PPL - can you help others?

[piperboy84]

When I was a freshly minted PPL wanting to get some real world flying experience on the cheap, I volunteered to go right seat for a one man band charter company with a tired old Seneca called the Mile High Club. This involved taxing up to the airside bar restaurant at KSMO to pick up couples who had spent $400 for the "mile high experience". Their evening included being flown up to 5300 feet where we would pull the threadbare curtain across between the front and rear club seats and turn on a red light in the rear cabin giving them the cue to start shagging, you could feel the motion and as soon as they were done it was hang a 180, land and give them a box of chocolates, a bottle of champagne and a certificate recognizing there new status as members of the mile high club. One night the customer was a guy straight off the boat from the bogs of Ireland and his new American girlfriend, after getting to altitude he started going for it, we soon realized we better turn back as his airtime was almost up but this guy wanted his money's worth and refused repeated instructions to finish up, get back in their seats and get belted up. On short final he's still going at it and I'm telling him we are about to land but he continues ignoring me. We finally taxi up to the front of the restaurant with floor to ceiling windows and a busy house full of family diners horrified at the sight of this mad paddys arse going 10 to the penny on full display.

[mary meagher]

Alex 90 -

Cost share between six people rather than 4? don't forget weight and balance! not only will your pax probably lie about their true weight, but your fuel capacity and consequently your endurance will probably be limited.

Beginners, with your shiny new PPL, stick to a single passenger in a two seater plane. It is cheaper, and when they get airsick keep it simple. Land ASAP!

[alex90]

MM,

I always do w&b if there is even the slightest risk of being close to the CoG/MTOW, and I actually weigh people and their luggage/bags before taking up fuel to make absolutely sure.

I do agree with you though, over my first 100 or so hours, I do remember having to deal with talking pax in critical phases of flight, airsickness (which is why I now make sure I have a bag for every seat + one spare - just in case...), as well as some distractions that they may bring.

Even though I felt confident when I first got my licence, I do now realise that the PPL is a licence to learn.

[Capt Kremmen]

airpolice

Thank you. It's much as I described, apart that is from the removal of the 'equal' shares bit and the rules now permit six to share in place of four.

All told, a step in the right direction and one that could benefit the OP and many others.