Nervous about taking my first passengers tomorrow!

So, we didn't end up flying today because it was really cloudy this morning.

We will fly tomorrow morning, maybe with 2 passengers this time because one of my friend is probably working.
 
I have only had a full 172 (with 4 adults) when I had a CFI on board. I did many landings, and the first was a go around, the second was the worst landing (turned it into a go around and that was bad with 40 degrees of flaps yikes), then the remaining 2-5 were just "OKAY". Plane was very different full of humans. I have had 1-2 people before, quite often in fact, but with 3 I did not have a good flight. Then again, this was at a new school in a new plane.

Also, without reading all the other replies, how to use your passengers:

Ask them to help you look out the windows for other planes.

If you are getting flight following or taking off or landing at a towered airport, explain the radios BEFORE getting in the plane and using them. Let people know your tail number and that if they call you out and you don't respond your pax can say to you "hey they just called you" (that way you can key up the mic and ask for them to say again). Let them know when you hold down the PTT button the ATC folks can hear what is being said in the cabin (that could be interesting) so ask for quiet when you talk to ATC.

As one person mentioned, tell them about the stuff that could be scary (stall horn etc).

Ask for a sterile cockpit during preflight, taxi, runup, takeoff, and landing. I'm bad about this myself.

If possible, have them take photo or video. You will be glad you did. My passengers take the best pictures of in flight views.
 
Also, and this is VERY IMPORTANT:

Do not commit to times. Do not be rushed during preflight. If they ask when you are leaving, or when you will be home, let them know it depends.

I take FOREVER when I fly because when I am rushed I forget things. Don't be afraid to take long on your preflight, double check your check lists, etc. Since you are nervous things could get missed.

After loading your passengers in the plane and getting them strapped in, I often get out of the 172 and do a final walk around - one last check of all three tie downs / chocks, fuel caps back on, any "remove before flight" items removed, etc.

Take your time, and have fun.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Ask them to help you look out the windows for other planes.
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Definitely a very helpful hint I missed.
By the way when I asked my passengers for pointing out other aircraft they were often pointing at some 747s a good 20 miles away and much higher. Then you teach them about distances, altitudes, etc, it is fun :rolleyes:
 
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denverpilot said:
If you talk to yourself while flying, avoid phrases like "Oh ****." and "Damn it!" when you are correcting minor little things like being off a heading or altitude.

Heh. Scares 'em. ;)
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OK...this is hilarious, Nate! So true...
 
Missed that one. Passengers do hate it when you say things like "what was that" or "uh oh" etc. I have had almost 100% pilot only passengers, with the exception of my boyfriend and one other. I think non pilot passengers are super duper fun as long as they are not scared. But I like pilot passengers even better because not all of my landings are perfect and that does not bother them one bit.

With only one exception, I've never flown solo. All my flights have passengers. I think it makes each flight unique.
 
EppyGA said:
Once everyone is buckled in as you reach for the checklist you're supposed to say, "Hang on a minute I need to read through the instructions".

Have fun! :D
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Love this line. I think it's hysterical and one that I could see as a great tension relaxer for a nervous passenger! I'll be using it for sure
 
> Once it's solidly latched, I don't think there should be any issues

I disagree.

Some pax fidget. If their fidgeting happens to tug on the seat release, all bets are off.

Another thought ... I noticed a LEO, in my right seat, fidgeting with his firearm. Had it
discharged, the bullet would have exited in the general vicinity of the header tank.
That added another item to my preflight briefing: Are you carrying? If so, clear
the round in the chamber and remove the clip.
 
jspilot said:
Love this line. I think it's hysterical and one that I could see as a great tension relaxer for a nervous passenger! I'll be using it for sure
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This is hilarious, I'll try to remember that one. I don't plan to have any non-pilot passengers in the near future, though.
 
EppyGA said:
Once everyone is buckled in as you reach for the checklist you're supposed to say, "Hang on a minute I need to read through the instructions".
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jspilot said:
Love this line. I think it's hysterical and one that I could see as a great tension relaxer for a nervous passenger! I'll be using it for sure
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I need to remember this...

