Took the wife flying...
Thread Starter
Took the wife flying...
Took the wife and child(4) flying yesterday for the first time. We were scheduled to go next Saturday, but she said, "why don't you ring up and see if they have a plane available".
So I did, and I got one.
I sat them down the club house while I went and checked the aircraft out and blagged a couple of of headsets etc.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, I flew then down the River Ouse and Humber Estuary to the bridge and back to Sherburn.
It got a bit bumpy to the south side of Drax P.S and she was glad when we all landed safely back at base.
Quote: "I won't be coming again for a long time"
She doesn't see why I enjoy flying and found the whole thing quite boring. James (child) didn't say much at all, which was strange. Although he did ask who the man was talking in the headphones once or twice.
He was well behaved and sat good as gold. I tried to involve him by asking him to tell me if he saw any other aeroplanes (which he did), but I'm not sure if he'll ask to come again either.
I'm glad I've taken them, because they were my first passengers after getting my licence a few weeks back. I was probably more nervous than they were
Is this kind of response normal ?
At least he had a smile on his face
So I did, and I got one.
I sat them down the club house while I went and checked the aircraft out and blagged a couple of of headsets etc.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, I flew then down the River Ouse and Humber Estuary to the bridge and back to Sherburn.
It got a bit bumpy to the south side of Drax P.S and she was glad when we all landed safely back at base.
Quote: "I won't be coming again for a long time"
She doesn't see why I enjoy flying and found the whole thing quite boring. James (child) didn't say much at all, which was strange. Although he did ask who the man was talking in the headphones once or twice.
He was well behaved and sat good as gold. I tried to involve him by asking him to tell me if he saw any other aeroplanes (which he did), but I'm not sure if he'll ask to come again either.
I'm glad I've taken them, because they were my first passengers after getting my licence a few weeks back. I was probably more nervous than they were
Is this kind of response normal ?
At least he had a smile on his face
Last edited by MikeeB; 27th Oct 2003 at 18:12.
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Hi, and belated congrats on getting the license from a fellow Sherburner.
Is the response normal? Yes and No.
My wife came up once (sat in the back during training with an instructor up front) and also doesn't plan on ever coming again. The instructor in question (JC) did his best to chat her up, err, I mean talk her round, but to no avail. She screamed every time we hit even mild turbulance...
On the flip side, my daughter (8 year old) loves it and has been up several times. She's mad for it and demands we do stalls and steep turns on each flight. She likes to take control but can't actually see over the 'dashboard' yet. She wants me to learn aerobatics so we can go upside-down! Perhaps it's the age difference - 4 is probably a bit young to appreciate the experience fully.
Another early passenger was Mum - who threw up over the Humber Bridge (not literally!) on the same trip you did.
Is the response normal? Yes and No.
My wife came up once (sat in the back during training with an instructor up front) and also doesn't plan on ever coming again. The instructor in question (JC) did his best to chat her up, err, I mean talk her round, but to no avail. She screamed every time we hit even mild turbulance...
On the flip side, my daughter (8 year old) loves it and has been up several times. She's mad for it and demands we do stalls and steep turns on each flight. She likes to take control but can't actually see over the 'dashboard' yet. She wants me to learn aerobatics so we can go upside-down! Perhaps it's the age difference - 4 is probably a bit young to appreciate the experience fully.
Another early passenger was Mum - who threw up over the Humber Bridge (not literally!) on the same trip you did.
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In summary, wife hates flying unless there is a worthwhile destination, at least two engines, a drinks service and I am not in the front. Mum and Dad both love it.
I have given up trying to predict who will enjoy a flight and who won't.
TG.
I have given up trying to predict who will enjoy a flight and who won't.
TG.
Thread Starter
I think that bridge will wear out soon
I'm planning on learning aero's, but need to save up that > 8hrs dual on the Cap first, and get some hours built.
Be next year now.
My "trial" flight was in the Cap, it's what got me started on all this. As one person said, "I'm suprised that didn't put you off for life"
I'm hoping to get there on this Thursday night, but have to see what kind of progress I make on getting back from Reading.
I'm planning on learning aero's, but need to save up that > 8hrs dual on the Cap first, and get some hours built.
Be next year now.
My "trial" flight was in the Cap, it's what got me started on all this. As one person said, "I'm suprised that didn't put you off for life"
I'm hoping to get there on this Thursday night, but have to see what kind of progress I make on getting back from Reading.
