Unique Gift? I hope.

spiderweb

spiderweb

Final Approach
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Ben
On Thursday I will be taking my brother in law and his fiancee up for their first flight in a lightplane. They will be getting married one week later, and I want this to be a special gift for them, and I don't want them to vomit.

Any suggestions?
 
wangmyers said:
On Thursday I will be taking my brother in law and his fiancee up for their first flight in a lightplane. They will be getting married one week later, and I want this to be a special gift for them, and I don't want them to vomit. Any suggestions?
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IF IT's not turbulent, get the 182 and file FDK to MQI (Manteo) for 225 NM and divert to FFA. That's a must go to trip for any aviator. Even the nonflyer will be impressed by the visitor center, by the markes in the coral marking the first flight start and end, the third flight which is almost off of the sound.

I was composing this when Ken posted. If it's turbulent, go west and get above....5300 agl. Head for Harrisburg or the like. Prolonged turbulence = their last GA ride.
 
If you have the room, have a bottle of Bubbly on ice in the back seat and focus on flying, let them make it a memory!!!!!!!!!!!!:cheerswine:
 
Good weather, light winds, keep the climbs and descents at 500', and 15 degree banks. If one of them is prone to motion sickness, dramamine and front seat.
Last newbie I had took the back seat so his adult son could ride up front. While turning to base, he says "Whoa, that doesn't feel good." He was a little on the white side. The bad news was this was midpoint. We made it back to home about the same time the color did.
Great present by the way. You might ask them if there is someplace special they'd like to go or see. Home is always a favorite as is another airport.
 
Dean said:
If you have the room, have a bottle of Bubbly on ice in the back seat and focus on flying, let them make it a memory!!!!!!!!!!!!:cheerswine:
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.... and rig a temporary curtain between front and rear seats and keep altitude above 5280'.:cheerswine::D
 
Great suggestions! I have the 182 reserved. Don't know if I have enough time to go to FFA, but I will get our buts above the turb. Hard to climb at only 500 ffp, though, in the C182. One of the CFIs there suggested VX initial climb, because it feels more like a jet. When I did it solo, i was about 15 degrees nose up for awhile.
 
I agree that this is a great gift. I took my sister to Daytona Beach from Clerwater - about 120 nautical miles. It was the first time in a light plane for her. We were going to visit her son who is a student at Embry-Riddle.

She did well even though I was placed on course toward a storm cell and then released from radar service to VFR. I had to contact Orlando who helped me to go north around the weather. Still had to climb to 8,000 ft to maintain VFR.

All considered, she did very well. Very far out of the box for her and hopefully, she will go again sometime.
 
Dean said:
If you have the room, have a bottle of Bubbly on ice in the back seat and focus on flying, let them make it a memory!!!!!!!!!!!!:cheerswine:
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EWWW! Then I might vomit!
 
Nice story!
Joseph DeFelice said:
I agree that this is a great gift. I took my sister to Daytona Beach from Clerwater - about 120 nautical miles. It was the first time in a light plane for her. We were going to visit her son who is a student at Embry-Riddle.

She did well even though I was placed on course toward a storm cell and then released from radar service to VFR. I had to contact Orlando who helped me to go north around the weather. Still had to climb to 8,000 ft to maintain VFR.

All considered, she did very well. Very far out of the box for her and hopefully, she will go again sometime.
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What people seem to like to see the most from the air is ...stuff on the ground. So as long as turbulence isn't bad, I'd suggest low level sightseeing. Out of BWI to the eastern shore of the chesapeake, north to the susquehana then up the susquehana to Lancaster for lunch and an opportunity to switch seats for the return. I always keep someone's first flight short.

Show them around the aircraft and explain how things work beforehand. Explain how long the trip will be beforehand as well. Lots of nervous flyers are more comfortable if they know how long they have to endure it. Keep the doors/windows open as long as possible. A hot stuffy cockpit will get some people sick quicker than turbulance.

Enjoy, if you're relaxed and happy, they will be too.
 
Well, if pressed for time, hows about a little "bay tour", then down to Kentmore and the Marina for a nice meal on the water? They make a hell of a crab dip there. ;-)

wangmyers said:
Great suggestions! I have the 182 reserved. Don't know if I have enough time to go to FFA, but I will get our buts above the turb. Hard to climb at only 500 ffp, though, in the C182. One of the CFIs there suggested VX initial climb, because it feels more like a jet. When I did it solo, i was about 15 degrees nose up for awhile.
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Thanks for all of this!
mike21951 said:
What people seem to like to see the most from the air is ...stuff on the ground. So as long as turbulence isn't bad, I'd suggest low level sightseeing. Out of BWI to the eastern shore of the chesapeake, north to the susquehana then up the susquehana to Lancaster for lunch and an opportunity to switch seats for the return. I always keep someone's first flight short.

Show them around the aircraft and explain how things work beforehand. Explain how long the trip will be beforehand as well. Lots of nervous flyers are more comfortable if they know how long they have to endure it. Keep the doors/windows open as long as possible. A hot stuffy cockpit will get some people sick quicker than turbulance.

