A reluctance to take the controls

Jay, you sound like one of these guys "who just can't understand how
somebody could be DIFFERENT than you are". I mean, just HOW could that
be???

That first lesson was an eye opener - a plane is like a 3D motorcycle.
Now I'm hooked. I'll be tooling around central Indiana in a J-3 Cub
an hour and a half from now.

Scott, are you Time Pieces members?

In article . com,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

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*?

Just say, "Put your hands on the wheel please." When they do, take you
hands off and put them behind you head and say, "You've got!"

Mxsmanic wrote:

Jay Honeck writes:


What *is* that, anyway?


When you offer someone the chance to drive your car, do you expect him
to unconditionally accept?

What a stupid question. Does your car have a steering wheel on both sides?

You were indifferent before, yet you are now hooked. I believe that
sums up precisely what AOPA and much of the GA world is trying to
comprehend -- and the sooner we "break the code" the better.

Well, one of the missions of AOPA is to promote GA to as many people as
possible, and understandably, for many reasons, not everyone is
destined to be a pilot. Whenever I get the chance to chat someone up
about aviation, I find that more often than not, the issue of cost
crops up. My impression is that most people still think that pilots of
small planes are the untouchable richie rich establishment doctor /
lawyer crowd, and despite all of my arguments about ways to manage the
cost, the fact that I choose this versus many other things I could do
with that money, etc, that thought sticks in their minds. About the
only way I can think of shaking that mentality is to take someone to a
nice small airfield about 50 miles away that has a nice rustic charm to
it, with lots of pilots hangar flying over breakfast / lunch in a nice
small restaurant on the field, watching the old airbirds flying in and
out.

"Jim Macklin" writes:
She didn't want to be embarrassed in front of her boyfriend.
Let Mary take her up with just the "girls" along.

Mxsmanic wrote:
If she's only 24, it's unlikely that she still has a 19th-century
mindset.

No, but that may indeed have been part of it. She may be more
comfortable with JUST Mary in the plane, or with a professional
instructor that isn't a personal friend so that she doesn't feel as self
conscious about doing something wrong.

In any case, kudos to Mary for *asking* instead of making her feel
compelled to take the controls. I hate it when someone "asks" you to do
something in such a way that you feel you can't comfortably decline. You
*do* realize, don't you Jay, that if you made her feel dumb, afraid or
like she disappointed *you* because she declined that you may have just
made her think twice about going up with you again. There's a reason for
the term "different strokes".

When you offer someone the chance to drive your car, do you expect him
to unconditionally accept?
What a stupid question. Does your car have a steering wheel on both sides?

That is irrelevant to the assumptions behind the question. Having a
steering wheel on both sides may make it easier to accept, but doesn't
really address the =willingness= to accept [an opportunity to do
something new]. If my friend had a 'vette, I would probably not accept
an offer to drive it.

Jose
--
"There are 3 secrets to the perfect landing. Unfortunately, nobody knows
what they are." - (mike).
for Email, make the obvious change in the address.

"Newps" wrote in message
...


Mxsmanic wrote:

Jay Honeck writes:


What *is* that, anyway?


When you offer someone the chance to drive your car, do you expect him
to unconditionally accept?

What a stupid question. Does your car have a steering wheel on both
sides?


His does....it goes 'round and 'round in about a five foot circle; has a
little rubber ball that goes "Toot".

Mxsmanic wrote in
:

Some people are indifferent, and remain so even after trying it. Some
people just don't care. Some people don't like motorcycles, either.


Name 3.

"Jay Honeck" wrote in news:1164549363.523917.179870@
45g2000cws.googlegroups.com:

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...

I'm the same way - I always want to give the person in the right seat the
chance to fly the plane. I have had people be concerned that "it's OK" - that
they won't break anything, including rules, if they don't fly well. But no
one has ever absolutely refused except my wife, who is a white-knuckle flyer.

You may just want to ask her (in a no-pressure kinda way) if she was afraid
to take the controls, or if she just had no interest... Perhaps she will be
honest with you now that you guys are on the ground... And either you'll get
it, or you'll be able to explain to her why "it's OK" for her to take the
controls next time.