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I also took my wife flying for the first time yesterday LOL
We took off from Bristol Intl and the wind was pretty vicious over the Mendip hills and the turbulance on takeoff was pretty bad LOL, she was a bit pale and every time the plane bumped, which was every 2 seconds she was grabbing my arm which I had to tell her NOT to do
, once we settled down on our route north over Wotton Under Edge she spotted our house which settled her down a bit, she got the camera out too, I tried to climb out the turbulance and succeeded but only just at 2,600ft, the cloud was at 2,700ft, then when we went over to Lydney to route to Hereford there was even worse turbulance over the hills there LOL, on the way back was smooth down to Chepstow and the view of the severn bridges was quite stunning yesterday, then in via Portishead to Bristol, the landing was good too, and to top it all off......
she said she'd go again 
Dean.
We took off from Bristol Intl and the wind was pretty vicious over the Mendip hills and the turbulance on takeoff was pretty bad LOL, she was a bit pale and every time the plane bumped, which was every 2 seconds she was grabbing my arm which I had to tell her NOT to do
, once we settled down on our route north over Wotton Under Edge she spotted our house which settled her down a bit, she got the camera out too, I tried to climb out the turbulance and succeeded but only just at 2,600ft, the cloud was at 2,700ft, then when we went over to Lydney to route to Hereford there was even worse turbulance over the hills there LOL, on the way back was smooth down to Chepstow and the view of the severn bridges was quite stunning yesterday, then in via Portishead to Bristol, the landing was good too, and to top it all off......she said she'd go again
Dean.
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Well, I find flying fairly boring too...unless I'm in control, or navigating at the very least. Just looking at the view is nice, but gets monotonous after a while.
Along similar lines, I have a helicopter student who tells me she did everything including the take-off and landing on a f/w trial lesson. I suspect that because she's getting on a bit, the instructor made it look as though she did, to make her feel good. It had the opposite effect - she thought it was boring and no challenge. She's now struggling hard with helicopter flying, and saying it's really difficult and a real challenge, and she LOVES it!
Among other things, proof that everyone's different.
Along similar lines, I have a helicopter student who tells me she did everything including the take-off and landing on a f/w trial lesson. I suspect that because she's getting on a bit, the instructor made it look as though she did, to make her feel good. It had the opposite effect - she thought it was boring and no challenge. She's now struggling hard with helicopter flying, and saying it's really difficult and a real challenge, and she LOVES it!
Among other things, proof that everyone's different.
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I have found that female friends are far more likely to:
a) Turn up in the first place
b) Enjoy the experience
Ever since I got my licence, most of my male friends asked to come along for a flight at some point, but the majority of of them called with excuses at the last minute.
The girls however were completely different - all of 'em turned up, all thoroughly enjoyed the flight (even the nervous ones) and some of them have come back a second or even third time - 'When are we going to go flying again?'
I find this a little strange - without wishing to generalise, my experience has always been that women tend to be a little more risk-averse than men, but in this respect the roles have completely reversed
Anyone else experienced this?
a) Turn up in the first place
b) Enjoy the experience
Ever since I got my licence, most of my male friends asked to come along for a flight at some point, but the majority of of them called with excuses at the last minute.
The girls however were completely different - all of 'em turned up, all thoroughly enjoyed the flight (even the nervous ones) and some of them have come back a second or even third time - 'When are we going to go flying again?'
I find this a little strange - without wishing to generalise, my experience has always been that women tend to be a little more risk-averse than men, but in this respect the roles have completely reversed
Anyone else experienced this?
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Sorry, I don’t mean to highjack your topic, but it got me thinking about why we like to fly.
For me there is immense satisfaction in flying an aircraft well in an environment that potentially always has something new to throw at us. Of course this is very much a hands on thing. If I am P2 I still get almost as much enjoyment watching the scenery pass by. Finally because I use the aircraft for business as well I get some satisfaction from how much more relaxing a journey is by air compared with sitting down there in the traffic! So how does that work for passengers. Well, I reckon if possible stay low and encourage them to recognise landmarks and other sites of interest and let them do some map reading, even if you know perfectly well where you are! If you are sufficiently confident let them have a go on the controls - that will keep them involved. Finally point out that they could be sitting in a traffic jam down there. Whatever, I think with wives and partners the trick must be to take them somewhere worthwhile if they don’t enjoy flying for its own sake.
