Unruly Passengers... What Situations and How to Handle?

R

rt4388

Pre-takeoff checklist
Joined
Jul 10, 2015
Messages
192
Display Name
Display name:
rt4388
So some friends and I rented a boat today and it turned into quite the disaster. People jumping overboard while cruising, people falling under the boat right when I was attempting to beach it, people who could barely walk but wanted to swim, and many other odd, unexpected, and dangerous situations.
So it got me thinking what similar situations could happen in a plane and how to handle them. Ultimately, the easy answer is to just turn around, which is what I ended up doing today. Anyone have any good aircraft related learning experiences?
In my defense, I should add it was a ten passenger pontoon boat so it was quite difficult to watch all nine passengers (mostly all were highly intoxicated by the end of the day) at times... thus the decision to call it a day.
As always, thanks for the help!
 
JCranford said:
Ummm, I don't take drunk friends flying.
Click to expand...
That's definitely the easy way to combat this. I highly doubt I'll ever take anyone who's been drinking flying in a small plane. But I wasn't sure if anyone has ever had someone sober do stuff similar to this, but in a plane.

As a note, the biggest trouble maker has been asking me to go flying for a while now. I highly doubt that is going to happen now.....
 
Worst I had was an ADHD kid who couldn't keep his feet off the rudder pedals. The seat went all the way back and hands in his lap. I landed that way and put him in the back seat to return.

He's since asked for more rides. Not happening in the front seat.
 
MAKG1 said:
Worst I had was an ADHD kid who couldn't keep his feet off the rudder pedals. The seat went all the way back and hands in his lap. I landed that way and put him in the back seat to return.

He's since asked for more rides. Not happening in the front seat.
Click to expand...
Would have never thought about ADHD and how it could affect someone in the front seat. I often worry about passengers having their feet on the brakes on touchdown.
 
Most small villages in Alaska have a taxi service. It is more like a bus ride since the driver/owner will put as many people in the cab that he can fit. The good part is it is usually less than 5 bucks to get where I need to go. One time I got in the back. There was one passenger in front. This guy was drunk and would not shut up. Constant profanities.

After about 5 minutes I asked the driver to stop. I got out, opened the front passenger door, then grabbed the drunk passenger and dragged him out, then got in the front seat and told the driver to go. Problem solved.

Once in a plane, again in Alaska, after reaching cruise altitude, 1500 AGL that day, I smelled alcohol. One of the passengers behind me told me that the back seat passenger (Piper Chieftain) was drinking. After about the third time I turned and looked, I saw him take a big swig. I landed at the closest village and had him step off. I talked to him and told him having alcohol in a dry village is a felony. He agreed to let me have the bottle and I poured it out while he watched. It was not a small bottle. Canadian Mist if memory has not failed me too much.

I told him the next flight will be in about an hour, there might be room for him. I directed him towards the village store so he would not freeze to death. Then I cranked up and left.

Another day in paradise....
 
I had an unruly CFI once. . .CAP (of course) and I got stuck with an "Observor" who happened to be a CFI. This wan't an instructional flight, and I was PIC. He was kinda shaky, even in that nominal role, but no worries. . .until we entered the pattern. I planned a short field landing, cause I wanted to, and let him know; on final, his hands started dancing. A lot - lunging toward the yoke, little yelps, grasping the glareshield, etc. This, in a 172, smooth air, with the AS stable at just under 60 knots, normal rate of descent.

He was freaking me out, and I threatened to slap the taste out of his mouth if he touched the controls. . .I had never been with a CFI that spooky - I had the impression the CFI checkride was a tough evoloution, etc. Took me by surprise that a CFI could be that far below the bar. . .

On the ground, he let me know he flew the pattern at 90-80-70, and anything slower was dangerous. Going home later that day, his questioned my entry method into the DC SFRA, making it clear he was clueless in that regard, though he instructed from a field in the SFRA.
 
I think the crux of the problem is in the third word of the OP. You were fortunate to avoid a deadly outcome on the water. In the air the chances are much, much less favorable. If you are going to fly (or operate a boat, or drive a car, etc., etc.), find friends with better judgment.
 
Last edited:
Sundancer said:
I had an unruly CFI once. . .CAP (of course) and I got stuck with an "Observor" who happened to be a CFI. This wan't an instructional flight, and I was PIC. He was kinda shaky, even in that nominal role, but no worries. . .until we entered the pattern. I planned a short field landing, cause I wanted to, and let him know; on final, his hands started dancing. A lot - lunging toward the yoke, little yelps, grasping the glareshield, etc. This, in a 172, smooth air, with the AS stable at just under 60 knots, normal rate of descent.

He was freaking me out, and I threatened to slap the taste out of his mouth if he touched the controls. . .I had never been with a CFI that spooky - I had the impression the CFI checkride was a tough evoloution, etc. Took me by surprise that a CFI could be that far below the bar. . .

On the ground, he let me know he flew the pattern at 90-80-70, and anything slower was dangerous. Going home later that day, his questioned my entry method into the DC SFRA, making it clear he was clueless in that regard, though he instructed from a field in the SFRA.
Click to expand...
It doesn't stop there. I fly with captains that get spooked real easy. Some of them are the most relaxed pilots you'd ever meet and some of them freak out if you aren't fully configured 15 miles out
 
DON'T HANG OUT WITH STUPID PEOPLE!
That pretty much solves the problem. Most my friends drink but they all know how to act and don't get sloppy or stupid drunk. We are on the lake with friends in the boat most summer weekends. I have never experienced your problems :)
 
Last edited:
Do yourself a favor and don't ever go boating with them again. Someone will die doing the stuff you described, and if I were you I wouldn't want any part of it.
 
You need better quality friends.
 
Little bit of Succs administered intravenously generally does the trick. ;)
 
jordane93 said:
It doesn't stop there. I fly with captains that get spooked real easy. Some of them are the most relaxed pilots you'd ever meet and some of them freak out if you aren't fully configured 15 miles out
Click to expand...

jordan, just remember all of it. when you get to the left seat you will see FO's that are just the same, but YOU will be setting the tone of the flight deck. use these experiences to decide how you will run your flight deck.

bob
 
unsafervguy said:
jordan, just remember all of it. when you get to the left seat you will see FO's that are just the same, but YOU will be setting the tone of the flight deck. use these experiences to decide how you will run your flight deck.

bob
Click to expand...
I'm taking mental notes on what I'm going to do and what I'm not going to do. There are captains that did things that I loved and some that I won't be doing when the upgrade comes which should be in November-December-ish!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top