Even though I worked on aircraft for 45 years - I never stopped asking questions,anybody who does not ask questions might be deemed as being dangerous !
About 10 years ago I was lucky enough to be offered a ride in a military registered 60+ year old trainer,at the pre flight briefing my pilot (who had not been qualified very long on the aircraft) asked the duty authoriser a dumb/clever question - ''can I give LR the controls'' - authoriser says ''I will check''.
So we depart and the pilot gives me control straight away (at a safe height) and after 15 blissful minutes of me poling this gorgeous aircraft around the wiltshire sky we get a radio message saying ''you cannot give your passenger control''
So off we went to Widdle Mollop and did some touch and goes on the grass (him flying ).
Hopefully the pilot never asked that question again but he was correct to ask it as he was not sure at that time.