Enjoy, if you're relaxed and happy, they will be too.
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mgkdrgn said:
Well, if pressed for time, hows about a little "bay tour", then down to Kentmore and the Marina for a nice meal on the water? They make a hell of a crab dip there. ;-)
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That might just be the ticket, though, I am leaving from FDK. Still, the Bay is quite a sight for first timers (and me, too!).
 
Ben -

If you want the "feels like a jet" take off, just keep that yoke pushed forward and stay in/just out of ground effect until the threshold at the other end of the runway. Then let the plane find Vx/Vy. Positive Gs usually aren't an issue with people, and that 182 should build up some nice speed about 15-20 feet off the deck.
 
Ben,

For some reason passengers LOVE to see their homes from the air. I don't understand this, but all of them just gush over it. It just reminds me of all the yardwork I have to do. After all flying is to get me away from all that.

"We flew over the house! We flew over the house!" Sigh.
 
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Anthony said:
Ben,

For some reason passengers LOVE to see their homes form the air. I don't understand this, but all of them just gush over it. It just reninds me of all the yardwork I have to do. After all flying is to get me away from all that.

"We flew over the house! We flew over the house!" Sigh.
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===========================================
Anthony is right on.

Folks really like seeing something they are familiar with from the air.

I did this in a rotary wing once. One tip I'd like to pass along, is if you hover low, close to one's home, make sure the flue on the fireplace is closed!!

Best,

Dave
 
I agree with Anthony. Just about everyone I've taken up for the first time loved to see their home from the sky. On a couple, I had to work it out with ATC due to the proximity of the homes and RDU approach corridors.

I work it out with clearance to be a "photo" flight, stay below the shelf and keep departure up to date. Cannot say enough on avoiding turbulence.

I love the flight into MQI. Great views, especially this time of year. MQI is a great airport and an easy hop to FFA. Just monitor both FFA and MQI... the airspace gets a bit crowded when it's CAVU.
 
jdwatson said:
Just about everyone I've taken up for the first time loved to see their home from the sky.
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Yes, but I have to remind myself not to get "target fixation". Then I loose the house, the plane, myself and the dumb SOB that actually had the guts to fly with me. :)

Seriously, nice turns around a point at 1,000 AGL are fine, and I agree with the ATC FF "photo shoot" request. One time while doing this I saw so much traffic at my altitude, that I just cut it short and got out of Dodge. I was like a plane magnet. ATC kept calling traffic and there were some they didn't call. Busy airspace around Philly.
 
Ben;

As many have suggested many first timers love to fly over their homes, schools and towns. I remember giving plane rides on weekends. Many were frist time flyers. The ride was 15 minutes for $3.00. All of the first timers loved flying over their neighborhoods.

For relatives and friends I did the same thing. Once they had flown with me then I would take them to interesting and fun places to see. After moving from New Englend to the Eastern Shore I use Tangier Island as a place to go for you do not need a car to get around and there are great places to eat. It makes a real nice trip that is not too long from FDK.

Have a great time and let us know how it went.

John J
 
Thanks, guys! Tangier Island has always sounded fun, but I've never been there.
 
wangmyers said:
Don't know if I have enough time to go to FFA.
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If you do go to FFA, I help paint FIRST FLIGHT!!!!! That was a fun trip. Even some ladies from my 99's group dropped thier pants and "moon" some guy doing a low pass. Butt then again we like to show our @$$E$ sometimes. :p
 
HPNFlyGirl said:
If you do go to FFA, I help paint FIRST FLIGHT!!!!! That was a fun trip. Even some ladies from my 99's group dropped thier pants and "moon" some guy doing a low pass. Butt then again we like to show our @$$E$ sometimes. :p
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Man, Sounds like your chapter is a lot more fun then mine! :blowingkisses:
 
You guys are welcomed anytime to a Kitty Hawk 99's meeting/event. We have a lot of fun. If you do decide to come and visit I will make sure thier pants stay on. :D
 
HPNFlyGirl said:
If you do go to FFA, I help paint FIRST FLIGHT!!!!! That was a fun trip. Even some ladies from my 99's group dropped thier pants and "moon" some guy doing a low pass. Butt then again we like to show our @$$E$ sometimes. :p
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HMMM only 2116 nm from CMA, sounds worth it
 
It is a great place to go. I took my son when he was 9 and we had a wonderful time. The musuem is great and it is fun to walk the markers. It is also a very humbling experience to realize these bike mechanics did what they did and we get to enjoy their efforts. My son now is 26 and he is well a "Bike Mechanic" buiding bike frames and wheels and he loves it.


John J
 
John J said:
As many have suggested many first timers love to fly over their homes, schools and towns.
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Heck, even pilots that have flown for years and fly all the time like to point out their houses to others. My partner today was bummed because we climbed above the clouds before he could show me his house. I do it all the time too. "There's my house. Hey cats, I'll be home in a little while!" :yes:
 
And is this is a "first flight" for them in a small aircraft, keep it short. An hour each way at the most. I think a nice flight into Kentmore, lunch/dinner at the Marina there would be a great gift/introduction into GA.

wangmyers said:
That might just be the ticket, though, I am leaving from FDK. Still, the Bay is quite a sight for first timers (and me, too!).
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