First Passenger As A Private Pilot (Or Lack Thereof)

Kim,

I've had my private for 10 years now, and I can count the number of pax i have carried on one hand. My old roomate was my best passenger, i'd say i'm going flying, and he'd grab his gear. My wife is a very unwilling passenger, but since i started working on my instrument, she is better about flying with me. (she closes her eyes right before we land, or enter actual). My sister and her husband have both flown in GA planes, and have no interest in anything smaller than a 737. Of course, i took a coworker flying, and he is ready to start lessons, so YMMV.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I wonder if I ever start actively "dating" again - should I first tell the guys I'm a pilot? I wasn't going to but at the same time it would be sad if they refused to be my passenger.
Click to expand...


My CFII had a real issue with this. She was seeing this guy, and he refused to fly with her. They ended up not seeing each other anymore.
 
jesse said:
I've never had a problem-but then again I don't make friends with fun haters.
Click to expand...

Yup, pretty much. I've taken all kinds of people flying. Only had one barf so far, and he's one of the ones that I got thinking about lessons. Flying is great.
 
I've flown just about everyone I know at one point or another. I guess us Midwesterners are made of stronger stuff, or something. Gotta second the Young Eagle comment. Join EAA and your local chapter. We fly kids once a month in the warm months, always lots of eager takers. And I don't do much more than corn fields. No big bridge or ocean handy hereabouts. Planes are cheaper, though.
 
To be honest, I'm astonished at all the refusals and half-hearted responses you've gotten. I've never had somebody turn me down, except my brother, and that was because his girlfriend didn't want him going unless she came with too (I didn't want her to come with).

So far I've flown with my wife, son, wife's aunt (who's a nun), two exchange students, a co-worker, a friend and his young son, niece, both sisters, my younger brother, and my dad.

I have 5-6 requests for flights that I haven't fulfilled yet, including my 90 year old grandmother and my aunt, two members from my Lions club, and another co-worker who just joined my flying club so his son can get lessons.

Keep in mind that I have less than 100 hours in my logbook. People know I haven't been a pilot for long.

My advice is to just fly, and let people know when you're going up. If they really want to fly badly enough, they'll let you know.
 
Generally, I am not interested in passengers. I fly with time-builders of the same FBO, if an opportunity at the destination presents itself (usually an airshow), so we split the PIC time 50/50 and everyone pays the wet rent on his legs. Also, I took my wife for a short trip once, so she knows what's going on with all the aviating. But generally passengers are a hassle and responsibility that I would only tolerate if lavishly compensated.
 
The day I passed my checkride in a C-152, I checked out in a C-172 and took my wife and 2 small kids for their first tour around town. Didn't have to twist anyone's arm.

After that, those who wanted rides got them, those who didn't, did not. No hurt feelings, it just isn't for some people.
 
Jack Spectre said:
To be honest, I'm astonished at all the refusals and half-hearted responses you've gotten. I've never had somebody turn me down,
.
Click to expand...

Yeah. That was my first thought too... 4 for 4 is bad odds in the denial dept.... IMHO.


Ben.
 
After my private checkride my only, "Passengers" were CFIs performing checkouts or providing instrument training. It was nine months before I took up my first non-pilot passengers (my daughter and her mother to the Grand Canyon).
 
Don't let it bug you. Go out and accumulate hours while having fun...go to airports in the central valley that you didn't visit during your training; go out to the coast and visit Little River; been to Red Bluff or Redding yet? How about Crescent City (very changeable weather...watch it). Arcata/Eureka?
Go south of the Bay area...been to Modesto yet? Lots of choices, and one of these days you will be able to say "I have 200 hours and have landed at 30 airports in California alone." Ignore the nay-sayers...they don't know what they are missing. :nonod:

Bob Gardner
 
There's also Half Moon Bay. You can go out there when the surf is sweet at Mavericks, chat up some surfer say "I bet we could get some awesome pictures from my plane" and you will have your first passenger...
 
Henning said:
There's also Half Moon Bay. You can go out there when the surf is sweet at Mavericks, chat up some surfer say "I bet we could get some awesome pictures from my plane" and you will have your first passenger...
Click to expand...

Lately, not even an instrument rating has been a guarantee for getting into Half Moon Bay. The odds should be better in a few months.
 
Palmpilot said:
Lately, not even an instrument rating has been a guarantee for getting into Half Moon Bay. The odds should be better in a few months.
Click to expand...


I'd get in there most of the time low, but I had 2 engines and low weight and the option of bailing out going IFR. The IAP is pretty useless many days I agree. You can find Half Moon Bay very easily in very bad conditions actually so it's a good resource to have in your bag of tricks. It would be wise to fly there on a good day and familiarize oneself with the landmark details that take you from the coast to the runway. It may be the only safe way to get down one day.
 
