Would you take a total stranger along in your GA airplane?

[Tarheel Pilot]

I'd have to pass. I don't need a stranger trying to wrestle control of the aircraft away from me.

 

[gismo]

Would you do it on a normal day on the ramp at home field?

I've done that too as well as when away from home at a strange (to me) airport. I've even jumped in an airplane for a ride with I pilot I've just met and know nothing about which is probably more dangerous than taking a stranger in my own plane. For that matter I'd say the stranger going with me on a flight is taking a bigger risk than me.

 

[gismo]

Not a kid. Not connected to any organized activity. Just a random stranger on the ramp. How would you answer in that case?

That's a non-sequitur for Tom. He's been around so long he knows everybody at the airport.

 

[ajstoner21]

Yeah, I think I would.... Depends on what kind of "vibe" i get from them, and if i saw them acting suspicious ahead of time or not. Not an absolute yes or no.

 

[John Baker]

Well.....if it's any of todays younger people, they'd probably be texting the whole time. I think all you would have to do is give them a chair to sit in near the ramp, and then when you got back in say six or so hours, you could go over and ask them how they enjoyed the flight? They'd probably be all thanking you for taking them along. Then they'd start texting toward their car, telling all of cyperworld how much fun flying is.

-John

 

[Henning]

Why not?

What's really changed (other than the media over saturation)?

People have been hijacking / blowing up airplanes since the 1930's.

Has your risk really changed? Or is it just that the fear mongers have won?

That's about it as I've seen it except for two major factors, population density and the street/neighborhood crime that comes with "The War On Drugs". The war on drugs is what has really resulted in the government being able to control us through fear, that has been the big change of the last 30 years in America. It was all almost legalized under Carter (remember, everything was over the counter at the beginning of the 1900's). Then Reagan came along, declared a war on drugs. GW Bush makes a deal with the Calais cartel people to protect shipments into the US in exchange they keep the violence off the US shores, the violence in Miami was too shocking from Grisselda. If you have Netflix, watch Cocaine Cowboys, excellent documentary about that period of time here in So Fla. They moved the primary point of entry to Mena Arkansas after that and got the business out of South Florida so we could become a safe cruiseship mecca.

95% of the fear, violence and crime in the US is attributable to the illegal drug trade. Think of what we could do with the tax revenue.

 

[John Baker]

95% of the fear, violence and crime in the US is attributable to the illegal drug trade. Think of what we could do with the tax revenue.

If you are alluding to legalizing narcotics, even the increased tax revenue would not offset the payrolls of the million or so people who earn their living off the war on drugs, who would be out of work if it ever happened. It is one of our nations largest industries. That war, like the war on terror, can never be won. There are just way to many people dependent on those wars for their livelihood.

We need drugs and terrorists. Our economy would be devastated without them.

-John

 

[Henning]

If you are alluding to legalizing narcotics, even the increased tax revenue would not offset the payrolls of the million or so people who earn their living off the war on drugs, who would be out of work if it ever happened. It is one of our nations largest industries. That war, like the war on terror, can never be won. There are just way to many people dependent on those wars for their livelihood.

We need drugs and terrorists. Our economy would be devastated without them.

-John

You put them to work in the building of the equipment to take advantage of hydrogen fuel. Think of the economic boom the US will experience when we quit exporting our economy for oil and start exporting hydrogen and collecting revenue from other nations by selling them energy. I know it's a novel concept, but dare to dream.

 

[kimberlyanne546]

If you count people on the internet as strangers, then yeah I do it all the time. However, nobody has ever "walked up to me on the ramp" except the airport manager guy (last year) but come to think about it I did eventually take him up and that was great! There were three of us pilots.

And you must be silly if you think a woman will walk up to me (same gender) and ask for a flight. Not gonna happen.

 

[Anthony]

Sure. Do it all the time.

 

[alfadog]

If you count people on the internet as strangers, then yeah I do it all the time. However, nobody has ever "walked up to me on the ramp" except the airport manager guy (last year) but come to think about it I did eventually take him up and that was great! There were three of us pilots.