For me there is immense satisfaction in flying an aircraft well in an environment that potentially always has something new to throw at us. Of course this is very much a hands on thing. If I am P2 I still get almost as much enjoyment watching the scenery pass by. Finally because I use the aircraft for business as well I get some satisfaction from how much more relaxing a journey is by air compared with sitting down there in the traffic! So how does that work for passengers. Well, I reckon if possible stay low and encourage them to recognise landmarks and other sites of interest and let them do some map reading, even if you know perfectly well where you are! If you are sufficiently confident let them have a go on the controls - that will keep them involved. Finally point out that they could be sitting in a traffic jam down there. Whatever, I think with wives and partners the trick must be to take them somewhere worthwhile if they don’t enjoy flying for its own sake.
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So how does that work for passengers. Well, I reckon if possible stay low and encourage them to recognise landmarks and other sites of interest and let them do some map reading, even if you know perfectly well where you are! If you are sufficiently confident let them have a go on the controls - that will keep them involved. Finally point out that they could be sitting in a traffic jam down there. Whatever, I think with wives and partners the trick must be to take them somewhere worthwhile if they don’t enjoy flying for its own sake.
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Agree that you can never tell who will love the experience and who will be unmoved.........
My Mother-in-law (overweight, disabled pensioner, walks with crutches) absolutely LOVES it and will cancel anything at the last moment if there is a chance of flying anywhere. She contorted herself into a C150 for the pleasure of ferrying to Blackpool and driving 4 hours to get home! My own mother can take it or leave it......
Took a female neighbour up (in the same C150) on a sunny summer's evening. She is an ex-showjumper, so hardly risk-averse. She enjoyed the experience and the views and was surprised (when I gave her the controls) at how a small aircraft felt to fly - when you see them on the movies there is always a big, butch pilot wrenching at the yoke with both hands! I'd never thought of it in those terms - no wonder the non-flying public are a little apprehensive.
My Mother-in-law (overweight, disabled pensioner, walks with crutches) absolutely LOVES it and will cancel anything at the last moment if there is a chance of flying anywhere. She contorted herself into a C150 for the pleasure of ferrying to Blackpool and driving 4 hours to get home! My own mother can take it or leave it......
Took a female neighbour up (in the same C150) on a sunny summer's evening. She is an ex-showjumper, so hardly risk-averse. She enjoyed the experience and the views and was surprised (when I gave her the controls) at how a small aircraft felt to fly - when you see them on the movies there is always a big, butch pilot wrenching at the yoke with both hands! I'd never thought of it in those terms - no wonder the non-flying public are a little apprehensive.
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My wife was sick on her first trip and is still willing to fly with me having got some advice from fellow ppruners.
Dunno if it will help but the topic was - Air sickness advice on remedies.
Dunno if it will help but the topic was - Air sickness advice on remedies.
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I took my partner flying a couple of times when we first met and she has never been since. I have never managed to entice her back in the air as she not only found it quite boring, she was also quesy on both trips.
I had great ideas about flying off to nice places for lunch but when it made her feel ill the last thing she was remotely intrested in was eating.
So that was the end of that.
I had great ideas about flying off to nice places for lunch but when it made her feel ill the last thing she was remotely intrested in was eating.
So that was the end of that.
Thread Starter
She didn't dislike it, she just couldn't see the point in it.
Will be interesting if, come next year, she wants to visit her sister at Coventry, and I feel like I'm upto the job of flying it.
Will be interesting if, come next year, she wants to visit her sister at Coventry, and I feel like I'm upto the job of flying it.
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I'm with Fuji - for most people flying is a means to an end - they've got to want to get somewhere to get in an aeroplane.
With my other half I purposely didn't ask her, but started doing trips I thought she'd enjoy and waited for her to ask to come along. One sunny Sunday I went to Shoreham and lay on the beach for a couple of hours. The next weekend I flew to Norwich and went round to her mum's for a cup of tea (excellent PR!). A couple of weekends later when I mentioned I was off to Le Touquet for the day she was dead keen to come along.
