1st Flight - Post PPL

[sennadog]

This evening I'm planning to take Mrs.Sennadog up for the first time so I'm after a bit of advice and I want to hear some stories too - it's going to be interesting to see if "my first flight as a pilot" is going to be as memorable as my QXC.

So, first off - any good advice? I'm just planning on pottering about the local area for half an hour or so and obviously get used to a safety briefing that doesn't scare her to death and doesn't sound pompous.

Legs spread, hands away from the controls etc and what to do in the event of a forced landing etc...

Other than that, do any of you old timers remember you first flight as a PPL?

:)

[Roundouthigh]

Firstly, enjoy it! I remember the first time I took my wife up after I had got my PPL. June had been in the back for a few lessons but suddenly she was sat in the front!!! It was an amazing experience realising we were going for a fly together rather than a drive. My advice is do a route you are comfortable with. Do a flight you have done before. Mine was a Biggin to Southend. I knew the route and I knew the frequencies, it all helps build confidence. Have a great time, it makes all the hard work really really worth while.

[QDMQDMQDM]

Boy, she's brave. You're not leaving any potentially parentless little sennadogs on the ground, are you? ;)

QDM

[sennadog]

QDMQDMQDM. Cheers mate, that's made my confidence rocket.:D

Nah, just leaving the real Senna dog with Jenson Dog on the ground. I haven't plucked up enough courage for the full family outing - I'll leave the flying with Ridgebacks to StiknRuda!:D

[QDMQDMQDM]

Nah, just leaving the real Senna dog with Jenson Dog on the ground.

Good idea -- they can howl at the funeral. :D

QDM

[Kirstey]

Sennadog,

I just went for a pootle around the local area the other week for my first flight. I was on my own, and must say it was a little anticlimatic! Just wanted to build my confidence up before taking a non aviator up with me. I anticipate the first with partner flight will be the dogs nads!!

enjoy!

[RotorHorn]

Try not to get distracted by her presence. She's going to be chuffed just being in the cockpit - so don't think you have to give her a running commentary on what your doing.

Pick a route your familiar with - you want as little stress from the navigation so you can keep an eye on the guages and concentrate on your flying. Then worry about your other half.

Keep it nice and simple - no showing off - you're a pilot now - moving the thing is showing off enough in a non-aviators book!

In your pre-flight briefing, dont forget to warn her about turbulence and vibrations - in my case I forget to mention the stick on an R22 can rattle your fillings lose - she was only used to nice big jumbo's and when she saw the stick visibly rattling... she was a bit concerned!

Also tell her that there are times when you won't be able to speak to her - but as above, don't feel you need to give her a running commentary. If she's interested tell her things, but not to the exclusion of flying the aircraft.

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate (which includes pax!)


and enjoy!

[Whirlybird]

My first flight after I got my PPL(A) was from Welshpool over Snowdonia to Caernarfon. It's the ONLY time I've managed it, due to the fact that it's hard to get a day when I'm free, the aircraft's free, and Snowdonia doesn't have any cloud. So I still remember it because it was absolutely wonderful. I had to come back round the coast as the cloud closed in, but it's the views over the mountains that I remember.

Can't remember my first flight with a passenger; seem to remember it wasn't that big a deal.

[MLS-12D]

Having had a few bad experiences, my No.1 suggestion for flying with passengers, especially novice/nervous passengers, is: Ensure that they have a GOOD HEADSET. I.e., don't borrow whatever cheapo spare headset the flying school or club happens to have on hand.

Your wife will not enjoy the flight, and will lack confidence in the entire endeavour, if her headset doesn't work (and fit) well. Trust me, you want her to relax and have a good time (first impressions count for a lot), and you can really jeopardize this if she has a crummy headset.

Finally, here is a link that may help you: www.avweb.com/articles/lounge/tpl0020.html

Have fun,

MLS-12D:)

[stiknruda]

Best you e-mail through Senna and Jensen's pedigrees to see if I want to give them a home after the funeral or even worse -divorce.

My advice - leave Mrs S on the ground, at best she'll hate it, at worst she'll want to learn, too. Think of the domestic chaos that would ensue.

Take some impressionable young babe from the office instead.

Stik

[AerBabe]

My first was with FlyingForFun, just in the immediate local area, which is just as well 'cos we had an alternator failure :rolleyes:

[dublinpilot]

I brought my first passenger up last weekend. (Talked nicely to the Irish Aviation Authority and managed to get my PPL day after submitting application!)

