How long it took you to fly with your loved ones?

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Hector Parra

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Hector Parra
Hi guys. Even if a PPL will legally allow you to carry passengers right after you get it, how long it took you to feel confident enough to bring your loved ones on board? Did you established a number of total hours or any other particular achievements while flying solo in order to take the decision?
 
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Wife rode along the day after my ppl (also her initials) checkride. The boss kept telling me to get some more hours before he rode with me. That took about 1000 hours and 6 or 7 years. There were a lot of victims along the way.
 
I took my wife up w/in a week or two of getting my license. It's a personal decision. The only change I make when flying w/ others is to pick days w/ better weather, less turbulence etc.
 
my dad was my first passenger, the same day I passed my checkride.

I took friends up immediately with no particular concerns.

The girlfriend that became my wife went up with me on our second date.
 
Brought my brother and dad up like a week after the check ride. Was a little while longer before mom would go with me. I would've been comfortable taking anyone with me the day after the check ride, the question was if they were comfortable going with me. And as mentioned I would pick days with perfect weather and light winds, especially if they have never been up in a small plane before.
 
Definitely not the same day as the checkride pass but within about a week. It was working towards acclimation. Last trip she fell asleep on the flight home so I think she's become comfortable flying. That being said my weather minimums are different than hers. I have yet to take anyone else up.
 
A few hours. DPE let me drive him back from my home airport to the airport he was at to save me a little money. Picked up the wife went back to the airport and went for a short flight. So maybe 3 or 4 hours from the time I passed until my first passenger. Flew a bunch of people after that never really felt the need to wait.

My wife rode in the back on multiple flight lessons. She is the best passenger ever!
 
My two best buds wanted a flight the day after my checkride.
It took my wife a year to fly with me. After the flight I asked why it had taken so long.
She said, "Because I thought you'd fly the way you drive."

In my defense, it was 21 years ago and I was driving a Nissan 240SX go-cart. Today I drive a mid-size pickup.
 
I flew my wife and 2 kids the next day from Panama City to Merritt Island. I was not nervous exactly but was very tuned in for sure.


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Your own confidence and skills are the determining factor in your decision.
12/18/1969, took check ride and passed.
12/18/1969, flew home.

12/18/1969,I took my wife for her first ride in a small plane. The current weather had no clouds at any altitude, and we flew well after sunset. All went well until we flew into a cloud, with stars and ground lights in sight until we entered. 180, and back out. No stress, as the 45 minutes of instrument flight training that I had received was at night, vigorous turbulence. Flew back to the home field, and landed,
12/18/1969, last log book entry total hours, 43 hours and 10 minutes.

1/20/1970, checkout in Cessna 172.
3/26/1970, total hours in log book, start of day, 64 hours, 10 minutes.
3/26/1970, flew to Florida with entire family. We had a great trip, and returned 2 days before the planned date, as weather was predicted to become unsuitable for VFR flight.

Your instructors were different from mine.
Your weather when training was different from mine.
Your personal abilities are different from mine.
Your decision must be different from mine, and related to how comfortable with your own skills stack up.

I had a friend who had over a hundred hours before he soloed, over 200 hours before he tried the check ride, and about 300 before he took up passengers. I agreed with his judgement, without telling him, as he was a very slow learner. I never considered flying withy him, as my non aviation activities with him convinced me that he was inclined to make bad decisions under pressure. On the positive side of this individual, he never flew in any but the best weather.
 
I never established anything formal. I have a general roadmap on what I want to work on.

After my ticket I flew a few 300-400nm XCs solos before taking any passengers. Thereafter I started giving friends rides… Expendable friends first. Took 6 months or so before I took family. It did take some convincing. They didn’t like it one bit. Six months after that, we went on a long XC to Mackinac island and they all loved it. I aim for 10-20 hrs per year with the fam now.
 
Three days. That was a short local flight with my wife (who bought me my first three lessons for a birthday).
First cross country with her was eight days after that.

They were the first two flights after my checkride.
 
Hector Parra said:
Great pic Jim. What are your thoughts on the Archer as a family plane?
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You use what you got lol. Pa28's are a little tight for us, as I'm 6'4", and that doesn't leave much room in the back seat. Archer is a great plane though, especially if you're normal sized, have a reasonable number of kids, and are okay with 115kn cruise. None of which apply to me unfortunately :dunno:
 
It was quite a while for me. The harsh reality of the risks of flying was brought home to me while I was getting my Ppl. A number of people I knew died in airplane crashes during this time. Some were very experienced pilots.
 
Jim K said:
You use what you got lol. Pa28's are a little tight for us, as I'm 6'4", and that doesn't leave much room in the back seat. Archer is a great plane though, especially if you're normal sized, have a reasonable number of kids, and are okay with 115kn cruise. None of which apply to me unfortunately :dunno:
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haha ok. Just saw your profile pic and now I understand the mission. Man, you're giving those kids lots of great memories. In my case I'm 5'7" and we have two kids, so it seems that the Archer will be a good fit.
 
I went up with my wife the same day.

I won't take passengers up if I'm troubleshooting an issue with a plane and I generally do at least a solo run through the pattern after maintenance. However, other than that I always turn this around- why am *I* going to fly at all if I think crashing/death are a likely outcome?
 
I took my mother up the day after my checkride.

