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

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

  • I would not because I would not take a complete stranger in my airplane.

    Votes: 32 29.9%

  • I would not because if I am alone it is because I want to be ALONE.

    Votes: 5 4.7%

  • If he seems OK, then sure.

    Votes: 57 53.3%

  • I would ask him for a reference I could call right then.

    Votes: 1 0.9%

  • I would want to check him out a bit. Maybe next weekend he can fly.

    Votes: 11 10.3%

  • I would report him to Homeland Security.

    Votes: 1 0.9%
  • Total voters
    107
alfadog

alfadog

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alfadog
OK, you are on the ramp doing your preflight for a recreational flight and you are alone. Maybe you are going to do some pattern work, maybe go to a seminar at another airport, get cheap fuel, whatever but you are going alone and will be back within, say six hours or less. Point is, you are coming back.

A fellow walks up to you. He is a normal-looking fellow, well-spoken, clean. Maybe he is 20, maybe he is 50. Just a guy. Nothing about him puts you off.

He says that he would love to ride along just for the fun of it. Maybe he is a pilot, maybe someone with only a bit of student flying, maybe no experience at all.

You say, well, I will be gone a few hours. He says, no problem, I am free all day.

Required clarification: Stranger is the same gender as you and you are both straight. Or the opposite gender and you are both gay. Point is, not about mating or hoping to mate.

Would you take him?

Not in the poll for some questions for discussion. Food for thought.

You decide to take him.

Would you want to see some ID?

Would you want to pat him down for weapons?

Let us say he has a small pack of some sort; do want to search it?
 
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No. Maybe 30 or 40 years ago. Maybe even Sep 10, 2001.
But not today.
 
I have taken people I have known just a little from around the airport, but I would probably pass on a total stranger. There would have to be some connection (know someone I know, maybe).
 
Already have - it's the essence of fly-in fun. Did it at Gaston's.
 
JOhnH said:
No. Maybe 30 or 40 years ago. Maybe even Sep 10, 2001.
But not today.
Click to expand...

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?
 
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Not a complete stranger, never. I wouldn't ever give a ride to a complete stranger in my car, and there's no way I'd let one in my airplane.

EDIT: If it's someone that is well known around the airport, maybe like a kid interested in flying and wanting to eventually get his license, and someone I trust can vouch for him, then sure.
 
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Why aren't there any "her" choices in that poll?
 
Sac Arrow said:
Why aren't there any "her" choices in that poll?
Click to expand...

Stranger is the same gender as you and you are both straight. Or the opposite gender and you are both gay. Point is, not about mating or hoping to mate.
 
I trust my judgement in people enough that yeah, given a sufficient conversation I may elect to have them along. A good few of my early hours were begged rides so I pay back here and there. I've taken ramp rats for a couple days and let them fly (no autopilot in any of my planes except my old TactAir that would go into a diving left turn whenever I'd turn it on. I never bothered fixing it and got rid of it when I got new gyros.) and log multi time for the price of of their room and board on the trip. Not a bad deal, might even share a room.
 
I've taken hitchhikers halfway up the east coast in a spamcan. But I offered them a ride, they didn't ask me.
 
I've had sex with complete strangers, so yeah...I'd let her come along.
 
alfadog said:
Stranger is the same gender as you and you are both straight. Or the opposite gender and you are both gay. Point is, not about mating or hoping to mate.
Click to expand...

Okay, but it could affect my answer.

Just sayin....
 
alfadog said:
Stranger is the same gender as you and you are both straight. Or the opposite gender and you are both gay. Point is, not about mating or hoping to mate.
Click to expand...

That is an impossible distinction to make. Everything we do is centered around mating competition ritual.
 
Does he smell? or look like Steve Buscemi. If yes to either of those, no. If not, sure, why not? A hard elbow to the temple will take care of things.
 
I have done this before, actually, and it was actually very fulfilling, getting to share my passion with a stranger. I was out to dinner at a fly-in country club with some friends. A lady came up to me and said she saw me walk from an airplane and asked if I would take her husband for a flight for his birthday. She wanted to give me $100 to do it, and I said I would gladly do it, but I couldn't take her money. (It wasn't because of any FAA rules, it was purely out of the joy of getting to fly.)

