Canopy jetison not.

Thought I would share an interesting experience from this weekend flying rides. Most Sundays I fly rides at the local glider FBO. My last ride of the day was a former military air traffic controller. When giving her the safety briefing I clearly explained the jettison handle, and canopy release lever on the Grob 103. She told me that she had been in many military aircraft could clearly see the red placard and knew not to touch the lever. I also told her we would both close and open canopy so please do not touch the opening lever, if she felt she needed to grab anything, grab her shoulder harness. We released from tow and she had wanted to try a small little tiny wing over, you guessed it, she grabbed both the release lever and jettison lever. I told to let go immediately as I stopped the maneuver as quickly as possible. Spent the remainder of the flight flying as level as possible as that was what she wanted. I was rather surprised that the only two things I told her not to touch were the first things she grabbed, and the wing over was just about the smallest one possible.

Maybe next time, start off the maneuver with them grabbing their shoulder harness. ;-)

Glad you didn't lose the canopy.

Tell them what you want them to do, not what you don't want them to do. The less passengers know the safer you both are.
On Monday, March 27, 2017 at 3:15:34 PM UTC-4, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
Thought I would share an interesting experience from this weekend flying rides. Most Sundays I fly rides at the local glider FBO. My last ride of the day was a former military air traffic controller. When giving her the safety briefing I clearly explained the jettison handle, and canopy release lever on the Grob 103. She told me that she had been in many military aircraft could clearly see the red placard and knew not to touch the lever. I also told her we would both close and open canopy so please do not touch the opening lever, if she felt she needed to grab anything, grab her shoulder harness. We released from tow and she had wanted to try a small little tiny wing over, you guessed it, she grabbed both the release lever and jettison lever. I told to let go immediately as I stopped the maneuver as quickly as possible. Spent the remainder of the flight flying as level as possible as that was what she wanted. I was rather surprised that the only two things I told her not to touch were the first things she grabbed, and the wing over was just about the smallest one possible.

My kids do exactly as I Say, It’s just that the "Not" is never heard / recognized.

At 19:15 27 March 2017, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
Thought I would share an interesting experience from this
weekend flying
ri=
des. Most Sundays I fly rides at the local glider FBO. My last ride
of
th=
e day was a former military air traffic controller. When giving her
the
sa=
fety briefing I clearly explained the jettison handle, and canopy
release
l=
ever on the Grob 103. She told me that she had been in many
military
aircr=
aft could clearly see the red placard and knew not to touch the
lever. I
a=
lso told her we would both close and open canopy so please do not
touch
the=
opening lever, if she felt she needed to grab anything, grab her
shoulder
=
harness. We released from tow and she had wanted to try a small
little
tiny=
wing over, you guessed it, she grabbed both the release lever and
jettison=
lever. I told to let go immediately as I stopped the maneuver as
quickly
=
as possible. Spent the remainder of the flight flying as level as
possible=
as that was what she wanted. I was rather surprised that the
only two
thi=
ngs I told her not to touch were the first things she grabbed, and
the
wing=
over was just about the smallest one possible.

My brief to all first time passengers/students is to tuck their
thumbs either behind the harness or the parachute straps,
whichever is more comfortable. I also make a point of never doing
anything remotely aerobatic on the first flight.