As it happened, she was REALLY nervous on the flight out - and I think if that had been the only flight she would never have come again. Inevitably though, we had to get back from Le Touquet and by the end of the second flight she was a lot more relaxed. Now she tends to fall asleep on climbout and wake again on finals.
With my other half I purposely didn't ask her, but started doing trips I thought she'd enjoy and waited for her to ask to come along. One sunny Sunday I went to Shoreham and lay on the beach for a couple of hours. The next weekend I flew to Norwich and went round to her mum's for a cup of tea (excellent PR!). A couple of weekends later when I mentioned I was off to Le Touquet for the day she was dead keen to come along.
As it happened, she was REALLY nervous on the flight out - and I think if that had been the only flight she would never have come again. Inevitably though, we had to get back from Le Touquet and by the end of the second flight she was a lot more relaxed. Now she tends to fall asleep on climbout and wake again on finals.
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Mrs DRJAD has been flying with me from Sherburn on several occasions since various licences came my way. I think her attitude can be summed up in a few sentences:
a) she can take it or leave it: flying is enjoyable but non-essential
b) she's happy to fly with me if i) I'm properly qualified for the type of flying we are to do, and ii) I'm in current practice.
And, no, I haven't put words into her mouth, she's a very logical person and said these things to me, entirely unprompted!
Sister-in-law and her husband have been up, too: he was very interested in the rotorcraft at Sherburn, and I would not be surprised if he decides to take lessons at some point.
Parents-in-law adamantly refuse to get anywhere near any kind of aircraft no matter who is flying it!
a) she can take it or leave it: flying is enjoyable but non-essential
b) she's happy to fly with me if i) I'm properly qualified for the type of flying we are to do, and ii) I'm in current practice.
And, no, I haven't put words into her mouth, she's a very logical person and said these things to me, entirely unprompted!
Sister-in-law and her husband have been up, too: he was very interested in the rotorcraft at Sherburn, and I would not be surprised if he decides to take lessons at some point.
Parents-in-law adamantly refuse to get anywhere near any kind of aircraft no matter who is flying it!
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Dudes,
Reading this thread has struck a chord with me. I bounded home (after a number of pints with my instructor), to tell her the happy news that my GFT was booked for 1st November. Was she impressed with my offer for her to be my 1st passenger (once I've passed)? Err, no, actually !
Her exact words were thus:
"As I think your driving is terrible, I'm hardly likely to want to go up in the air with you"
I've managed to marry one of the most anti-avaition women in the UK!
Reading this thread has struck a chord with me. I bounded home (after a number of pints with my instructor), to tell her the happy news that my GFT was booked for 1st November. Was she impressed with my offer for her to be my 1st passenger (once I've passed)? Err, no, actually !
Her exact words were thus:
"As I think your driving is terrible, I'm hardly likely to want to go up in the air with you"
I've managed to marry one of the most anti-avaition women in the UK!
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I have found that female friends are far more likely to:
a) Turn up in the first place
b) Enjoy the experience
a) Turn up in the first place
b) Enjoy the experience
Re family members
My wife has for many years been scared of flying, needs hand holding in a 747-400. Took her in the back of a 172 in the USA a few years ago with me and an instructor in the front on a sightseeing trip over a friend's house in Cape Cod. She did not like it.
However she went with me in the Luscombe to Kemble yesterday and says she is now cured of her fear of flying! She reckons it's sitting in the front with a cushion and a good view. Maybe she was claustrophobic in the back of the 172 and appreciated an exit all to herself!
My 16 year old daughter has been up a few times but lost interest. She also seems to have a pathalogical inability to recognise when she's one wing low. She now wants me to teach her to drive the car......... aaaargh!
Mike
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I have taken my husband flying, he loves it and steals the map from me, thankfully he can spot where we are so I dont have to grab the map back. I took 2 passangers for the first time on Sat and I found it rather hard going as I had to keep telling the one in the back to be quiet so I could talk to ATC, it is all a learning experience though.
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Talkative Passengers
I took 2 passengers for the first time on Sat and I found it rather hard going as I had to keep telling the one in the back to be quiet so I could talk to ATC, it is all a learning experience though.
In the past I've always told any passengers to be quiet when I need to talk on the radio. However, I have been wondering for sometime whether when I press the PTT it cuts out the other microphones and just picks up mine or can ATC hear everything that is being said?
Probably ought to start a new thread to ask this question but HelenD has got me thinking now...