And you must be silly if you think a woman will walk up to me (same gender) and ask for a flight. Not gonna happen.

I had to put that or this degrades to "well, what does she look like". Or "what does he look like" for our female aviators. Or whatever gender floats your boat.

Re walking up on the ramp, I walk up to strangers on the ramp all the time. Even girls :wink2: All my pilot buddies here at home are folk I walked up to.

 

[silver-eagle]

I take Young Eagles and their parents for a ride. So yes, I do it about 20 times a year. Besides, the caveat was the stranger was on the ramp. In most of the area airports I fly from, you can only get there if someone let you in or you have an access badge.

 

[alfadog]

I take Young Eagles and their parents for a ride. So yes, I do it about 20 times a year. Besides, the caveat was the stranger was on the ramp. In most of the area airports I fly from, you can only get there if someone let you in or you have an access badge.

Assume they are the friend of an A&P on the field or they walked in the front door of the FBO, used the bathroom, then walked out onto the ramp. They got in, they are walking around. I am trying to get to the basic question - would you take up someone that was not vetted in any manner other than that they seem OK to you.

 

[Henning]

So what CFIs do every day appears to be highly risky.

 

[denverpilot]

So what CFIs do every day appears to be highly risky.

Ha. It's worse than you think. All those strangers spend the next 40 hours or do trying to kill both of them, too!

 

[Garthur]

So what CFIs do every day appears to be highly risky.

The last time I needed a CFI, I contacted a guy from Lincoln that had a business card on the board at my home base. When I met him, he knew everything about me. I asked him how he knows all this, he said that he had asked around about me and found that both of us kmew the same people. At least where I live there aren't that many active pilots and everybody seems to know everybody.

 

[Henning]

The last time I needed a CFI, I contacted a guy from Lincoln that had a business card on the board at my home base. When I met him, he knew everything about me. I asked him how he knows all this, he said that he had asked around about me and found that both of us kmew the same people. At least where I live there aren't that many active pilots and everybody seems to know everybody.

People also walk into flight schools anonymously every day; on demand charter operations as well.

 

[alfadog]

Ha. It's worse than you think. All those strangers spend the next 40 hours or do trying to kill both of them, too!

Good one

 

[yakdriver]

I like to share my love of flying and can't count the number of rides I've given to people that I did not know. I have been very fortunate to own and fly several warbird, aerobatic and homebuilt airplanes in my flying career. Never had any issues with anyone I took flying. DOn

 

[Ted]

Exactly. I've taken way more strangers for flights (they were strangers the first time anyway) than people I have known.

Yep. And you know even less about them.

Like Lance, I'm typically trusting. I've only had bad feelings about 1 person I've flown, and that was because he was an idiot rather than dangerous.

 

[alfadog]

I like to share my love of flying and can't count the number of rides I've given to people that I did not know. I have been very fortunate to own and fly several warbird, aerobatic and homebuilt airplanes in my flying career. Never had any issues with anyone I took flying. DOn

I am with you. Not in numbers but in attitude. I got started in flying again in 2010 after 34 years away from it. I had no pilot friends. If I did not talk to strangers, I would be doing this all by myself. That is still fun but I am a "people person".

 

[alfadog]

I see the "No"'s are creeping up on the "Yes"'s. That is OK. I think 50/50 is pretty good.

This poll was prompted by another post I made where I suggested to someone that does not have money to continue but still loves aviation that he be the "stranger" in my question; that he walk up to folks he sees on the ramp pre-flighting an airplane alone and ask if he could join them.

What this says is that there is a very good chance the answer would be yes and that is pretty cool

edit: this post:

http://www.pilotsofamerica.com/forum/showthread.php?p=878277#post878277

 

[Henning]

I see the "No"'s are creeping up on the "Yes"'s. That is OK. I think 50/50 is pretty good.

This poll was prompted by another post I made where I suggested to someone that does not have money to continue but still loves aviation that he be the "stranger" in my question; that he walk up to folks he sees on the ramp pre-flighting an airplane alone and ask if he could join them.

