your passenger(s)

These days, none of my passengers trust my flying and they get out before they have to suffer my landings. I'm still working on fostering a feeling of security in my airplane.

But really, there's a kid on youtube they talks about having your passengers rate their level of comfort from 0-10 rather than just saying "I'm okay". I'll try and find the video.
 
mjburian said:
Offer to safety pilot for instrument students (or instrument rated pilots). It'll introduce you to the instrument world a bit (don't be too anxious to learn too much without a CFII, though), will get you in the air more often, will get you flying with other people, may not cost you anything to get some loggable time (since you're doing them a favor) and will probably build confidence again.
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Thanks! Great suggestion. I will definitely look into this.
 
I'm only nervous about landings. That's what PAX seem to remember most. I talk through most things I'm doing- some care, some don't.

I love flying alone. It's my "me" time and about the only way I can truly escape. Even then I get a little nervous / anxious at times. But then I just check everything, remind myself that I can do this, and press on.

As far as family ... I'm not any more or less nervous than when flying alone. My kids have so much fun flying with me that it takes any anxiety away.
 
I was very relaxed taking my wife to ride a couple of hours after my PPL checkride. Was also very comfortable three months later taking her across the state for lunch the day after I finished my insurance-required dual in the Mooney. Of course, by then I was a high-time pilot with maybe 85 hours in my logbook. :)
 
LongRoadBob said:
I don't KNOW...

I was getting mealy mouthed about even putting into direct words my fears at this point. Actually as I think about it, I got nervous (ahead of time, not while driving) the first few times I drove my grandkids somewhere. Ridiculous. I'm a good and safe driver, and I put on extra attention to safety when they are in the car but especially the first few times I was nervous because of precious cargo. So what I meant, our daughter has to girls, and it was fine taking them up together with the CFI at my side, alone a passing thought was "maybe shouldn't fly with both at the same time" because...what if something happened.

The dumb thought was me and one grandchild gone, at least there is one more left, but of course that is also stupid. I think I got it from my company which used to not allow two of us who know a particular data system fly commercial on the same flight.

I also imagine it will really be go the way it did with the car. I'll take them up, be just a little bit sharper even than normal if possible, and take no chances.
It will be fine. But only when I feel I can safely control the situations that might arise, and proven to myself I'm a safe pilot. It seems a very long way off, and is at this point.

But like the OP, I kinda wondered about others with even lots of experience, if they ever get those thoughts?
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What is the airplane wrapped around you in your photo?
 
Sundancer said:
What is the airplane wrapped around you in your photo?
Click to expand...

It's an Aquila A210 (a little unsure about the model, it had at least three different designations) and yeah...it felt like I was in an iron man suit :) but other than being a bit cramped it was a nice aircraft. My first three lessons were in it, but my newest instructor felt it was a bad choice, during takeoff on a warm day he didn't like how it handled. I weigh around 200 and he weighs around 175 and decided it would be better to go over to the Piper warrior (pa-28-161) so last few lessons have been in that.
The Aquila was nice with the bubble canopy, but HOT...way hotter in it before takeoff, and though it was pretty new, and the Piper very old, I actually am glad.
For some reason I can't figure out, I can more easily sight the Piper on the runway, taxi it on the centerline, etc.
 
You guys really opened up with your replies..
honest and genuine.
If I may pose another question, just purely on curiosity.

God forbid your in a bad situation (7700), and time permitting.. would you guys do the "tell my wife I love her" radio call??. or even a message?? since ATC transmissions are recorded.
I was reading another thread here in POA (sad one) and this question came to my head.
Personally if I was in radio contact with a facility (ATC, 121.5, TWR, anyone).. I would make that last call JUST IN CASE.
 
My wife after spending a week at Oshkosh wanted me to explain Navigation to her so she'd have something to do on the way home. We sat on a picnic table with the sectional and I showed her how it worked.

By the time she got home she was ready for a pinch hitter's class. About two days later, she changed her mind. She signed up for regular flight lessons.

By the next Oshkosh she had her pilot's license (she flew as far as VPZ but refused to fly into Oshkosh).

By the Oshkosh after that, we had the Navion and she did land that at Oshkosh.
 
BalooAirService said:
You guys really opened up with your replies..
honest and genuine.
If I may pose another question, just purely on curiosity.

God forbid your in a bad situation (7700), and time permitting.. would you guys do the "tell my wife I love her" radio call??. or even a message?? since ATC transmissions are recorded.
I was reading another thread here in POA (sad one) and this question came to my head.
Personally if I was in radio contact with a facility (ATC, 121.5, TWR, anyone).. I would make that last call JUST IN CASE.
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I heard on a LiveATC recording "and just in case this doesn't work out the way I want it to, let my wife know I love her." I think that would be what I'd say.
 
I'm aware of the additional responsibility of carrying passengers, and my tolerance for risk is lower when I do that. No doubt we SHOULD exercise the same level of care when flying solo, but I'm not sure how realistic that is.

I also think that having passengers can be distracting, which is another reason for being more careful, double-checking things, etc.
 
ircphoenix said:
Sure did. I want to say it was the dude in Florida that had to land the twin after the pilot died of a heart attack. IIRC he had an PPL/ASEL.
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It was a guy landing a Comanche gear up at Scottsdale. The line is at about 4:55 into the video. If you watch on on the YouTube site there will be links to video of the landing itself.
 