The experience was totally amazing for me as well as the passenger. A quick 30 minute flight around the area and we came back, smiling ear to ear.

I would gladly do it again too. If the person looks shady or suspicious to me, I wouldn't politely decline, however more often than not, I don't think I would even think twice about it and off flying we would go.
 
I guess most of the rides I gave at Burning Man don't count because they were attractive MOTAS who weren't allowed to wear clothes (for weight and balance reasons, of course)
 
Okay, who reported the 'normal looking stranger' to the DHS?

: )
 
I answered no. Maybe it is paranoia, or my background and training, but I am not the trusting sort. Then again, if a stranger appeared near my hangar he/she would be asked some very pointed questions. If they were up to no good they would probably leave.
 
Just the other day, a fellow walked up to me as I was putting the Luscombe back in the hangar and asked if I remembered him. I gave him that befuddled look that says no without having to say "should I?" He then reminded me that I had given him his first airplane ride ever, in that Luscombe, when he was about 16. He said he was enthralled then and went on to get his private certificate; he now owns an RV-3, and is restoring a Luscombe 8A. I do remember one of the local airport regulars back in the day asking me if I would give this kid a ride so it wasn't as though he was a complete stranger. All in all, I got quite a kick out of it and hope to score a ride in his fabric-winged 8A when he's done.

So, yes, I'll take my chances, even without a CCW, if the circumstances seem right.

My question is, would you get into a GA airplane flown by a stranger? I have always been amazed that the parents give us their children for Young Eagles rides with no question. That is a responsibility that should humble the best of pilots.

Scott
 
The bottom line is I wouldn't have a problem with it if I judged the individual to be both a non threat and non annoying.
 
I have and do, routinely. I took a guy and his kids up at KMWH, I gave a dude a ride on Lopez Island who was just out hiking around, he gave us a ride into town. I stopped in at the local brewery after an 18 hour day of installing a new interior, a guy noticed I was sending pictures of the upholstery job on my phone, struck up a conversation and I called him the next good day we had at the airport and took him up. Took the guy that works at the convenience store for a ride. I have picked up many hitchhikers, I used to all the time on my commute to college, One turned out to be a good friend of mines grandfather. I picked this HUGE intimidating dude up once, probably 6'6 375lbs or so, he barely fit in my little honda civic, it was night, a thunderstorm and he was 8 miles from anything, really nice and appreciative guy who's car had broken down. I guess I'm just not as terrified of my fellow humans as politicians and news outlets want me to be.
 
alfadog said:
Would you take him?
Click to expand...
Yes.

alfadog said:
Not in the poll for some questions for discussion. Food for thought.

You decide to take him.

Would you want to see some ID?
Click to expand...

No, they're easily faked. Useless.

alfadog said:
Would you want to pat him down for weapons?
Click to expand...

Nope. He doesn't get to pat me down either. :)

alfadog said:
Let us say he has a small pack of some sort; do want to search it?
Click to expand...
[/QUOTE]

Might ask if he has something to snack on in there if it's not a lunch flight, since you said 6 hours... 'cause I probably wouldn't have a snack along or if I did, it'd be small... if not... I'd share. I might also suggest he grab some water... folks who don't fly don't know how dehydrated you can get. Usually have some lukewarm water bottles in the hangar, but I usually bring my own.

Another tactic might be to ask if he has a camera along.

Probably an easy way to maybe find out what's in there... but ultimately, don't care.

I had a number of rides from kind strangers in airplanes years ago. Best was in an L-19 that the owner said he "just needed to warm up the oil"... he was military trained, and pretty much you knew we weren't ever going above 200' AGL the entire flight... might get shot down. We made it up to 300' in the wing-over to turn around and go back to the airport. :)

You're also assuming a very big "if" here... I'd only see him at or near my aircraft at my home base if... he'd figured out how to get past the card-reader TSA Electric Gates of Doom.

He might deserve a ride, just for figuring it out.

I've been "tailgated" without the car behind swiping their card at the reader multiple times lately. One time I followed the truck and asked the guy why he didn't swipe. He shuffled his feet a bit and said, "Yeah, I probably should have."

