passenger unknown.

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evapilotaz

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Drone airspace abuser
Would you take a person flying you just meet? So lets set the scene.

A person you just meet through a friend or co worker.

Person: "Hey Bud I heard your a Pilot"
Me: "Yep"
Person: "So what do you fly"
Me: "Single Engine Cessna's or Piper"
Person: "I'm interested in flying"
Me: "Oh really you should take Lessons"
Person: "Hey will you take me flying"
Me: "Is this your first time in a single engine airplane"
Person: "Yes will you take me flying"
Me: "Long Pause, I will check my schedule and get back with you" "Stalling the answer"

Yes this has happened to me. So with this scenario I would go back to my friend or co worker and ask for character reference. I don't want this person to be some nut job I take flying. Am I being overly cautious about taking someone I don't know flying?
 
You are being very circumspect...keep it up.

Bob Gardner
 
Sounds like a safe decision to me. You could meet him at the airport to give him a cockpit tour then walk him over to the FBO for a flight with a CFI.
 
Don't take him for a tour of your plane, then walk him over to the CFI, that's chicken chit...

Just use your gut, how do you feel about the person? Do you wan to take someone up in the first place? Make your decision off that :)
 
How else are you gonna pick up random chicks at the bar and show off your flying skills? LOL
 
Recently I have taken a co worker flying first timer. I have know this person for a long time. He has wife and Kids so I knew this was a family man and could be trusted. I have to develop a trust with a person before they jump in a airplane with me.

CFI's take people they just meet all the time. I would hope they atleast interview the person to get a feel for their character. When I went for a BFR a few months ago, it was a 20 minute conversation with the CFI and I can tell he was feeling me out. Not just learning my recent flying experience.
 
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After interviewing the mutual friend ,should be no problem. I take a lot of people for their first flight in a small airplane.
 
Coming back from the Bahamas our first time, in a rental airplane, we were asked if we could give a ride to some people who couldn't get a commercial flight from the out island where we were staying for some reason. Suffice it to say that the "no" answer was not long in coming!
 
At least with the chicks you know they are crazy.:D
 
Wait, how is this not potentially a legal can of worms? How do you mitigate liability in this case?

Please tell me you guys thoroughly vet every single person you take flying. :dunno:
 
LandSickness said:
Wait, how is this not potentially a legal can of worms? How do you mitigate liability in this case?

Please tell me you guys thoroughly vet every single person you take flying. :dunno:
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I talk to them... if they are ditzy and weird.. They stay on the ground...:yes:...

Cute and smart ones get a ride... so far 100% of them loved the flight....

As for liability.... If the plane crashes and kills us all..... Who cares.... I am DEAD...:rolleyes:
 
Each of us has to make this decision and hopefully it becomes more frequent.

I don't sugar coat- I have an old airplane and sometimes I'll even introduce it as the forked tail doctor killer... But I have a little fun with it. I'm mostly interested in the individual understanding what they are getting into. (And for kids, I pullout an ol sectional and they have to plot the corse we will fly- but I havent had that opportunity since buying the Bo.)

As long as the pax to be isn't "giving me the willies" I'll usually say ok, but not always..

I must admit, having a single yoke on the Bo does make me more comfortable. Too many storied out there of a frightened pax grabbing and pulling the yoke all the way back !!!
 
LandSickness said:
Wait, how is this not potentially a legal can of worms? How do you mitigate liability in this case?

Please tell me you guys thoroughly vet every single person you take flying. :dunno:
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How can you have a life with that mindset?
If I used that mindset, I wouldn't be as successful, or have the quality of life I have, not to mention I probably wouldn't have met some of the great people I have had the privilege if meeting, and I sure as heck wouldn't have made it in aviation.

Stuff happens, but things tend to work themselves out.

Use your gut, feel people out and enjoy life man!
 
Chick......yes.....dude.....obviously not

ok seriously, in 13 years of certified aviating, I have never carried a single passenger. Not one. Aside from various instructors on instructional flights. So maybe my standards are high :)
 
Had a lady that wanted to fly with me the other day. We talked while I was checking the air in my tires. She was beautiful , perfectly built with a great smile. A real knock out. She asked what I was doing and I explained about tire pressure. She looked me in the eye and asked , Why do airplanes need wheels anyhow, they fly dont they ?????. Sent her with my friend. Turns out she is a nuclear physicist . Book smart and not a bit of common sense. But she was really really HOT.
 