Advice? Don't forget about your saftey briefing. It not only shows the pax what to do/not to do, but also sets the tone that safety is priority and you are very much in charge during the flight.

Also stick to an area you know. Don't want to get lost and frighten her too much!!

And advice passed on to me---bring a plastic bag in case she doesn't feel well!

[flyboy6876]

Sennadog

Down here things seem to be a little different and we do our skills test (GFPT) before doing our XC's. Once we have done this we can take pax to the local T/A.

So, the week after getting my GFPT I volunteered the better half into being my first pax - in a C152. Did all of the safety brief etc, and being as there was a bit of an easterly blowing, warned that there may be a bit of turbulence. Having spent many hours in the C152 to this point, I forgot just how bumpy it could feel to someone who had never been in an aircraft that small before.

We did hit turbulence right after take off and Mrs 'Boy really got quite scared - white knuckles on the edge of the seat. It took me quite a while to get her calmed down enough to really enjoy the rest of the flight. (Our T/A edges the coastline and is quite spectacular from 3000').

On the way back in however, a Tiger Moth was tootling along in front of me and even the little C152 was catching up. Mrs 'Boy was starting to panic at the sight of this yellow aircraft growing steadily bigger in the windshield. Got an "overtake and join late downwind" call from ATC and whipped past the Tiger Moth. Mrs 'Boy had wide eyes and clenched knuckles again.

It took me another month before she would go up with me again:)

Given this, my advice would be, keep it as simple and as smooth as possible and just let her enjoy the flight. Try not to get yourself agitated if anything happens as this will probably put the wind up her pretty quickly as well. And, both of you have as much fun as possible - Good luck;)

[rotated]

Wasn't able to give Mrs. rotated her first flight with me until some time after we were married, in the 172. Also her first flight in anything smaller than a jumbo. She spent the entirety of the flight huddled in the back seat (refused to go in front) with her jacket over her head. Our son however, who was 2 years old at the time, loved it from the beginning, and I am sure it changed HIS life. He is now nearly 5 and amazingly adept with FS2000, can't quite manage landings without dad yet but his takeoffs and level flight are something to see (seatbelts recommended, though).:eek: :D

[Ace Rimmer]

Yep I'd say keep it as simple as possible also try and pick a time when it's less likley to be a bit bumpy (although explanation of why it's bumpy and what is going on usually helps - remember to motto of the No1 PTS 'knowledge dispels fear') Avoid any abrupt manovers and try to keep the banking shallow (Mrs R has gotten over her phobia of 'tipping' but it took awhile). Don't make the first sortie too long 40 mins should do it .

[Grim Reaper 14]

I can only say 'enjoy', quickly followed by 'let me know how it went', as I'll be doing the same myself, very soon, but NOT SOON ENOUGH!!!! My problems are reduced by the fact that Grim Reapess is away, so thankfully, fewer worries!:)

[FormationFlyer]

I cannot really offer much more advice than is given here...just do something you have already done - she wont know even if you do - it will be new to her...

Every time my wife gets in a plane with me she goes to sleep....

miffs me right off....I mean - whats the point in flying eh? I could take her for a 20mins drive into oxford and get the same result...

argh..

I must say that winds me up the most - passengers who fall asleep @ £xxx/hr....when there is an AMAZING world outside to be gawped @...lets face it - Im an instructor 100's of hours - starting to give up counting...and I am *still* enjoying the view (when I can snatch it)...only the other day I was up with a student and the wind was rippling through the barley fields - truely amazing - moreso than crop circles...

So I guess my real advice is make sure you keep prodding her to make sure she stays awake!!!!!

As for my first flight after test....local area (well 1:45 over my house etc...two weeks later I did my 300nm trip to Norwich & then leicester...which was a blast as @ Norwich I was marshalled in to park up next to a B737 - all for the princely sum of £12.50 if I recall!!!!

So I guess the bottom line is...enjoy it...

PS.. Senna dog & Jenson Dog...cracking one..lol

[englishal]

Isn't the norm...take the missus up (or Mr) and go and find your house, circle over head for 30 minutes, taking loads of pics, then go back and land?

Thats what I did anyway :)

See yer
;)

[stiknruda]

Isn't the norm...take the missus up (or Mr) and go and find your house, circle over head for 30 minutes, taking loads of pics, then go back and land?



ea - if that is the norm then it is pretty inconsiderate to the neighbours!