BalooAirService said:
If I may pose another question, God forbid your in a bad situation (7700), and time permitting.. would you guys do the "tell my wife I love her" radio call??. or even a message?? since ATC transmissions are recorded.

[..]

Personally if I was in radio contact with a facility (ATC, 121.5, TWR, anyone).. I would make that last call JUST IN CASE.
Click to expand...

Tough to say for sure, since I've never been there but... I'm guessing I wouldn't, for two reasons:

1) I'm likely to have my hands full and not thinking of much other than the next few seconds. My wife knows I love her and would rather me be flying all the way to the crash site than getting distracted with things like that.

and

2) It seems too defeatist to me. If I'm conscious, I'm fighting to the end. That kind of message sounds like you already know the outcome and know there's nothing you can do to change it.

But no judgment if someone else makes that radio call. Everyone handles emergencies differently.
 
No, not a word. . .not because I'm a cold SOB, just that I'd be thinking airplane stuff, right up to lights-out.
 
BalooAirService said:
You guys really opened up with your replies..
honest and genuine.
If I may pose another question, just purely on curiosity.

God forbid your in a bad situation (7700), and time permitting.. would you guys do the "tell my wife I love her" radio call??. or even a message?? since ATC transmissions are recorded.
I was reading another thread here in POA (sad one) and this question came to my head.
Personally if I was in radio contact with a facility (ATC, 121.5, TWR, anyone).. I would make that last call JUST IN CASE.
Click to expand...

In most cases, I think I would be too busy flying. If time permitted and the odds looked really bad, I believe I would say goodbye. I remember reading the CVR transcript of the PSA 182 crash in San Diego back in the 70's. The co-pilot left a message for his mom. Very sad, but you have to admire his presence of mind. I copied the last seconds of the transcript below. "CAM" stands for cockpit area microphone.

09.01:21 CAM-1 Oh yeah, before we turned downwind, I saw him about one o'clock, probably behind us now.

09.01:38 CAM-2 There's one underneath.

09.01:39 CAM-2 I was looking at that inbound there.

09.01:45 CAM-1 Whoop!

09.01:46 CAM-2 Aghhh!

09.01:47 CAM Sound of impact

09.01:49 CAM-1 Easy baby, easy baby.

09.01:51 CAM [sound of electrical system reactivation tone on cvr, system off less than one second]
09.01:51 CAM-1 What have we got here?

09.01:52 CAM-2 It's bad.

09.01:53 CAM-2 We're hit man, we are hit.

09.01:56 RDO-1 Tower, we're going down, this is PSA.

09.01:57 TWR Okay, we'll call the equipment for you.

09.01:58 CAM [sound of stall warning]

09.02:04.5 CAM-1

CAM This is it!
Brace yourself!
Mom I love you!

[end of recording]
 
The most nervous I've ever been flying was taking my wife and 4yo daughter up for the first time a couple days after my checkride. Over the last 5 yrs, I've developed a routine for me with non-pilot passengers so that I make sure everything is covered.
 
I don't think I would do the tell my wife I love her thing. First of all she knows. Second there is a good possibility she would be with me. Third I am the type of person who thinks there is always a way out (until there isn't). In which case it is in God's hands.
 
Joshuajayg said:
These days, none of my passengers trust my flying and they get out before they have to suffer my landings. I'm still working on fostering a feeling of security in my airplane.

But really, there's a kid on youtube they talks about having your passengers rate their level of comfort from 0-10 rather than just saying "I'm okay". I'll try and find the video.
Click to expand...

It was on one of the FlightChops videos where he flies in an Extra 300. I've adopted that as well.
 
Flew two more complete strangers to me again this weekend.
 
I've learned not to believe pax when they say everything's fine.

Recently gave a ride to someone from work. "How's it going over there?" "Fine! It's great. Beautiful view."

Later, I adjust my vent in the cabin roof and he's all "Oh! That's where the vents are! I was burning up over here." I look over and he's covered in sweat. No air blowing on him at all. Been that way for almost an hour.

Ask them how they're doing, sure. But then verify it. It's not just pilots that can feel pressured. Maybe they feel like they don't want to disappoint YOU. They might be covering up a situation you could fix if you only knew about it. And if they're getting airsick, that might mean landing sooner than you'd thought or they'd like.
 
Mistake Not... said:
I've learned not to believe pax when they say everything's fine.

Recently gave a ride to someone from work. "How's it going over there?" "Fine! It's great. Beautiful view."

Later, I adjust my vent in the cabin roof and he's all "Oh! That's where the vents are! I was burning up over here." I look over and he's covered in sweat. No air blowing on him at all. Been that way for almost an hour.

Ask them how they're doing, sure. But then verify it. It's not just pilots that can feel pressured. Maybe they feel like they don't want to disappoint YOU. They might be covering up a situation you could fix if you only knew about it. And if they're getting airsick, that might mean landing sooner than you'd thought or they'd like.
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I really like the "out of 100%, how do you feel" thing. and along the lines of what you posted here, I may start asking "are you too hot or are you too cold" because I think it's all too common for people to just say "yeah, I'm fine". and I'm a firm believer that being comfortable temperature-wise could help prevent someone from getting queazy than if they actually were too hot or too cold.
 
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