I vowed then and there, since the Airport Authority has video cameras at all the gates, it's their problem. Screw it. There's a million other ways to get out on our ramp. If the guy manages to make it to my long lonely hangar row, we can go up.

Back to this stranger... one thing I will ask a stranger is if they have any medical history or problems that might preclude them from going aloft, including dizziness, fainting, or if they've ever experienced carsickness. You don't want to get their mind captured on that thought, but some folks are just uncomfortable with aircraft motion and don't know until they're up for the first time.

If he was a first-timer, I might keep an eye peeled for any signs of tummy discomfort while still within a reasonable range of home, and I'd have the feed bag handy if they got green around the gills.

Learned that lesson the hard way, back at about 50 hours. Poor girl was pressured into going along (friend's girlfriend) and later admitted she can't even ride in the back seat of a car. What he was thinking (he knew this), I don't know. She didn't get much in or on the rental... but her sweatshirt was a mess.

That was my one and only barfer until I took a pilot friend up for pattern work and he'd taken some horse pill antibiotics and had BBQ for lunch. He also didn't spill in the airplane, but that was a seriously full bag. :)

Oh, and if they really were someone trying to be naughty... ridiculous severe maneuvers just might be employed. I know where their seatbelt latch is. :)
 
Henning said:
BTW, isn't this what an airline pilot does on every flight?
Click to expand...

Yes, along with those of us in 135. And we don't even have big metal doors separating us from the cabin! :yikes:
 
Ted DuPuis said:
Yes, along with those of us in 135. And we don't even have big metal doors separating us from the cabin! :yikes:
Click to expand...
Exactly. I've taken way more strangers for flights (they were strangers the first time anyway) than people I have known.
 
I've been up flying with quite a few strangers, and I think some of it is because I know that if needed, I could probably take over the controls and get down safely if needed. The aviation community is pretty friendly and I've not come across many people that I really could say I wouldn't fly with.
 
alfadog said:
OK, you are on the ramp doing your preflight for a recreational flight and you are alone. Maybe you are going to do some pattern work, maybe go to a seminar at another airport, get cheap fuel, whatever but you are going alone and will be back within, say six hours or less. Point is, you are coming back.

A fellow walks up to you. He is a normal-looking fellow, well-spoken, clean. Maybe he is 20, maybe he is 50. Just a guy. Nothing about him puts you off.

He says that he would love to ride along just for the fun of it. Maybe he is a pilot, maybe someone with only a bit of student flying, maybe no experience at all.

You say, well, I will be gone a few hours. He says, no problem, I am free all day.

Required clarification: Stranger is the same gender as you and you are both straight. Or the opposite gender and you are both gay. Point is, not about mating or hoping to mate.

Would you take him?

Not in the poll for some questions for discussion. Food for thought.

You decide to take him.

Would you want to see some ID?

Would you want to pat him down for weapons?

Let us say he has a small pack of some sort; do want to search it?
Click to expand...
I'm a fairly trusting person and tend to believe that most people are "good". Therefore I'd be willing to take him along without seeing ID, conducting a pat down, or any sort of search unless something about his manner gave me concern.
 
Sure, I'm not afraid of strangers.
 
I've taken a bunch of strangers up but most of them were paying for the flight or I knew they were part of a group I was a part of. I think it depends on how they act on a "creepiness" scale. If They showed a genuine curiosity, then probably.
 
None of the Above, I take kids flying all the time, no questions asked.
 
Tom-D said:
None of the Above, I take kids flying all the time, no questions asked.
Click to expand...

Not a kid. Not connected to any organized activity. Just a random stranger on the ramp. How would you answer in that case?
 
I picked up a hitchhiker once in the middle of nowhere in South Dakota with my car somewhere between Rapid City and the Buffalo Gap National grasslands and took him probably about 80 miles. He was traveling to some Indian reservation in the south central part of the state.

I hitchhiked from LaPointe, WI to 4R5 airport a few times, with my GF. All part of the General Aviation Adventure. :D

I have taken a few acquaintances who were interested in aviation up on airplane rides.

So yeah, as long as they didn't look like an axe murderer I would probably would take them up.
 
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