Last edited:
Henning said:
I'd get in there most of the time low, but I had 2 engines and low weight and the option of bailing out going IFR. The IAP is pretty useless many days I agree. You can find Half Moon Bay very easily in very bad conditions actually so it's a good resource to have in your bag of tricks. It would be wise to fly there on a good day and familiarize oneself with the landmark details that take you from the coast to the runway. It may be the only safe way to get down one day.
Click to expand...

There are legal limits to scud running in that area, because the waters out there are part of a national marine sanctuary now. We're required to use cruising altitudes above 2000 feet.
 
Palmpilot said:
There are legal limits to scud running in that area, because the waters out there are part of a national marine sanctuary now. We're required to use cruising altitudes above 2000 feet.
Click to expand...


California, more f-d up by the day.... I got drug to court for feeding sealions mackrel...3 times...
 
Henning said:
California, more f-d up by the day.... I got drug to court for feeding sealions mackrel...3 times...
Click to expand...

Er, Henning, this is a national marine sanctuary.
 
Palmpilot said:
Er, Henning, this is a national marine sanctuary.
Click to expand...

There's no altitude restriction on the Keys national marine sanctuaries or anywhere around here I'm aware of and we got sanctuaries and preserves out the ying yang.
 
If you are going for guys try Harris Ranch for lunch -- only an hour and a half from Petaluma -- good steaks !!! :D

And the 30 foot wide runway would be a bit of excitement :goofy:
 
Henning said:
There's no altitude restriction on the Keys national marine sanctuaries or anywhere around here I'm aware of and we got sanctuaries and preserves out the ying yang.
Click to expand...

There's a restriction on flying below 1000 feet over certain parts of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary contained in 15 CFR 922.132a6:

a. Except as specified in paragraphs (b) through (e) of this section, the following activities are prohibited and thus are unlawful for any person to conduct or to cause to be conducted:...

6. Flying motorized aircraft, except as necessary for valid law enforcement purposes, at less than 1,000 feet above any of the four zones within the Sanctuary described in Appendix B to this subpart.​

http://montereybay.noaa.gov/intro/mp/regs.html#prohibitions

The affected areas are shown in this brochure:

http://montereybay.noaa.gov/intro/mp/032409summary_regs.pdf

I was mistaken about the geographic extent of the restriction. It turns out it wouldn't affect you north of Pescadero Point. So you could legally scud run to HAF if you found a hole to get down through.

The 2000 foot limit I mentioned earlier applies to the sanctuary generally, but it is described on the VFR charts as a request, not a prohibition.

More info about the sanctuary:

http://montereybay.noaa.gov/

Searching on the word "aircraft" in 15 CFR Part 922 shows that there are a few other sanctuaries with restrictions, but I don't see any in the Florida Keys.

http://ecfr.gpoaccess.gov/cgi/t/tex...;view=text;node=15:3.1.2.2.11;idno=15;cc=ecfr
 
patrick wentworth said:
If you are going for guys try Harris Ranch for lunch -- only an hour and a half from Petaluma -- good steaks !!! :D

And the 30 foot wide runway would be a bit of excitement :goofy:
Click to expand...

It didn't seem particularly exciting the time I landed there.

My wing span is 36 feet, but that would only be a factor if I were planning to land upside down. :D
 
I gave up trying to take anyone who didn't show some degree of excitement & interest. Just keep sharing your passion with others and soon some one will light up and ask , Wow could you take ME up in a plane? You'll enjoy it a lot more than a reluctant friend/relative. Let them ask you, it works better that way. Dave
 
I remember 20 years ago thinking, "Wow! The 172 is HUGE!"
After getting my multi rating in 2003, the Skyhawk doesn't seem very big anymore. Find the extra semoliens and get checked out in the fire-breathing dragon. :yesnod:
Seriously, why don't you take other pilots flying? You get hanger flying...while in an airplane!
Pilots think for themselves. That doesn't always make them popular. However, I have had many pax in my 20 years of flying.
Another advantage to flying other pilots, sometimes they give you rides in their way-cooler-than-a-152 airplanes.
Start building that Cross Country time. You don't realize it now, but you will soon start Jones-ing for the IFR rating. Start chipping away at the cross country hours. Chances are, you are planning on flying to that airport that is 35 nm away. Check out the chart and make a touch-and-go at the airport that is 15 nm on the other side, before stopping at your original destination.
You will thank me later.
 
Palmpilot said:
It didn't seem particularly exciting the time I landed there.

My wing span is 36 feet, but that would only be a factor if I were planning to land upside down. :D
Click to expand...

:rofl:

Many of the airports near Petaluma are 75 --> 100 ft wide so Harris would be "different"

Sonoma Skypark is 40ft but not sure if she made it there.

