First flight with wife and children onboard
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: NSW, Australia
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Andy,
2 weeks ago I took my wife flying in a c152, about 5 hours post-GFPT. She was, not unexpectedly, anxious as we taxied out. I just did as my instructor told me - keep telling her what you are doing, keep her looking at the scenery and fly smoothly. However, there were a couple of hiccups, and I was suprised at how my wife reacted to them.
Firstly, we were flying at about 3000 ft over Maitland, NSW, and I was doing what my instructor told me - "keep talking and keep her looking at the scenery". The RH door opened - something this particular C152 does from time to time, which I think is caused by pressure of the passenger leaning on it, or more likley when I fly with, my instructor, because we are crammed into the tiny little Cessna). As it is something that has happened whilst flying with my instructor, I wasn't overly concerned, so when my wife said "the door is open" I nonchantly leant over and slammed the door shut. She wasn't at all worried about the door opening.
The second thing, that really worried my wife, was the approach. It was pretty bumpy and there was a fairly stiff crosswind on the shorter and narrower of the 2 runaways at my local field. I gave my wife what I thought was a pretty comprehensive briefing about what I was going to do and what it would feel like. I proceeded to do what was probably the smoothest landing I have ever done (she asked "have we landed?" - brillant but probably not repeatable). She then told me she thought we were going to crash.
I dropped her off and picked up her sister, who is a keen "joyflighter" and would like to learn to fly - that flight went without incident. While I was flying with my sister-in-law, my wife was asking my instructor about the door (of course)and described what I was doing from late downwind to touchdown, which my instructor said was perfectly normal. It turns out her concern was that, from late downwind, I seemed to be doing a lot of things at the same time and she thought that meant things weren't going well, when they were going (suprisingly) well. It was her lack of understanding and her lack of light aircraft experience that caused her concern, not anything I did.
What did I learn. Firstly, take a C172, becuase it has a better door locking mechanism! Secondly, even though your wife's eyes may glaze over as you go into detail about what happens in the circuit, if you tell her exactly what will (or should) happen, she won't be worried when she is in the aircraft. Thirdly, even though you have given her a thorugh briefing on the ground, make sure she understands what you are doing when you are in the air.
Have fun
2 weeks ago I took my wife flying in a c152, about 5 hours post-GFPT. She was, not unexpectedly, anxious as we taxied out. I just did as my instructor told me - keep telling her what you are doing, keep her looking at the scenery and fly smoothly. However, there were a couple of hiccups, and I was suprised at how my wife reacted to them.
Firstly, we were flying at about 3000 ft over Maitland, NSW, and I was doing what my instructor told me - "keep talking and keep her looking at the scenery". The RH door opened - something this particular C152 does from time to time, which I think is caused by pressure of the passenger leaning on it, or more likley when I fly with, my instructor, because we are crammed into the tiny little Cessna). As it is something that has happened whilst flying with my instructor, I wasn't overly concerned, so when my wife said "the door is open" I nonchantly leant over and slammed the door shut. She wasn't at all worried about the door opening.
The second thing, that really worried my wife, was the approach. It was pretty bumpy and there was a fairly stiff crosswind on the shorter and narrower of the 2 runaways at my local field. I gave my wife what I thought was a pretty comprehensive briefing about what I was going to do and what it would feel like. I proceeded to do what was probably the smoothest landing I have ever done (she asked "have we landed?" - brillant but probably not repeatable). She then told me she thought we were going to crash.
I dropped her off and picked up her sister, who is a keen "joyflighter" and would like to learn to fly - that flight went without incident. While I was flying with my sister-in-law, my wife was asking my instructor about the door (of course)and described what I was doing from late downwind to touchdown, which my instructor said was perfectly normal. It turns out her concern was that, from late downwind, I seemed to be doing a lot of things at the same time and she thought that meant things weren't going well, when they were going (suprisingly) well. It was her lack of understanding and her lack of light aircraft experience that caused her concern, not anything I did.
What did I learn. Firstly, take a C172, becuase it has a better door locking mechanism! Secondly, even though your wife's eyes may glaze over as you go into detail about what happens in the circuit, if you tell her exactly what will (or should) happen, she won't be worried when she is in the aircraft. Thirdly, even though you have given her a thorugh briefing on the ground, make sure she understands what you are doing when you are in the air.
Have fun
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Pensacola, Fl. USA
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Must say myself with only 56 hrs and within the next week about to take the check ride. I feel uneasy taking my wife and daughter up at the same time. Maybe after 100.hrs
good luck and see you in the sky.
good luck and see you in the sky.
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: NSW, Australia
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adivezone03,
I have about the same number of hours as you, those hours spread out by fortnightly or monthly lessons & solo flights, although I did have about 2 months off due to the fuel contamination issue that grounded much of the general aviation fleet in Australia a while back. I appreciate your concerns.
I would not have been as comfortable taking my 4 year old son, who is very keen to fly with me but reluctant to actually get into the aircraft, as I was taking my wife. I don't want to frighten my son, who is at the age where he understands the concept of fear, so I will delay taking him up as long as possible, and will just taxi around the aerodrome so he can see what happens and get used to the noise. I have let him sit in a Tiger Moth (nice bright yellow, which he seems to like) and let him play with the stick and see how things move. I also propose to take a video of me flying, so he can watch and get comfortable with the idea of daddy flying. He is pretty cool about it all, and I am quite proud when he tells people I am a pilot rather than my "real" job.
My 8 month old daughter, however, I see as a different issue - I propose to get her used to flying very early, so she is as used to flying as she is travelling in a motor vehicle. I will probably wait for a few months, to allow me to get her used to wearing ear plugs.
Good luck. I hope to see you in the air, but it is a really long (and dangerous, I guess) trip in a C152 or c172 (what I mainly fly, although I do have a whole hour in a Tiger Moth!) from Newcastle Australia to Florida! Hope you pass the check ride.
I have about the same number of hours as you, those hours spread out by fortnightly or monthly lessons & solo flights, although I did have about 2 months off due to the fuel contamination issue that grounded much of the general aviation fleet in Australia a while back. I appreciate your concerns.
I would not have been as comfortable taking my 4 year old son, who is very keen to fly with me but reluctant to actually get into the aircraft, as I was taking my wife. I don't want to frighten my son, who is at the age where he understands the concept of fear, so I will delay taking him up as long as possible, and will just taxi around the aerodrome so he can see what happens and get used to the noise. I have let him sit in a Tiger Moth (nice bright yellow, which he seems to like) and let him play with the stick and see how things move. I also propose to take a video of me flying, so he can watch and get comfortable with the idea of daddy flying. He is pretty cool about it all, and I am quite proud when he tells people I am a pilot rather than my "real" job.
My 8 month old daughter, however, I see as a different issue - I propose to get her used to flying very early, so she is as used to flying as she is travelling in a motor vehicle. I will probably wait for a few months, to allow me to get her used to wearing ear plugs.
Good luck. I hope to see you in the air, but it is a really long (and dangerous, I guess) trip in a C152 or c172 (what I mainly fly, although I do have a whole hour in a Tiger Moth!) from Newcastle Australia to Florida! Hope you pass the check ride.
