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Old 7th Nov 2005, 17:38
  #17 (permalink)  
Whirlybird

The Original Whirly
 
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Belper, Derbyshire, UK
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I've not had that sort of thing happen. However, I do warn people that I fly a very ancient and tatty C150, that it won't be comfortable, that it won't be fast, and that they might not like it. (Though I do emphasise that, old or not, the aircraft is safe.) But it sounds like, whatever the reason, this chap has no idea of manners at all!!!!!

Nearest I've come to an experience like that? I took up two firends, husband and wife, cost sharing, one at a time. They both loved it, and asked if I'd take a friend of theirs. OK, I said. A couple of weeks later I got a phone call from their friend. She more or less demanded that I take her son flying for a birthday present. Well, I said, I might be able to, but I don't know when. That wasn't good enough; she wanted it soon, because his birthday was coming up, and she wanted it on a Saturday, as he worked in the week. I explained that I'm a helicopter instructor, and that I work Saturdays. "You mean you can't do it!", she said, clearly very annoyed. Having had enough by then, I said no, sorry, I couldn't. She was quite put out. The fact that I'd be paying for the privilege of taking her son flying didn't seem to occur to her.

I'm very careful who I take flying these days. And I tell them it'll be when it's convenient for me, and the fact we arrange it doesn't mean we'll fly, and I don't want any arguments if we don't.

After all, being pilots doesn't mean that we're aerial taxi services.
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