So how do you "Flair" when inverted :goofy: :yikes:
 
patrick wentworth said:
:rofl:

Many of the airports near Petaluma are 75 --> 100 ft wide so Harris would be "different"

Sonoma Skypark is 40ft but not sure if she made it there.

So how do you "Flair" when inverted :goofy: :yikes:
Click to expand...

what's it called, a negative G push? My buddies granddad somehow got his plane upside down and couldn't get it to turn back over, or so the story goes and landed in a cow pasture upside down and walked away, or so the story goes. The family claims it as a true story. I'll dig through NTSBs one day and try to find it.
 
bartmc said:
what's it called, a negative G push? My buddies granddad somehow got his plane upside down and couldn't get it to turn back over, or so the story goes and landed in a cow pasture upside down and walked away, or so the story goes. The family claims it as a true story. I'll dig through NTSBs one day and try to find it.
Click to expand...

Sounds like he landed a tail dragger with the brakes on while no one was watching...:rolleyes:
 
My mom was my first passenger -- I still had a learners permit at the time, so she had to be in the car for me to drive to the airport.

To echo what others have said, join the EAA, and do Eagle flights. If you're lucky, you'll get to fly into Moffet when they do the annual big flight there (which is a really cool experience).

Also, Half Moon Bay is a great date trip -- fly a date to HAF through the Golden Gate, Dinner at Mezza Luna (south end of the field) and a sunset flight back -- ask Bay Approach for a "Bay Tour" on the way out. That trip is works way better than sweet talking, in my experience.

EDIT: Spelling. Argh!
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Conclusion: they were all "being nice" during my training but now they are very nervous to go up.

Have any of you experienced this? I do not want to "force" the issue on people and am happy to fly alone. I just thought it would be cool to share my flying - something I've worked on for a long time - with the people I care about.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's too unusual. In fact, I've had the same experience. Since passing my checkride two weeks ago today, I've offered rides to 3-4 people - all of whom indicated during my training that they "couldn't wait" to go for a ride.

Guess how many have been available when the airplane and I were: not one!

Now, my daughter truly does want badly to fly with me, and it just hasn't worked out yet that she, I and the airplane were all free at the same time, so I'm sure she will be one of my first passengers. Unfortunately, another renter bent the airplane this week, so it will be a while before it's airworthy again.

But I think plenty of people think in the abstract "oh, that would be cool" when they hear us talking during our training about how much we enjoy flying. But when it comes time to actually put themselves in the passenger seat, they start having fears, or quite possibly they tell friends/family of their plans, and get talked out of it.

On the subject of flying and dating, my first instructor, a guy in his mid 20s, would tell stories of taking women on a first date involving a flight and throwing in some steep turns, stalls and the like. When I expressed doubt that would have gone over well, he swore more often than not, it had an....ummmm...aphrodisiac effect!

I'm still not sure whether to believe him...
 
BrianR said:
I don't think it's too unusual. In fact, I've had the same experience. Since passing my checkride two weeks ago today, I've offered rides to 3-4 people - all of whom indicated during my training that they "couldn't wait" to go for a ride.

Guess how many have been available when the airplane and I were: not one!

Now, my daughter truly does want badly to fly with me, and it just hasn't worked out yet that she, I and the airplane were all free at the same time, so I'm sure she will be one of my first passengers. Unfortunately, another renter bent the airplane this week, so it will be a while before it's airworthy again.

But I think plenty of people think in the abstract "oh, that would be cool" when they hear us talking during our training about how much we enjoy flying. But when it comes time to actually put themselves in the passenger seat, they start having fears, or quite possibly they tell friends/family of their plans, and get talked out of it.

On the subject of flying and dating, my first instructor, a guy in his mid 20s, would tell stories of taking women on a first date involving a flight and throwing in some steep turns, stalls and the like. When I expressed doubt that would have gone over well, he swore more often than not, it had an....ummmm...aphrodisiac effect!

I'm still not sure whether to believe him...
Click to expand...

Well, I suppose if she conks her head hard enough....
 
I've had people committed to fly. Flown 50 miles to give them the ride. Had them bail out. Called a friend to have THEM tell me.
Took a friend and his adult son for a ride. I think if the son had not been totally committed, he would have bailed.
Truth is, it doesn't much matter. Fly. Have fun alone. Get some hours in. You'll find someone ready to go. Work on Dad. He should be your first.
 
Not surprised, but got rejected by my parents a few days ago ("We're afraid of heights."). They fly to vacations all the time and have walked up small mountains on said vacations. :rolleyes:

On the positive note though a friend started his flight training today. Feel good for having introduced/promoted GA by taking him on a flight even though I think he was interested before.
 
This thread is getting depressing.

I really think it's best to wait for people to volunteer in most cases.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Then came the checkride, on Sunday, and I passed.

...

Conclusion: they were all "being nice" during my training but now they are very nervous to go up.