Ask them to pass you the "instruction book" stowed behind their seat (the POH). Then start reading out loud, "Welcome to your new Cessna... Step one, insert key into switch. Step two, make sure rubber band has been sufficiently twisted and the squirrels have been well fed. Step three, flip switch on panel to illuminate the red Rudolf light. Step four, ask passenger to verify the flight line has been properly stowed."
 
AggieMike88 said:
I need to remember this...

Ask them to pass you the "instruction book" stowed behind their seat (the POH). Then start reading out loud, "Welcome to your new Cessna... Step one, insert key into switch. Step two, make sure rubber band has been sufficiently twisted and the squirrels have been well fed. Step three, flip switch on panel to illuminate the red Rudolf light. Step four, ask passenger to verify the flight line has been properly stowed."
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Forgot about the flight line, sending the pax into the FBO to get 10 feet of it is a must.
 
Make sure that part of your briefing is that you will need them to be silent on the intercom during the take-off and landing phase unless it is safety-related. If your airplane has a pilot isolate function on the intercom verify that it works and explain that you will be using it as needed. I use a 1000' AGL rule, i.e. I ask my pax to stay off the intercom on the ground and up to at least 1000' and the reverse on the way down.

Make sure they know that they should keep an eye out for other aircraft and airports and let you know if they spot either.
 
Speaking of FL, I got my PPL in 1976 at PBI. Back then, my best good buddy was a third generation Florida cracker complete with swamp buggies, airboat, and grandfathered-in hunting lodge in the middle of the Everglades - fun stuff, especially the airboat. He was excited to be my first pax and wanted to fly out to the 'Glades and see his cabin from the air. The evening after I took my checkride he was on the phone, "did you pass, did you pass, can we go tomorrow?"

Long short, his first ride in a small airplane, in this case a 150. Let us just say that he hung on long enough to fly over the camp and back to PBI then straight to the toilet. At least he held it in though all the hard drinking we did back then was prolly good practice.
 
Because both of our elderly moms were/are frequent passengers, I developed the habit of getting them seated, belted, their seat adjusted, and the pax door on my Cessna 180 closed and locked while standing on the ground outside the pax door where I can see the seat-rail pins are engaged and the rudder foot-well is clear of purses and other stuff.

I can then activate the door-lock mechanism through the open window, and with everybody securely in place I can give a final look at everything on the outside ( pax oil bag doors, windows, ropes, chains, garment bags left on horizontal tail or hanging from tie-down, cowl plugs, etc.) before climbing into my seat. I will have already completed all the check-lists down to engine start, so we can be ready to roll in a very short time. Close both cabin windows on the line-up check and "lights-camera-action."
 
Jaybird180 said:
Forgot about the flight line, sending the pax into the FBO to get 10 feet of it is a must.
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When I used to divemaster for an open water students, I'd often send them to the rental desk for shoreline.

Nowadays, I just offer my customers free blinker fluid. And discounts on a new 710 cap.
 
I still remember one time when I took off with my instructor and full tanks on the Cessna 162. The thing was 125 lbs over weight, we took off with the extra weight and the plane climbed beautifully, no big major difference.

Even though my weight and balance for the Cessna 172 for tomorrow's flight is within the envelope. I hope it will still perform without any major differences.

Just an update, one of my friends might be working tomorrow, so I might have two passengers instead, that would subtract 130 lbs from the total weight.

I'll let you guys know how the flight went, if weather permits tomorrow, of course.
 
Flyinghigh said:
I still remember one time when I took off with my instructor and full tanks on the Cessna 162. The thing was 125 lbs over weight, we took off with the extra weight and the plane climbed beautifully, no big major difference.
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Oh boy. Dumb and illegal. There's a good combo for an Instructor.
 
Yes, at least you should say 'your friend and his instructor' once flew overweight or something like that....you know Ronald Reagan it.
 
My first passenger was a friend/student pilot who was himself close to obtaining his PPL. It was comforting having someone in the cockpit who knew what was going on, and what to expect. It helped me feel more confident the first time I took a non-pilot as a passenger.
 
> Ask them to pass you the "instruction book"

My first paid flying gig w/pax was in a C402. When I reached
into my flight case and pulled out the checklist, one of the
wimmin in back shouted, "OhMyGawdHe'sReadingTheInstructions!"

My other favorite observations came from my grandmother:

1) Promise me that you'll go slow and stay close to the ground.