What this says is that there is a very good chance the answer would be yes and that is pretty cool

Yeah, it's pretty much always been that way. The people you meet around aviation are ones that gravitate towards extremes most of them are extremely good people, the others are some pretty extreme charlatans though.

 

[Morne]

Yes, but I also have the means to eliminate any threat posed.

My fellow buckeye has it right. A 182 in the air and a .357 on the hip - just about a perfect day right there.

 

[Anthony]

My fellow buckeye has it right. A 182 in the air and a .357 on the hip - just about a perfect day right there.

But, but the bullet would pass right through him, and the plane, causing catastrophic de-pressurization! Oh no!

 

[alfadog]

But, but the bullet would pass right through him, and the plane, causing catastrophic de-pressurization! Oh no!

Actually, I would be more concerned about the mess I would have to clean up. Makes me think of that scene in the car in Pulp Fiction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOBvGGaDnKQ#t=40s

Warning, coarse language

 

[JeffDG]

I've done it.

I was out at a grass strip, and had just completed my 3 trips around the pattern for currency, and was pushing the plane back into the hangar, and a gentlemen walks up to me and tells me how he was stationed in the area during WW2, and the he always wanted to see what it was like from the air.

"Well, hell, no time like the present to find out...let's go!" says I. Most fun I've had flying before or since!

 

[Morne]

But, but the bullet would pass right through him, and the plane, causing catastrophic de-pressurization! Oh no!

Well of course it would pass right through. But the real question is how did you know that I fly the rare P182?

 

[DouglasBader]

If we restricted ourselves to only flying passengers that we know, we'd have a very limited selection of passengers, wouldn't we?

Charter operations, airlines, fractional operations, and corporate operations take people on board all the time that they don't know. Even in corporate, where one owns the aircraft and has a close working relationship among most of the passengers, clients and others may come aboard who are largely unknown. I've done that many times.

I've flown passengers whom I didn't know, but who were serving a life sentence for murder, in my air ambulance aircraft. I've flown people whom I didn't know in airline, fractional,and private operations. I've taken people I didn't know in twin commanders, 310's, 210's, cubs, King Air's, Senecas, 207's, and a host of other light airplanes. I don't see the problem.

You use your best judgement about the airplane, the weather, the flight planning, the time of day, the routing, and yes, the passengers. Given that many airfields are locked up as tight as a drum these days, it's unlikely that someone will walk up and ask for a ride at many locations, but it's not that far fetched to have someone express interest in going flying, and to arrange a flight. I do it for scouts and aviation merit badges. I do it. for other situations, and don't think twice. Why would I?

 

[EdFred]

Yep. And you know even less about them.

Like Lance, I'm typically trusting. I've only had bad feelings about 1 person I've flown, and that was because he was an idiot rather than dangerous.

Yeah, but you still signed me off for my BFR. Now who's the idiot?

 

[fgcason]

I use to get rides all the time doing that. I returned the favor when I could just like they did to me.

Then again that was back before the prison fences and locked gates when and airports were actually accessible and not intimidating. Nowadays I'd be afraid of getting sent to gitmo for wandering around looking for a ride. Of course if someone approached me for a ride with bolt cutters and gate padlock pieces while complaining about the damned tsa being a PITA under his breath, I would definitely take him flying even if I was just puttering around not intending to fly that day.

 

[alfadog]

If we restricted ourselves to only flying passengers that we know, we'd have a very limited selection of passengers, wouldn't we?

Charter operations, airlines, fractional operations, and corporate operations take people on board all the time that they don't know. Even in corporate, where one owns the aircraft and has a close working relationship among most of the passengers, clients and others may come aboard who are largely unknown. I've done that many times.

I've flown passengers whom I didn't know, but who were serving a life sentence for murder, in my air ambulance aircraft. I've flown people whom I didn't know in airline, fractional,and private operations. I've taken people I didn't know in twin commanders, 310's, 210's, cubs, King Air's, Senecas, 207's, and a host of other light airplanes. I don't see the problem.

