Flying Friends???

[PaulS]

I started driving at 14 and never had an accident.

You're kind of making the point about brain development. I did some really stupid things after I got my license, surprised I made it into my 20s, did you know cars could fly? Used to do it regularly, I just shake my head now.

 

[Snowmass]

When I started driving at 14 my car would hardly fly. It was lucky to even run. It was a 1926 Model T Ford. But I found the engine design fascinating and there was a nearby Model T graveyard where I could get lots of free parts.

 

[PPC1052]

The kid seems very intelligent to me. He's doing his research, looking for ammo to counter his parent's decision. Sounds like the parents have done a great job.

Agreed!

 

[PPC1052]

I have no problem flying with a 17 year old and neither did the CFI or DPE. It’s easy to maintain an adult aura when we have to. But with our peers, as a 17 year old it’s a different matter. True maturity takes a little more time and your innocent appearing parents were 17 at one time and KNOW what we’re capable at that age (better than you realize). A long as your under their roof you must obey the rules. Tempus fugit. Before you know it you’ll be on your own.

Exactly. It's not enough to be able to be mature when you are alone or are with adults. You have to be mature as a pilot all of the time you pre-flight and are up, even if there are a bunch of immature kids all around you doing their best to distract you.

 

[MajorTurbulence]

While I think the points about liability and age have a great deal of merit, the biggest problem is your experience level. You’ve recognized this problem, but you really don’t know what you don’t know. Regarding experience, your aviation inexperienced parents don’t know either.

When I hear some of the stories of friends who have flown with other adults with limited aviation experience, I often cringe as it reminds me of the lessons that I experienced and were lucky enough to get past, but they were doing it with passengers who also didn’t know any better.

The insurance companies are no dummies, and I think they have the 400 hr demarcation for rate changes. The IFR rating is no doubt an important aid to getting the invaluable experience quicker.

It is hard to resist flying passengers until you have reached the 400 hr milestone, I certainly didn’t, but in retrospect it would have been safer. Prior to that though, get your IR, pick your trips carefully and reduce potential complications that you hopefully have the experience to recognize at your level, the main ones being weather and aircraft limitations with passengers and loads, especially weight and balance and density altitude.

 

[PaulS]

When I started driving at 14 my car would hardly fly. It was lucky to even run. It was a 1926 Model T Ford. But I found the engine design fascinating and there was a nearby Model T graveyard where I could get lots of free parts.

I started driving at 15, my buddy got his license and insisted he should teach me in his old man's Ford van with three on the stick. The flying car was my mom's, I was probably around 18 years old, there was this hill on a back road, more of a rise and drop at 35 miles an hour. One of my friends discovered if you hit it at 65, you would go airborne. Probably a foot or so, for about 10 or 20 feet. I did it a bunch of times over the summer, there were a lot of cars going airborne over that hill that summer. Later in the fall my mom brought her car in telling the mechanic we know it wasn't driving right. He looked at it, then shook his head as he looked at me, fortunately nothing was broken, it was just severely out of alignment, he didn't rat me out either, but I stopped after that. The guy I found out about flying the car from, decided that if 65 was good, 85 would be even better. He didn't die, but wrecked his car. Around that time I decided doing stupid things involving speed and gravity was stupid and never looked back.

 

[denverpilot]

Your parents know you and your family fiscal liability better than we do.

 

[Half Fast]

It’s more likely your friends’ maturity that your parents worry about than yours.

Imagine a friend hitting the PTT button and saying something stupid or dangerous, or doing something distracting while you land, etc. A high school aged friend who isn’t also a pilot won’t understand what PIC really means and likely won’t respect your authority in the plane.

 

[N1120A]

I rarely took passengers during my early PPL time. My dad on a sightseeing flight and one of my best friends who has about 30 hours of flight training and many more in his dad's PA30T. Other than that, it was only other pilots or solo for the first 100-150 hours or so. And I was in my 30s.

No, just the voting age where life experience as well as a more rational brain are positives Do you agree?

I would lower the driving and drinking age with restrictions. I started driving at 14 and never had an accident.

BTW some Danes I recently met said the socialists in Denmark are pushing for an age 15 voting age.

In fact the military wants young soldiers because they are more willing to take dangerous risks.

So, basically, you just don't want younger people making their own decisions.

It’s more likely your friends’ maturity that your parents worry about than yours.

Imagine a friend hitting the PTT button and saying something stupid or dangerous, or doing something distracting while you land, etc. A high school aged friend who isn’t also a pilot won’t understand what PIC really means and likely won’t respect your authority in the plane.

Exactly.

 

[lsaway]

Recently my dad and I purchased a Cherokee 180(He paid most of it, but I did contribute some.) with the intention of using it for time building, and some flight training(My dad is working on his ppl).
My problem is that my parents do not feel I should take my friends on a plane ride.

It does not matter if you are 17 or 70, you don't own the plane. The airplane majority owner has the right to decide who can fly the plane & how it is flown. If you want to take friends, find an airplane to rent if you meet the rental requirements. All clubs and FBOs will have rules to follow. Maybe ask your parents if you can buy 50% share in the 180, or how much more can you contribute to the expenses of the plane that would show you are responsible enough to take friends? Good parents are protective of their children. Be thankful that your parents love you this much. My parents made a scene in front of my friends when I was 25 because I was taking the plane for a scuba diving trip (low altitude flight). No matter how old we are, our parents will always be protective. We can't change them.

 

[Snowmass]

N1120A I think you are having a problem with reading comprehension. Try again.