First passenger, new passengers, and freakin' out

[flyingcheesehead]

I had one pax (adult) that freaked out as soon as we were off the ground - Inhaled sharply, closed his eyes, and moved his head toward the center of the plane. I told tower, completed one pattern, and we were done. No biggie.

For the most part, though, keeping them informed is the key. Tell pax why you might encounter turbulence before you leave (is it going to be mechanical, thermal, etc and what's going on for each). Show them the entire preflight and explain what you're doing. Tell them before you do the runup and why, else that'll freak them out. Explain that they might hear an alarm just a few seconds before landing and that's normal. Answer any questions they have about controls, instruments, etc.

A first flight is NOT the time to use smart-ass remarks about wings falling off, ejection seats, or what that button does. Nothing but the truth here. (I've had potential pax refuse to go up because the first person that took them up did such things. ) Also, avoid saying "Oh ****" because, for example, you forgot to turn on the transponder - That's almost guaranteed to freak 'em out.

 

[iWantWings]

Must be one of the coolest things to take your kids up in the sky! You gotta start somewhere and you did just that.

Maybe one day I'll get to do the same thing you did. I casually discussed it with my wife and she categorically said "no way". She explained it wasn't necesarily me, but she just refuses to fly in "those little things". she has no problem flying in an airliner, but she is terrified of things like rollercoasters. My 7 yr old daughter, I'm not sure yet what she would do. My almost 2-year old I trained well but he needs an adult guardian.

Anyways, congrats to you!

 

[MAKG1]

Must be one of the coolest things to take your kids up in the sky! You gotta start somewhere and you did just that.

It is, absolutely, especially if the kid is really into airplanes.

But I let mine "stick" the fuel once, and he dropped the $#@% probe into the tank! He meant well.

 

[flight2000]

Maybe she'd feel better in a low wing. My wife hates flying in any Cessna because she feels like she's just hanging there (flew those before we bought ours). With our Mooney, she feels more comfortable "sitting" on the wing.

Might be worth a shot if you can find a Cherokee or similar rental in the area and get checked out in it.

Overall, it looks like family trips in a plane are not in your future...

Brian

 

[ChrisK]

Overall, it looks like family trips in a plane are not in your future...

Brian

Well there are 5 kids so it would have been tough anyway.

I will have fun with the youngest tho. He loves it.

 

[BrianR]

I hate roller coasters. I'll never set foot on one again as long as I live. I can, on the other hand, do stalls all day long and it doesn't bother me in the least.

When my daughters were 13, they were fearless. Now that they're in their 20s, not so much.

My youngest has flown with me a grand total of...once...about a week after I got my PP. She seemed to have a blast, nothing scary happened, but at every opportunity since, she's made various excuses and hasn't gotten in the plane again.

My point is...they're unpredictable. She might end up being your most frequent passenger.

 

[LJS1993]

I hate roller coasters. I'll never set foot on one again as long as I live. I can, on the other hand, do stalls all day long and it doesn't bother me in the least.

When my daughters were 13, they were fearless. Now that they're in their 20s, not so much.

My youngest has flown with me a grand total of...once...about a week after I got my PP. She seemed to have a blast, nothing scary happened, but at every opportunity since, she's made various excuses and hasn't gotten in the plane again.

My point is...they're unpredictable. She might end up being your most frequent passenger.

Now this is very encouraging for me. I hate roller coasters so the thought of flying seems contradictory. However your statement seems promising for myself.

 

[Henning]

Now this is very encouraging for me. I hate roller coasters so the thought of flying seems contradictory. However your statement seems promising for myself.

Unless you are doing hard aerobatics, flying is nothing like a roller coaster.

 

[Matthew]

Unless you are doing hard aerobatics, flying is nothing like a roller coaster.

My youngest used to have a serious fear of coasters, but I think she's outgrown most of that. I think she also pretty much scared herself, too, by telling herself she'd be scared. The whole < 1G sensation when going over a drop got me concerned how she'd take any kind of turbulence at all.

But she got through it, with very little problem - I think being in an enclosed cockpit rather than an open coaster car helped, it doesn't seem to generate as much of a 'falling' sensation if you feel a sudden drop. We've flown together in conditions where I've seen daylight between her butt and the seat before, but she doesn't panic-grab at anything. I don't know if roller coasters bother her any more, but she seems to have figured out how to keep things under control.

I do remember the first time we went flying together, just as we started the takeoff roll I could hear her, just barely, in the headset saying "ohhhhhh". After a nice smooth takeoff I mentioned that we were actually in the air, she stopped for a second, said, "THAT wasn't bad at all!" then fell asleep a couple minutes later.

 

[danhagan]

Must be one of the coolest things to take your kids up in the sky! You gotta start somewhere and you did just that.

Yes it is...and most of the suggestions here will make things easier.

Maybe one day I'll get to do the same thing you did. I casually discussed it with my wife and she categorically said "no way". She explained it wasn't necesarily me, but she just refuses to fly in "those little things". she has no problem flying in an airliner, but she is terrified of things like rollercoasters.

My wife will fly, but only flights an 1.5 hours or less (she flys ahead commercial when my son and I fly to California or San Antonio). She wants a "no turbulence" guarantee. She has been up on local evening flights and is happy as long as "no bumps". Her first GA flight was with a buddy of mine in a Luscombe flying over the river at 100 AGL (she still would prefer lower on our flights). She refuses to take the yolk and has flown with me at least 2-3 dozen times now.

My son has no problems whatsoever, even in moderate to heavy turbulence. When he was younger we hit a huge lee wave near guadalupe Peak. I was worried he was going to not want to fly again. His response, "dad, turn around and hit it again!". He is now 16 and will only fly if we are going out of town or "for a purpose"...he won't go if it's only a XC for TNG and return.

 

[Henning]

My youngest used to have a serious fear of coasters, but I think she's outgrown most of that. I think she also pretty much scared herself, too, by telling herself she'd be scared. The whole < 1G sensation when going over a drop got me concerned how she'd take any kind of turbulence at all.

But she got through it, with very little problem - I think being in an enclosed cockpit rather than an open coaster car helped, it doesn't seem to generate as much of a 'falling' sensation if you feel a sudden drop. We've flown together in conditions where I've seen daylight between her butt and the seat before, but she doesn't panic-grab at anything. I don't know if roller coasters bother her any more, but she seems to have figured out how to keep things under control.

I do remember the first time we went flying together, just as we started the takeoff roll I could hear her, just barely, in the headset saying "ohhhhhh". After a nice smooth takeoff I mentioned that we were actually in the air, she stopped for a second, said, "THAT wasn't bad at all!" then fell asleep a couple minutes later.

The only person I had that freaked out was my ex, and it was strictly altitude. If i was weaving through the trees and climbing for fences, she was fine. 10,000, OMG... Crying, the whole nine yards, so I took her down to the deck and finished the trip to Houston an back <100'; no worries. That was the only flight she took with me. I took the kids on pipeline runs flying a PA-12 that was pretty out of rig lol. It was one of those left rudder right aileron pressure gets you straight and in the cage. The 17 yo nephew took it for about 15 seconds and asked me to take it back, the 9 yo was a freaking rock star. Took it, coordinated straight and on altitude watching the right of way, and that was from the back seat. The first two landings I had to help him with but the third he wheeled on pretty and the fourth he three pointed.