...
Have any of you experienced this? I do not want to "force" the issue on people and am happy to fly alone. I just thought it would be cool to share my flying - something I've worked on for a long time - with the people I care about.
Click to expand...

Same thing happened to me. My wife and kids all backed out on me, and 3 years later won't fly with me.

The only people who want to fly with me are people I don't know well enough to put in the copilot seat, or local pilots who'd like to share costs or do some safety-pilot work. (I still need to take up some offers on #2 there).

So welcome to the club! :)
 
I think lots of people are so focused on their goal of getting their pilot certificate that once they have it, they are surprised to discover that it can be hard to do something with it. Sometimes the problem is finding a mission (in this case, a passenger), and sometimes it's paying for it.

Going to nearby destinations alone, as some have suggested here, is a pretty good idea for a new pilot, IMO. It will build more experience with weather, navigation, different airports, and little things that can go wrong, all without having to worry about the passenger.
 
Last edited:
Interesting thread about the topic. My daughter will fly whenever she can. My wife has never gotten into the plane, and refuses to do so. I try the "but it's a time machine" argument with her to no avail. She'd rather we drive 3.5 to 4 hours to get someplace rather than fly 1.5 hours. Oh well!!!

Best friend's 17 yr old son is chomping at the bit to fly and he's fine with it, mom's like "I don't want my son killed in a plane crash" Oh well!!! Like a 17 yr old with a drivers license is any safer?

As far as flying alone, I looked at the log book yesterday and discovered what with all of my IR training over the past year or so, and flights with other pilots in their planes or mine on various missions, since bringing the plane back from annual last December, I have not flown one hour solo in the plane. I'm wondering if I am developing a subconscious aversion to flying solo? Does anyone else go through this as well? I'd much rather share the workload with another pilot than not, if at all possible.
 
I've experienced the same thing trying to get people to go with me. I find I get better results if I frame it as "I am going to xxx to check out the yyy, do you want to come with?"...I think people feel less pressured that way, because the ride is not specifically for them. I also didn't tell my first passenger that they were my first passenger until we got back on the ground :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
DutchessFlier said:
Like a 17 yr old with a drivers license is any safer?
Click to expand...
Of course he is, due to the passive safety built into cars. Although, if the family lets him drive their 1953 Chevy, he may as well fly.
 
Jay Honeck said:
So, be thankful that some of these people aren't going up with you.

There is something else that you may experience. I found that, over time, my friendships grew away from kiwis (flightless birds, stuck on the ground, mostly by choice) to birdmen and -women -- those who choose to take to the sky.

In my experience, they are far and away more interesting people.
Click to expand...


Amazing that you wrote this - because - after the POA fly-in adventure which ended only yesterday - I am beginning to understand how "cool" pilots are.

At first I was unsure due to some misunderstandings, but after spending many days and nights with a group of them I have to agree with you. I hope those I met over the weekend are now my "friends" and in addition I hope to meet many more in the future when I can afford to do so.

I even have plans to (hopefully) fly with more and more pilots! It seems like this is only the tip of the iceberg and it was so neat to enter into this "club" / community.

I am no longer worried about passengers. I will just fly when I fly.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Amazing that you wrote this - because - after the POA fly-in adventure which ended only yesterday - I am beginning to understand how "cool" pilots are.
Click to expand...

Wow. How drunk did they get you, anyway? :)

Or did they blind you with their mirrored sunglasses and a huge pilot watch? :rofl:
 
Jaybird180 said:
Awhile back (I think it was Jeanie) I picked up a suggestion about how to introduce people to flying. Give them a quick blurb about training requirements and then SHUT UP. Afterwards, let them know they have to initiate and ask you. I have made it clear that this is my policy with adults, they must ask because it must be their decision and then I am free to accept if I want to fly with them.
Click to expand...

This is what I'm going to do. Still having trouble confirming my first passenger for Saturday's flight but I have already made an early morning appointment with a NEW CFI who just happens to live in / near the town where I have my apartment. I told him over the phone that I will pay him in cash for one hour of his time, meet him at a coffee shop, buy him coffee, and ask him to please end our lesson when the one hour is up because that is all I can afford to do at this time. After our time together I will drive straight to my airport with the information fresh in my mind.

Then I will fly (with or without a passenger) on the planned flight IF THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE isn't fogged over - which is rare. I am meeting with a local CFI to brief the Bravo / Charlie / airspace / Bay Tour / Radios / Sectional. It is not that I can't read and interpret a sectional myself - but in such complex airspace it seems like a good idea to ask him what the controllers are looking for - what they will ask me to do - and just BE PREPARED. This way I will have a safe and fun flight. His "insider" knowlege of the area should be invaluable and I will audio record the ground lesson to listen to later and take notes. I plan to give SF scenic tours many times over so this is a good way to make them the best they can be.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top