Vaflier said:
Had a lady that wanted to fly with me the other day. We talked while I was checking the air in my tires. She was beautiful , perfectly built with a great smile. A real knock out. She asked what I was doing and I explained about tire pressure. She looked me in the eye and asked , Why do airplanes need wheels anyhow, they fly dont they ?????. Sent her with my friend. Turns out she is a nuclear physicist . Book smart and not a bit of common sense. But she was really really HOT.
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...might have to pull your card for not taking advantage of that situation. I believe not taking her up counts and "careless and reckless misuse of a aircraft" :D
 
I'll take pretty much anyone who shows up and asks to go. The chance of getting a real whackjob are so small as to be insignificant.

Since I have the only yoke if one of them gives me any trouble, I can have them retching and green in a few seconds. They will BEG to get back on the ground in one piece.
 
So what is the background behind this anonymous passenger situation? You are on the ramp with your airplane and some random person just shows up and asks? Can't say I've ever been approached in that situation. I've given plenty of rides to people that I don't know well, but that I still know.
 
She was so ditzy that even her amazing beauty could not make up for it. I was afraid she would drive me nuts before the flight was over. Besides my wife was due to show up at any moment and I could just see explaining why this woman was flying with me. Who was she , I don't know just met her, then why was she flying with you, UHHHH. No dear it had nothing to do with her breasts !!!!
 
Took a complete stranger flying yesterday. Only know his first name. Still do. We spent an hour doing steeps and stalls and comm maneuvers, and assorted other random fun things in my Vtail.

It only has one yoke. He had it from startup to the turn from base to final. He refused to attempt a landing, even though I offered. :D

Liability concerns are for people who think they'll live forever, or are greedy with their things and worry about them being taken away. If I kill a stranger and I live -- guess what, they may take all of my stuff away. Boo hoo. I'll go get more stuff.

In the meantime, I made a complete stranger grin for an hour, and now he's got a thing to be excited about that he didn't have yesterday. That's worth something in the cosmic scoreboard I figure.

$0.02
 
schmookeeg said:
Took a complete stranger flying yesterday. Only know his first name. Still do. We spent an hour doing steeps and stalls and comm maneuvers, and assorted other random fun things in my Vtail.

It only has one yoke. He had it from startup to the turn from base to final. He refused to attempt a landing, even though I offered. :D

Liability concerns are for people who think they'll live forever, or are greedy with their things and worry about them being taken away. If I kill a stranger and I live -- guess what, they may take all of my stuff away. Boo hoo. I'll go get more stuff.

In the meantime, I made a complete stranger grin for an hour, and now he's got a thing to be excited about that he didn't have yesterday. That's worth something in the cosmic scoreboard I figure.

$0.02
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That's my thought process too...
 
Vaflier said:
She was so ditzy that even her amazing beauty could not make up for it. I was afraid she would drive me nuts before the flight was over. Besides my wife was due to show up at any moment and I could just see explaining why this woman was flying with me. Who was she , I don't know just met her, then why was she flying with you, UHHHH. No dear it had nothing to do with her breasts !!!!
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Wasn't it Bob Gold thwart that joked about having to leave it at home... But all the guys get to bring theirs!
 
brian];1582201 said:
Wasn't it Bob Gold thwart that joked about having to leave it at home... But all the guys get to bring theirs!
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Kinison. :D Excellent bit, too.
 
This is pretty funny to read for anyone who has done high volume commercial rides. I used to be a skydive tandem instructor. I didn't get to pick, I had to strap on whoever showed up with money and push us out the door.:goofy:
 
Nope....homey don't do dat. :nono:


but, if you want to sit in it and make noises.....have at it.:yesnod:
 
Best flight I've had since I got my license was this type of thing. Flying out of a grass strip just north of Oak Ridge, TN, and had just landed and was putting the plane away, and an older gentlman comes up to me and starts talking.

Turns out he'd grown up in Oak Ridge, and had always wanted to see it from the air, but back then bad things would happen to you if you flew over that town (during the war).

So, I said, "Hell, hop in, let's go right now!" Got a great history lesson from him as we flew.
 
Vaflier said:
Had a lady that wanted to fly with me the other day. We talked while I was checking the air in my tires. She was beautiful , perfectly built with a great smile. A real knock out. She asked what I was doing and I explained about tire pressure. She looked me in the eye and asked , Why do airplanes need wheels anyhow, they fly dont they ?????. Sent her with my friend. Turns out she is a nuclear physicist . Book smart and not a bit of common sense. But she was really really HOT.
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was it this chick ---->

bernadette.jpg
 
I have taken strangers up on a moments notice on occassion. If they don't seem criminal, nor crazy they can fly with me. Never had an issue, and if I worried about "liability" that much, I wouldn't leave my bedroom.
 
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