Rob wrote:For people that have never been in a light GA plane I always give them the "vessel in water" rundown... because unless the air is dead flat you always get a little "invisible" bump here or push there that just doesn't compute to someone who has never flown before. Understanding that an airplane in the air is no different than a canoe in a stream goes a long way to helping ease the tension when you fly through a little "ripple" in the air that they couldn't see...

Rob - That is a great idea! I never thought of explaining it that way!

Man.. This is the perfect time of year for a first flight. As you have already done book a plane early before the bumps show up, hopefully there will be some small low hanging stratus and find a few groves of aspens, They are at peak right now in Jackson Hole and the color is spectacular. Down low and a little terrain following should seal the deal. This time of year is so magical it should be illegal. Have fun.

One more item to tell them about in advance- carb heat- the change in engine pitch is sometimes alarming if they don't understand what's happening

-DP

Hey Capt. Tadpole. You have received a lot good advice of what to do and what not not. Have you heard of adding some green colored Apples to your flight for your first riders? Use either Pippins or Granny Smith. Place the Apples on the dash/glareshield w/o mentioning the Apples. Science doesn't really know yet if it's the color or the smell of the apples that help prevent white knuckles of first time riders, yes - it's a cheap drug. Tell your wife also to take lotsa pix on flight. That is also a good distraction. Have a good trip while you burn some AVgas.
Joe.

Tadpole, If you can pull of the smooth landings you did with me tonight she will have no problems flying with you at all. Good job and happy birthday!

When I take someone for the first time,I try to go a short distance and land.
That says to them that I am in charge and the plane does what I want ,not the other way around.
I stop ,get out and chat about the flight,and get some feedback on the mood of the passenger.
Seems to work.
Also,when I land short,it is never at the home field,that way they cant talk themselves out of the flight.
By the time we get back,they are usually hooked...Usually

Thanks for all the advice. I've bumped our flight up a little earlier. She's a great person and let's me do whatever I want with flying. Like someone mentioned earlier, she is happy when I come back from flying since I'm in a better mood everytime. She says she can see I'm less stressed after I go flying.

She fully supports my habit and fully backs me to own a plane / hangar / whatever once we can afford it. She supports my thoughts of ratings and flying trips without question. She wants to go fly with me to see for herself how she likes it as that may guide future ownership a certain direction or not.

Right now we're planning on taking off out of Colorado Springs airport and flying to the northeast to look at Falcon and Black Forest, then swing back over the AF Academy where I work, then down over Garden of the Gods and back in to land...or the other direction, we'll see which runway departure I get hehe.

We've discussed if the weather is really nice and winds calm that we might just go up Ute pass and then down over Cripple Creek to look at the Aspens changing, they are near peak right now I hear. Then maybe up around Woodland Park and Farish and back over the city to land.

It's her choice on what she wants to do. I need to toss her the idea of flying down to Pueblo for breakfast too, that way she has options of what she would like to experience.

bmurrish wrote:Tadpole, If you can pull of the smooth landings you did with me tonight she will have no problems flying with you at all. Good job and happy birthday!

Haha, thanks. I can do better. It'd been over a year since I'd flown at night and 2 months since I'd landed a plane (when we came back from Oshkosh).

I can't take all the credit for the landings you were, umm my CFI! And happy b-day to you too!

Have just a short joke to tell your wife.

Flying is just like sex??
Right before the first time, you are very nervous and maybe a little scared!!
Then you find out it is ok, Maybe even good?!
And after a few times it really is nice and great, and maybe you even start to look forward to another flight.
All is good
GT

Tadpole,

There is a wealth of knowledge and good advice in the above posts. I'm also going through the same thing with my wife. She went up with me on Saturday for the 2nd time. I was able to pick a smooth air day and something interesting to see. We flew up to look at the Knik Glacier and Lake George north of Anchorage. She enjoyed herself and took lots of pics with her camera from the air. The main thing I can add is involve her in the flight. I made sure my wife has a good set of headphones so we can talk. I also explain what is happening even if it's something simple and routine to me. Also get her involved by doing such things as watching for traffic etc. Believe me, if she is the least bit nervous, she is watching everything like a hawk and the slightest thing could unnerve her. Remember that and act accordingly. so far it's working for me. After the flight, Sue said, "I could get used to this" with a positive tone of voice. Considering that she is scared of flying in the big birds, this is a major accomplishment.

I have 2 extra sets of David and Clarks, so her having a headset is no issue. I've already told her that she'll be helping me look for traffic and I plan to have her take the controls some. She'll have a camera as well.

I wish I had the chance to run the slot at Knik Glacier with her or go up over Chickaloon or something. Man I miss living up there!

Well it happened. We took off and flew around the city for sight seeing, her choice. We saw Garden of the Gods, flew over the Academy Airfield where I worked the last 4 years and the Academy Stadium. Then we went and found a friends house in Black Forest and circled it. Then we came back over town and our house and in to land. It was a bit bumpy, but not bad. She was fine with the bumps and assumed they would happen.

She didn't freak out or anything, but she said it's not something she'd be begging me to do again. But she also said she'd go again. She wasn't fond of the 172 and said she'd not want to do a several hour trip in the plane to go anywhere. One problem was the headset didn't fit her very well, and it was on the smallest setting, it was still a bit big. It was pushing on her eustacian (sp?) tubes and giving her some trouble. I should've given her my Bose to try. She said she'd be interested in riding in some other "more" roomier / comfortable airplanes to see how that goes. She thinks if it was a bit more comfy, she'd be fine flying a distance.

Tadpole wrote:She wasn't fond of the 172 and said she'd not want to do a several hour trip in the plane to go anywhere........... She said she'd be interested in riding in some other "more" roomier / comfortable airplanes to see how that goes. She thinks if it was a bit more comfy, she'd be fine flying a distance.

You sure her name isn't Sue? Sounds like my wife. Whe didn't like the room in my 172 taildragger but is fine in the 182. It's amazing what a bit more width will do.... Glad you had a pretty good trip with her. Just don't push her to go with you. You might be surprised at how soon she'll want to go again.

pat

AKGrouch wrote:You sure her name isn't Sue? Sounds like my wife. Whe didn't like the room in my 172 taildragger but is fine in the 182. It's amazing what a bit more width will do.... Glad you had a pretty good trip with her. Just don't push her to go with you. You might be surprised at how soon she'll want to go again.

pat

Thanks Pat. Later on this evening she mentioned that she would like to go again, preferably in another airplane. Our club bought a 182RG, but due to some issues, we don't have it yet. If and when we get it and I get checked out in it, I'll take her up in that and see what she thinks.

What is it, like 5 more inches wide?