Today I made certain that should my partner (QNH) unexpectedly expire while we are flying together, I WILL be able to claim on the insurance.
Yes, I've successfully completed the new AOPA Flying Companion's Certificate Course which has replaced the old safety pilot's course. I had to do 8 hours flying and covered all the normal useful stuff like climbing, descending, flying level, and how to avoid that nasty beeping when you have the nose too high. I also had to prove that I could land the plane and during the final assessment, even ATC began to wonder if this really was just practising. I did six of the hours in what I am told is a "taildragger". The main problem with this was that the fun? really began once I'd got it on the ground and tried to keep it straight. - Yes, you can take off across the runway!!!!
Less exciting was the 10 hours groundschool and the radio practice.
The final exchange on my assessment sounded like this:
ATC: Can you see the airfield
Me: No
ATC: Hang on, I'll put the runway and approach lights on full. (pause) Can you see it now?
Me: NO
silence.......
Me: Arhhhhh, there it is. Wow I'm far too high and much too near.
ATC: Do you want to orbit on final
Me: (Thinks... whats an orbit??? better just land the damn thing)
Me: Errrr I'll see what I can do, (Thinks Oh yes, we're getting nearer the ground.)

Needless to say, my instructor and I lived to tell the tale and do you know what, he recovered from his "dead faint" just after the wheels touched the ground!!

Must go now and get my husbands insurance increased. I'm sure he is worth more than the present policy.

Sally, (alias Mrs QNH 1013)

Well done!

Keep on trying to get the CEO here to do the same but she keeps on coming up with excuses.

Do you reckon you have been bitten by the bug so that you will want to go the whole hog?

If so make sure that you insure him for enough to allow you to buy something shiny when the day comes



FD

Sally,

ask Mr.QNH to fit airbags on your side of the aircraft so that you are around to collect it.

Any chance that you might take the whole thing further and get your PPL?

QNH1013: A WARNING

Mrs Alphaalpha did exactly the same thing as Sally and did the safety pilot course.

Then she decided to do a bit more.
Then she decided to go solo.
Then she decided to learn a bit about navigation.
Then she decided to try a cross country.
Then she wanted to do a solo cross country.
Then she did her QXC
and her GFT
Then she had a PPL.

Then she did the AOPA radio-nav course.
Then she did IMC.
Then she did Night.
Then we bought an aeroplane.

Now she has nearly 500 hours.
All because she wanted to live if I had a heart attack!!

However, we are now poor but very, very happy.

I hope you are prepared for Sally to tread the same road.
AA.

PS Sally: Well done. Tell us about your continuing exploits.

Well, Mrs AC-DC did the whole thing, got her PPL, flew solo for ~9h and droped the lot. When we fly we have to go somewhere otherwise she won't come, when she comes she is a sleep. I use her for nav, 10min later ask her where are we...quite, she is a sleep. What should I do?

Trade her in for a new model AC-DC

Alternatively, she might find it hard to sleep if you fly inverted...

AC-DC - take it as a measure of her confidence in your ability that she can fall asleep. Then trade her in for a new GPS.

WHC, you must have a valuable missus if you can swap her for a GPS.

I had to give my house, most of it's contents, our dog, and the former Mrs M9 just to keep my Pilot III