2) How do they get the power from the engines to those tiny little wheels?
 
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So I finally took my first passengers this morning!

We were a total of 4 people in the airplane with atleast 60% of fuel, we were still within the envelope for weight and balance.

I was still doubting if the airplane was going to be too hard to control, or too heavy, so I decided to request a couple of touch and goes with the tower.

I did a pre-flight of the airplane by myself, and after completing it. I decided to take my passengers with me and gave them a pre-flight brief, followed the checklist and before I even knew we were already taxiing towards the runway. I did the run-up, everything seemed perfect, then got cleared for take-off.

I put a notch of flaps, went full power, and took off at the indicated speed by the checklist. Then, the airplane just lifted itself off the ground. I tried to climb very slowly, since the airplane was at its full capacity. And honestly, it climbed perfectly fine without any big issues. The stall horn did not even came up once during the take-off which I was obviously very happy about. I retracted the flaps, once we were about 300 feet.

Then, I remained on the pattern as directed by the tower and proceeded to do my first landing. I did the approach the same way I have always done it, and then just put 2 notch of flaps. I definitely did not want to go full flaps, and being full of people on board. And once again everything turned out perfectly fine, the airplane just kissed the ground the landing was smooth that I could hear my passengers saying. "Wow, that was beautiful"

Then, I proceeded to go full power again, and got airborne without any issues. Again, I climbed slowly, and I could definitely feel the difference with the weight, but it was not that bad, it felt just the same as when I used to take off on the Cessna 162 really close to its max gross.

Again, we remained in the pattern, I could feel the enjoyment in my passengers, even though they were not talking as much, since I explained that I wanted a sterile cabin during take off and landings. However, we cracked a couple of jokes here and there, but all of them were good jokes, like they were saying, "Wow, bro you are ready for the airlines! I was like "yeah, right" it is going to take a while to get there, but I will someday.

Then, we proceeded with the landing. Same approach, same procedure, and again the airplane just kissed the ground,very smooth and nice landing. I could honestly say that that the second landing has probably been one the best landings I have ever made.

Then the tower rushed me out the runway, since there was an Airbus A-320 from Jetblue, holding short at the runway.

We cleared off the runway, did my after flight checklist, then contacted ground and got cleared to taxi to the ramp. We taxied to the ramp, I shut-off the engine, secured the airplane and heard my passengers talking about how good everything was.

I still do not consider this my first flight somewhere else with passengers, since all we did was remain in the traffic pattern because I wanted to see how I was going to react to the extra weight that I was about to handle.

Honestly, I did not feel a big difference, and everything came out perfect, I just adjusted the airplane to the situation, and since we were within weight and balance, I did not feel as if it was a big deal with all of the extra weight.

I was honestly, kind of worried about the take offs the most, but with the 1 notch of flaps and the slow climb, it all came together for a great take off.

I was very careful about the turns, did them slowly, and the airplane turned just great.

Again, the landings were probably some of the best landings I have ever made, maybe because of the fact that I knew I had people depending on my knowledge. Therefore, I really did focused in make them great landings.

I would probably be flying with my friends again to our original destination, within the next month, and I will post about how that flight went soon.

Operating an airplane almost to its max gross, I think it just depends of the pilot and how he/she is able to operate the airplane by adjusting himself to the situation.

I believe, the key is to trust your abilities as a pilot, and know how to handle the airplane with the extra weight. If the airplane is within the weight and balance, then now I do not think there is any reason to worry about, as long as the pilot knows what he/ she is doing and is able to make some small adjustments specially during the take off and climb, then there should not be any reason to worry about, as long as of course you are able to safely fly the airplane.
 
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Good work. You cautiously added new capabilities to your experience level. That is how a good pilot learns. Now get them back in the plane and make them buy you lunch!

Well done. :D
 
Good story.

Leaving the flaps only partially deployed probably wasn't necessary though. ;)
 
Good report. You have some brave friends.

I flew a C172 at limit once. It was CFI, myself, wife, daughter, and bags. It handled like a dream. Quite frankly I would be hard pressed to describe how it felt any different than with only CFI and I. Then again in Michigan we were blessed with cold, dense air.
 
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What is the rationale for partial flaps when heavy?
 
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