New to PoA; Tips for first passenger?

Don't scare her. A quick flight for breakfast, then back home. From Western Mass, Keene or Stow would be a good jaunt. A smooth clear morning would be best.
 
Rgbeard said:
I have found that over-explanation is easy to fall into and mostly works against a happy flight with a first-timer. YMMV.
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That's true, and not what I'm suggesting. Explain in as few words as possible anything that's happening that might surprise them. They don't have to know what everything on your panel does, how the circuit/pattern works, what runway number you're departing from, what you're about to ask ATC, etc. etc.

But especially flying Hope Air flights (similar to Angel flights in the U.S.), I've learned that there are certain things that often get nervous gasps or gulps from first-time fliers, and being proactive about preparing them for those makes a big difference. Some examples are a short/soft field takeoff where you're accelerating in ground effect before climbing (they worry you'll hit the trees), the descending turn from downwind to base (they feel like the plane is suddenly falling out of control), and the noise change when you level off from climb to cruise (they worry the engine's in trouble).

Of course, it depends on how nervous the passenger seems. If, instead of biting their lip and gripping the seat with white knuckles, they're looking around like a kid in a candy store, the only thing I might say is "would you like to try taking the controls?" My first Hope Air flight was like that — the woman I was flying to Toronto for cancer treatment would have flown the whole two hours if I'd let her. Those passengers are golden.
 
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Rgbeard said:
@JonL62021

Any update?
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No update yet unfortunately. My sister in law is getting married soon so we had 3 weekends in a row of wedding events. I had a feeling this would happen when we cancelled the last flight. We currently have a flight scheduled for the 15th, though I'll still be flying here and there while she watches the baby to stay proficient.
 
JonL62021 said:
No update yet unfortunately. My sister in law is getting married soon so we had 3 weekends in a row of wedding events. I had a feeling this would happen when we cancelled the last flight. We currently have a flight scheduled for the 15th, though I'll still be flying here and there while she watches the baby to stay proficient.
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I read this as "No update yet, unfortunately my sister in law is getting married." And thought to myself "Well, I like flying more than most of my relatives, but I don't know that I'd say that out loud."
 
Well we did make it up yesterday and had an awesome flight! Weather was great here in Western Mass. I booked the plane as early as I could, and kept the maneuvering to essential only (pattern entry).

My wife was fairly quiet for the first half, as approach was busy, but we got to talk more on the second half. There was a student pilot on frequency having a bit of trouble navigating, so we talked about that a little, and how confusing it can be when you start flying. I think that helped her feel like I knew what I was doing as I wasn't having any trouble navigating or communicating. We really got lucky with the weather. Visibility was great so I got to point out some distant landmarks. She said the landing was about what she was expecting. That's good because it wasn't a particularly great landing, though not a bad one either.

I made it a point not to badger her after we got down about what she thought. I remember my discovery flight was a bit overwhelming, and I just wanted to give her a chance to take it all in. On the ride home, she asked what we needed to take our son along with us, and suggested we should fly to grab some lunch as a family next time! Her only complaint was that the DC headset clamped on her earings a bit. Later in the evening I overheard her talking to a friend and mentioned that flying was amazing. Last night we talked a bit more about some places to go and she sounds really into checking out Block Island and Nantucket, so those are on the short list after a few more quick flights to keep warming up.

Soooo... I think it was a great success! Thanks to all of you for the advice! Now it looks like I'm in the market for a comfy headset for the wife, noise protection or a headset for a 2 year old, and a child seat that installs easier than our current car seat.
 
Sounds like your flight went about as well as it could be done. Congrats!
 
Hey @SixPapaCharlie - are you taking notes? This is sounding like a Plane Silly episode.

The weirdest question I got once on taking a first timer up was "Hey, will I need a parachute?" No, we're not doing that kind of flying. It will be calm and under control.

I would also add, don't let your sister know that you said "UNFORTUNATELY, she's getting married".
 
JonL62021 said:
There was a student pilot on frequency having a bit of trouble navigating, so we talked about that a little, and how confusing it can be when you start flying. I think that helped her feel like I knew what I was doing as I wasn't having any trouble navigating or communicating.
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Ahh, the old "make sure there's someone out there doing worse than you" strategy! I'm ashamed no one here recommended it. :)

What a great success story. Thanks for updating us, and have fun on Nantucket.
 
Sounds like a success !! Congrats
 
JonL62021 said:
Well we did make it up yesterday and had an awesome flight! Weather was great here in Western Mass. I booked the plane as early as I could, and kept the maneuvering to essential only (pattern entry).

My wife was fairly quiet for the first half, as approach was busy, but we got to talk more on the second half. There was a student pilot on frequency having a bit of trouble navigating, so we talked about that a little, and how confusing it can be when you start flying. I think that helped her feel like I knew what I was doing as I wasn't having any trouble navigating or communicating. We really got lucky with the weather. Visibility was great so I got to point out some distant landmarks. She said the landing was about what she was expecting. That's good because it wasn't a particularly great landing, though not a bad one either.

I made it a point not to badger her after we got down about what she thought. I remember my discovery flight was a bit overwhelming, and I just wanted to give her a chance to take it all in. On the ride home, she asked what we needed to take our son along with us, and suggested we should fly to grab some lunch as a family next time! Her only complaint was that the DC headset clamped on her earings a bit. Later in the evening I overheard her talking to a friend and mentioned that flying was amazing. Last night we talked a bit more about some places to go and she sounds really into checking out Block Island and Nantucket, so those are on the short list after a few more quick flights to keep warming up.

Soooo... I think it was a great success! Thanks to all of you for the advice! Now it looks like I'm in the market for a comfy headset for the wife, noise protection or a headset for a 2 year old, and a child seat that installs easier than our current car seat.
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Nice job, remember the weather bit until she is more experienced, smooth nice days.

No one told me, on her second flight I took her up on a day that I should have scrubbed. Gusty wind, controlled airfield where the controller kept telling me the wind was right down the runway when the windsock said almost direct crosswind. Long story short, I went with his winds instead of what the windsock was telling me, almost ground looped before I lifted off, got off safely, then the turbulence hit, it felt pretty bad in that skipper. So I told the controller I wanted to stay in the pattern and land, he cleared me to land on the runway almost directly into the wind. The 5 or 6 airplanes watching me, waiting to take off, all asked for that runway.

I learned many lessons that day, and my wife still flies with me, but I suggest you don't do anything like that.
 
JonL62021 said:
She said the landing was about what she was expecting. That's good because it wasn't a particularly great landing, though not a bad one either.
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It never fails. I've taken several passengers up and while they seem to be enjoying the flight, they really start to perk up when it comes time to land. I've never figured that out.*

*insert comment about can't wait to get out of the airplane and kiss the ground here
 
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