You use your best judgement about the airplane, the weather, the flight planning, the time of day, the routing, and yes, the passengers. Given that many airfields are locked up as tight as a drum these days, it's unlikely that someone will walk up and ask for a ride at many locations, but it's not that far fetched to have someone express interest in going flying, and to arrange a flight. I do it for scouts and aviation merit badges. I do it. for other situations, and don't think twice. Why would I?

I am asking about GA not most of the scenarios you mention. As far as security, meh. Walk in one FBO and ask for the operation next door. Walk out on the ramp. Even assuming it is hard to get in, which is not my experience but my experience is limited to Florida.

 

[alfadog]

Also, remember that I am saying that he is a stranger to you. You do not know him or who he is. Doesn't mean that his brother is not the manager at your FBO. There are plenty of ways for him ("a stranger") to have gotten on the ramp without him being a dirtbag.

 

[steingar]

The thing is, times have changed rather dramatically. Anyone can't just walk up to me and my aircraft, there is a big fence between me and them at my home drone. Yes, they can probably get through the fence with some facility, but it is still a barrier. I doubt psychotics or criminals are just going to wander onto the airport grounds. It does take some initiative.

The person who walks up to me is thus quite likely to belong there. What a good excuse for a joyride! And yes, I take Young Eagles and other flying on a regular basis. I suppose someone could overpower me to use the aircraft for some evil scheme, but you takes your chances.

 

[alfadog]

Few weeks ago, I am tying down the Luscombe and see these two gals approaching across the field. The Luscombe is at 04FA, a private strip surrounded by a few nice homes in Miami's agricultural district (yes, we have one).

I could see they were out proselytizing something, Bibles in hand. I am friendly and they are admiring the airplane. Turns out they are Jehovah's Witnesses. They ask me questions and I explain how a taildragger is different from a tricycle gear and is more challenging. As an analogy, I say that for them to talk to me about their religion would be the toughest taildragger of proselytizing while someone more receptive would be the Cessna 172. Yes, I am evil like that. Of course, we then get into a long conversation that, for them, is prolly dealing with the devil. I tell them to read "Misquoting Jesus". I quote their Bible to them. I am not against anyone believing anything they like but if you want to sell it to me you better be ready to talk about it. I prove my analogy.

We had a nice friendly talk and I took pictures of them next to the Luscombe with their camera. If they had caught me on the way out, I would have offered a ride and they never asked for one.

 

[pericynthion]

No option for "I would not because I fly a single seater"?

 

[alfadog]

No option for "I would not because I fly a single seater"?

Oops :wink2:

Assume you have at least one empty seat.

 

[DouglasBader]

I am asking about GA not most of the scenarios you mention. As far as security, meh. Walk in one FBO and ask for the operation next door. Walk out on the ramp. Even assuming it is hard to get in, which is not my experience but my experience is limited to Florida.

My experience is limited to all flying in all 50 states and most countries on the globe, and every continent except antarctica. The answer remains the same: flying with a stranger just isn't an issue. I do it all the time.

I also pick up hitch hikers when I'm driving.

Not very long after 09/11, I was called out for a short-notice flight in a Lear 35. It was an organ recovery flight, and I was to take a surgical team to an adjacent state to harvest a heart. A short middle eastern looking guy, wierd and out of place, materialized and began asking questions about me, and about the airplane. I was immediately suspicious, and entertained images of dropping him on the spot. Shortly thereafter, I was glad I didn't smack him, however, as he turned out to be the heart surgeon.

 

[alfadog]

My experience is limited to all flying in all 50 states and most countries on the globe, and every continent except antarctica.

Does that make your experience less limited than mine, or more limited. Now I am confused.

 

[Anthony]

Not very long after 09/11, I was called out for a short-notice flight in a Lear 35. It was an organ recovery flight, and I was to take a surgical team to an adjacent state to harvest a heart.

So I guess what your saying is that your impromptu passengers have also included ZOMBIES!