Lesson in passenger comfort

ScottK

ScottK

Pre-takeoff checklist
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ScottK
I have a friend who has been asking to go up with me for quite awhile. Our schedules just haven't come together until this past Saturday. I told him I was going to do a little x-c (about 54 miles one way) and he was welcome to come along. He accepted and met me at the airport early Saturday morning.

The wx was cold (-2 C), but otherwise perfect. Light winds, 10+ vis and clear skies had me excited about the flight.

I told him to stay in the warm car while I pre-flighted. No sense in both of us freezing. He seemed fine with that.

We climbed in the plane and I gave him the passenger brief. Since it was his first time in a small airplane, I told him we'd do a loop or two around the pattern to make sure he was good with it. After one bumpy trip around the pattern, he said "I'm good, lets get out of here!". Awesome!

The air in cruise was super smooth and the visibility was great. He seemed to be really enjoying himself. I asked if he was ok once we settled in and he said he was, but that his feet were cold. No problem. I turned on the heat. What I hadn't noticed was the overhead wing vent (c172) was open and blowing directly on him.

Well, we continued on talking about the flying and other things. As we approached the other airport, he asked if we were stopping. I told him I was planning a t&g, but could stop if he needed to. Was there a problem? He asked if these planes were always this cold? I wasn't cold, but he was freezing. So at the other airport, I did a full stop. As I taxied back, I noticed the vent.

I felt really bad for not picking up on that earlier. I just hadn't noticed it. I think flying with other pilots all the time has made me a bit complacent with regards to passenger comfort. Other pilots know what to look for and what to expect. So for 35 minutes, I froze my friend solid.

The trip back was fine, but I now have something else to consider while I'm flying. The passengers and their comfort are my responsibility. I need to be more aware of that while flying. With the winter wx season upon us, keep an eye and ear on your passengers. Some of them won't say anything or not realize that the problem may be something small that is fixable while flying.

Have fun out there and stay warm!
 
Almost exactly the same thing happened the first time I took my youngest daughter flying.

A vent was blasting icy air on her the whole flight. After we landed I asked her how she liked it. She said it was fine, but cold. Eventually I figured out a vent was blowing right on her and I told her that she should have said something about it. Then she said, "I've never been in a small plane before, so I just thought it was normal and didn't want to seem like a complainer."

Ever since then I've pointed out the air vents.
 
With a new passenger it is a good idea to go over the panel, controls, door latches, vents, ect. I have found they are much more relaxed knowing what stuff is and what they can and cannot touch. Most want to know where the fuel gage is. :lol:

Lesson learned.
 
I like it cool, so we always take wool blankets for everyone. Even in the summer, as we are usually at 12,500'-13,500'.
 
I always point out the floor vents in the Arrow to my passengers and tell them that if at anytime they feel a little overcome by the turbulence that cool air does wonders for helping to squelch that feeling.
 
I wouldnt beat your self up about it! Sounds like he was really into going and had a great time!
 
Done that, but just the opposite (warm rather than cold). Nobody thinks twice about adjusting vents in a car, but they typically won't touch anything in a plane...probably not a bad thing:) I felt bad, too.
 
I froze out my instructor once, lol. I'm the kind of person who loves the cold, and we had a dual x-c scheduled. It was the first cold day of the year, and we were in a Tecnam Sierra.

I routinely flew with the canopy open, and cold has never bothered me; so I didn't really think about the poor CFI until we were about 10 or 15 minutes into the flight, at which time I realized he was turning blue. So I said, "Jeez, it's cold up here," and closed the canopy.

I don't know why he didn't say anything. Maybe it was because he was a young kid who could have been my son, or maybe it was a macho thing. Probably the latter. But I decided to let him off the hook and closed the canopy. Personally, I was quite comfortable with it open.

-Rich
 
I try this a few times during the flight "How are you temperature wise? Hot? Cold?" And they say oh I'm fine. Then you have to instigate again, "so you're perfect or do you want a little heat?" then they'll give in and say they're a little cold/warm whatever the case may be.
 
RV10flyer said:
I like it cool, so we always take wool blankets for everyone. Even in the summer, as we are usually at 12,500'-13,500'.
Click to expand...

Especially in the summer. Climbing once, the controller asked how far I was planning to climb. I said "Climbing to 50* OAT".
In the summer south, you climb to a temperature, not to an altitude.
 
When I take people flying I make them "in charge" of the heater.. I show them how it operates and that task makes them feel like they are part of the show.... They stay comfortable and it makes the flight more fun for them...:yes:
 
part of my passenger brief is to point out where the air controls are and how to operate them
 
JBrown243 said:
part of my passenger brief is to point out where the air controls are and how to operate them
Click to expand...

I am still too cautious (low hours) and only point out vents to my pax. Anything on the dashboard is off limits unless I specifically say that "Yes, you can adjust it". Prevents the "Now, which thingamabob was I supposed to twist to make it hot? This red one?"
 
Flew the other week with a back seat pax at around 0*C OAT. Turns out the door was open the whole flight just a crack. Felt his headset after the flight, and I can just say I'm glad it wasn't me back there!
 
ebykowsky said:
Flew the other week with a back seat pax at around 0*C OAT. Turns out the door was open the whole flight just a crack. Felt his headset after the flight, and I can just say I'm glad it wasn't me back there!
Click to expand...


And you were the PIC? :eek:
 
Geico266 said:
And you were the PIC? :eek:
Click to expand...

Nope, I was with my instructor, and this was after the first plane was down for maintenance, the second one we tried was 7600, and this third one was our last hope. Just couldn't get the door shut, so only a little crack of it was open. My friend didn't believe me when I told him it could get cold up there so he'd better bring a nice warm jacket. We did some 0g pushovers though and that got his blood flowing! :yikes:
 
Also it's important to watch your language... My first passenger was my best friend, a pilot just as old as myself... luckily. If it had been a non-pilot the result would have been much worse.

On the takeoff run my pen dropped out and underneath the seat, no big deal, but I let out something regarding 'crap'. Now while rotating saying these things can frighten any passengers and he pretty quickly inquired what was going on and I told him. However, the lesson was learned early on to never ever swear or make urgent sounds while being PIC.
 
Yeah I'll second what Austin said - one of my pax said something along the lines of hearing your pilot say "oh ****" is right there along with hearing your doctor say "oh ****"

I can't even remember what it was that happened. I kinda want to say it was my headset batteries dying.
 
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