Stik

[Kirstey]

Bit OTT Stik - I'm sure there was a big over exaggeration there. Point being flying over the house is part of the new PPL initiation!!

[englishal]

A bit of tounge-in-cheek involved Stik me old mate, everyone goes and flies over their own house once they've got their PPL. Besides, I've got fields and sea around me, so I don't even have to break any rules ;) ...(Anyway, my neighbours are cool, they normally keep ME up till 3am, forcing beer down my neck, terrible...):p

Cherio

EA:)

[sennadog]

QDMQDMQDM, sorry to disappoint you matey but it all went well! Senna and Jenson are not orphans and as daft as I am they have provisions in my/our wills in case anything nasty does happen.:p

MLS-12D, you made a good point there and one I wish I'd thought about before we took off, more later.

flyboy6876, I used to live in your neck of the woods and all I can say is - you lucky bugga! There is some fantastic scenery around there and popping over to Rotnest (is that still a weekend haunt for pissed up boat boys?) and along the coast must be wonderful!

stiknruda, they have excellent pedigrees and are typical Ridgies! PS. It's Jenson, as in Button.;)



englishal, I wanted to go over our house which is just possible when using 26 at Redhill but yesterday we were using 19 so it wasn't really possible.

To the rest of you, thanks for your replies - it's good to see that there are still many good memories, even for some of our more established Pilots.:)

As far as the flight went last night, all I can say is that it was brilliant! Well, I could only say that but as ever I'll give out some more information.;)

I had only planned a 40 minute flight down to Bewl Water and back just to break her in, so to speak and I was gratified that she even came up as she had a bee in her bonnet about going up with an instructor first but she relented in the end.

It was a lovely evening, no wind to talk about with excellent visibility, in fact the lack of wind slightly ******ed up my Nav as I had factored in 7kts so I had to adjust it but no big deal really.

Amazing lack of turbulence which I had briefed her on, not even one little shuffle and G-PD was on his best behaviour (all cars, boats, planes are blokes to me - it aids communication:D ) so there we were pottering along having a great time. Mrs. Sennadog was enjoying herself immensely and I got her "Jumbo spotting" as we flew below the heavy iron going into Gatwick as I thought it would help her take her mind off things, not that she needed it as it turned out.

We got over Bewl Water and as she was having such a laugh I asked her if she wanted to carry on, which she did so we ended up over Hastings and came back. Unfortunately, she spotted France in the distance and is now demanding to be taken to Le Touquet for lunch with Goodwood next, so I'm going to have to find an experienced pilot to go over with first to get some practice in - shame that!

A few suggestions about the mile high club from her convinced me that she is the ideal passenger (:D ) and maybe that's something to commemorate 1000 hours with - but not in a Katana.

The only slight downer was the club Headset that she used which had some compatibility problems with my DCs but when I tell you that she talks for England you can understand that this maybe wasn't such a problem - she even managed to be quiet when I held my hand up to listen to ATC which was a bit of a result, normally she just carries on talking.

So, she had heaps of fun but is not interested in taking it up herself which is fine by me and she has a roll of film which she took (hopefully they'll come out) so all in all, a total success.

PS. Evo, the spare seat for the fly in is looking a bit dodgy mate.:D

[flyboy6876]

Sennadog

Glad to hear that your flight went so well, sounds pretty good to me. Weather was lousy here this weekend so the planned flight to Mandurah did not get off the ground.

Yes, we are a lucky lot here I think. Plenty of great places to go. Rottnest has really become very, very expensive to get to, so, unless you own your own boat, there is not too many drinking sessions over there. Except of course for "schoolies week":)

Anyway, I've taken Wednesday off, so maybe Mrs 'Boy and I can get that flight to Mandurah after all - bl@@dy weather permitting :rolleyes:

[Cusco]

Whatever you do keep the first flight short, local (so you don't get lost) and steady: best in calm weather obviously or early morning/evening.

Safety brief essential but don't make it too scary, make sure she's had a pee before you take off and the minute she says she's had enough, go home.

Mrs Cusco went up with me in Warrior piloted by everso slightly cocky 17 yr old son of Cusco, a month after his PPL, a few years ago.

A bit hazy and a few steep turns later Mrs Cusco had had the cr*p scared out of her so much that when I got my PPL a few years later she steadfastly refused to fly in a SEL again.

A moments lack of consideration and Cusco now spends many a weekend flying sans Mrs Cusco when it could have been different.....


Treat your pax with care and consideration at all times.