on around them... but dared not touch
the controls. I can only think that they must have been afraid that their
touch would undo everything that is keeping them aloft.

BT

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
Mary and I have given rides to dozens of people over the years. I
usually like to let a newbie ride in the right seat with me, and will
usually let them "take the wheel" once we're safely at altitude. Most
people love their new-found freedom, while others are tentative and not
quite sure what to think.

It is a rare person, indeed, who refuses the chance to "steer" -- but
it happened Friday with a 24 year old girl in the right seat.
Actually, Mary was up front with her, while I was in back with her
boyfriend (which is still a very weird feeling, sitting in the BACK of
your own plane, in flight) -- and when Mary offered her the controls,
she politely refused.

What *is* that, anyway? This girl is a wonderfully intelligent, highly
educated young lady, with no tendency toward timidness or air sickness,
yet, when given the chance to try something that VERY few people on
this planet will ever get to do, she refused. Stranger still, she has
flown with us before (albeit in the back seat), so it's not like she's
afraid of flying.

I'm trying to remember if that has ever happened with me in the left
seat, and -- although I've sensed reluctance a time or two -- I don't
think anyone has ever said "No, thanks" to my offer to take the yoke.
Perhaps it's because I give them little choice, and Mary *asked*?

It just seems odd to me, and rather sad. I don't want folks believing
that airplanes fall out of the sky as soon as an experienced pilot lets
go of the controls...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"