One could argue that you are probably the safest immediately after a checkride since you've just spent a lot of time practicing and reviewing material. It's only somewhat after that time where some pilots begin to get complacent and make less prudent aeronautical decisions.
 
cowman said:
I went up with my wife the same day.

I won't take passengers up if I'm troubleshooting an issue with a plane and I generally do at least a solo run through the pattern after maintenance. However, other than that I always turn this around- why am *I* going to fly at all if I think crashing/death are a likely outcome?
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I think you nailed it there. That's my personal case. I'm halfway through my PPL and that's probably why I don't have the confidence to get passengers right after my check ride. I guess time and some turbulence will build that.
 
A couple of my sons were eager to go up, so I took them up a few days after getting my ticket. My wife took longer, it was a few months. She never did get comfortable with it though.
 
Hector Parra said:
...,how long it took you to feel confident enough to bring your loved ones on board?
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If you're asking this, you aren't ready ...

My son was my first passenger on the very first flight after PPL. My CFI and the DPE were brutal on training, power on stalls were at the maximum allowed bank, simulated engine out WASN'T and had to take it all the way in (he tried to hide a small runway under the belly when I came out from the foggles). CFI did engine out drills on the upwind at a 3 runway field requiring landing on the next runway after rotation ...

All this paid off in year two with a smoke in the cockpit at night total electrical failure ... have also had a flat tire from a nail after getting airborne (construction at home drome) - plane pulls HARD at touchdown with a flat main, lost a mag after normal run-up on 2 occasions, prop seal oil loss on windshield ...
 
I took a friend for a $100 burger 3 weeks after my checkride. It took my wife a full year to ride with me, but now she's a fan, and loves popping in and out of clouds.
 
I took my son up first, probably a week after getting certificated. Wife not long after that. A year later people were paying me to teach them how to fly. A year after that I was flying right seat in King Airs and Citations.
 
I got my license in a 152. The next day I took my sister up in a 172. The day after that my dad and I went out over the ocean in a Tomahawk. My dad had not flown in 30 years and he had a blast. He still talks about it and it’s been nearly 40 years since I got my private license. Wonderful memories!
 
danhagan said:
If you're asking this, you aren't ready ...

My son was my first passenger on the very first flight after PPL. My CFI and the DPE were brutal on training, power on stalls were at the maximum allowed bank, simulated engine out WASN'T and had to take it all the way in (he tried to hide a small runway under the belly when I came out from the foggles). CFI did engine out drills on the upwind at a 3 runway field requiring landing on the next runway after rotation ...

All this paid off in year two with a smoke in the cockpit at night total electrical failure ... have also had a flat tire from a nail after getting airborne (construction at home drome) - plane pulls HARD at touchdown with a flat main, lost a mag after normal run-up on 2 occasions, prop seal oil loss on windshield ...
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Hi Dan. No I'm not at this moment. I'm halfway through my PPL so still not proficient, nor legally allowed to do it. But I wanted to hear the thoughts of more experienced pilots first :)
 
Took my 12 year old son up the next day in my favorite rental 152. You’re probably safe and capable right after check-ride. It’s when the rust builds on your skills as a newly minted pilot that things can get a little tougher.

I didn’t fly more than 10 hours over 18 months after getting my certificate because renting was a pain, then I bought a plane. It took me about 20 more hours in the new plane until I felt comfortable taking passengers, other than a CFI (feeling like I could land it in an emergency with others on board). I think I had about 70 hours or so back then.
 
I think ADM attitude is the key factor. If you're conciencious, you'll remember that as PIC that your passenger(s) are totally trusting in you to fly them safely. It's ALL ON YOU! That's the big realization (at least for me personally) vs. much of the time before the checkride your instructor is sitting there on the right, kinda like a (mental) security blanket. That said, I took my adult daughter as my 1st passenger, maybe a week after the checkride (I think - have to review the logbook). My wife came a little later - must have gone OK, because she's been willing to go again, several times. Gotta make a good first impression!
 
Rgbeard said:
my dad was my first passenger, the same day I passed my checkride.

I took friends up immediately with no particular concerns.

The girlfriend that became my wife went up with me on our second date.
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Same - dad was first. I was only 17 at the time but I guess I had him (and the rest of my family - because I took up many others) pretty well convinced that I was safe.

I took up a few friends and girlfriends too when still in HS (many more in college) but there was definitely some understandable parental reluctance given my age….
 
Hector Parra said:
I think you nailed it there. That's my personal case. I'm halfway through my PPL and that's probably why I don't have the confidence to get passengers right after my check ride. I guess time and some turbulence will build that.
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Back when I was just starting to solo I remember having to work up courage just to go do a few laps in the pattern on my own. Now with an instrument rating and hundreds of hours I pretty much just get in the plane with my whole family, comfortable that I've done what I need to in order to ensure a safe trip.

Most people in training concentrate on meeting the requirements for the practical test At some point, maybe even after your test, explore things that make you nervous with your CFI- for most people that's stuff like stalls, strong winds/heavy crosswinds. Maybe short field work as well, whatever you're uncomfortable with. The confidence should come with the skills, even then it never hurts to be a little nervous. Keeps you double-checking everything.
 
Still don't have a wife or kids, so never.

Parents went with me on the first "big" XC I did (Grand Rapids, MI ==> West of Milwaukee) about 6 months after I passed check ride. I think I only did 1 smaller XC prior to that flight. Sister/brother went with me after I got my first plane (16 months after checkride).

I'll have to check the logbook.
 
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