First Timer

[garf12]

Anyone got any tips on getting a first timer that’s mildly afraid of GA planes to go up on one. Hers the story

Got a 21 year old girl friend (I’m 22) and she has been pretty against going up in the plane (piper arrow) with me since the beginning (4 months). I've had friends I've known for 2 days that had never been in a GA plane go up with me, this is getting freaking ridiculous.

First time I go out there to just show her what the plane looks like she see a some Continental Express Prop plane sitting out there and asks if that is about what mine will be like (hhahhahahah) So that was the first time.

Finally the other day I talk her into just taxing around with me. Just about freaks on engine start. Then I talk her into taxing the active and letting me get up to V1 and abort, so she goes for it. Surprisingly she seemed to actually enjoy it.

Now every time I try to get her to go again she doesn’t seem to eager.

Any tips or tricks, got a little trip planned this weekend that would be a heck of a lot nicer to fly than drive

 

[pgcfii2002]

Uh...............

 

[schoolio]

If you really like this girl, don't force the issue. I've been married for 9 months to a girl that I've been with for over 5 years. We've been together this long because I haven't tried to make her fly with me. I'd like to stay married to her, so I don't push it. I guess I just had to realize that we're not always going to be interested in the same things. She's not particularly interested in flying small planes, and I'm not particularly interested in wiping people's butts and prepping them/recovering them from surgery. If she tried to get me to follow her around in the hospital one day (if it were legal), I'd say no. I'm not a fan of blood, guts, and bodily excretions.

In the past, I've asked her to go flying with me, and she's said no. I've asked again, she's said no. We've had very long conversations about it, and she finally agreed that one day, she will go up in a small GA airplane with me. Just not now. I don't know if she ever will, but I understand that she's very scared of the whole thing and nothing that I can do will calm her fears until she's ready to do it. If that's never, so be it. If she decides to do it, great. Now if she tries to keep me from taking our (future) kids up, then it might get to be more of a serious argument. For now I just live with the fact that the thought of flying in a small airplane does not appeal to her.

I know the trips would be much nicer via air than via car. I'm in PHX, and I'd love to fly up to Sedona or Flagstaff or the Grand Canyon, or even Vegas, as opposed to making the long drives. Unfortunately I can't make her get in the plane, nor do I want to (for the sake of my young marriage).

 

[gkrangers]

I'm with schoolio on this one..if she don't want to, she don't want to...don't force it. Maybe bring it up later in the future, but not constantly. Maybe one day she'll even ask you to take her.

I've got a friend who is like this...of course, her mom would kill me if I ever took her off the ground as well. So it is never, ever, going to happen, so I don't even try...

I do have one suggestion...tell her you'll never leave gliding distance of the runway....and pray nothing happens when you run out of usable and you can't turn around yet.

 

[User546]

Then I talk her into taxing the active and letting me get up to V1 and abort, so she goes for it. Surprisingly she seemed to actually enjoy it.

What in the world are you flying, son? Do explain this V1 / Abort deal to me a little bit more!

I agree with everyone else here. Don't force the issue. A lot of non-pilot people have some very strong issues with "small airplanes". And we're talking anything smaller then 737, small. I'd be worried that if you keep pushing the issue with her, that eventually you'll turn her completely off/against it, and then you'll have no chance later to convert her. Just let her deal with it her way, tell her shes more then welcome to come tag along anytime you go flying, and leave it at that. If I was a betting man, I'd say she'll come around eventually.

Just keep in mind to, once you do take her up, make it as nice, gentle, and routine of a flight as possible. No windy, bumpy days, make sure the aircraft is running smoooooth, and while your up there make sure you give her the confidence that you know what your doing. Act calm, cool, and collected - just like you are when you drive your car. Sometimes even the tone of your voice can get the "on edge" person even more edgy.

 

[81Horse]

Maybe it's not flying; maybe it's flying with you.

I'm serious. You're young, and a low-time pilot -- not exactly the steely-eyed, confidence-inspiring, silver-haired, fatherly sort many nervous passengers might prefer.

Instead of scaring the sh!t out of her yourself -- with highspeed (i.e., NOISY) taxis, and so forth -- why don't you get her an introductory flight with an older instructor pilot. Pre-brief the instructor on just how nervous your girlfriend is, and then get completely lost until after the flight.

It's possible the right intro flight experience could turn around her thinking completely; at least, it could get her a few steps closer to trusting you enough to fly with you.

Some very, very nervous passengers do better with motherly instructors (who can be more sensitive to easing them through their anxiety). Just make sure you find an instructor (not just a pilot buddy -- an actual instructor) who is the calm, cool, confidence-inspiring sort. You know, the sort you're going to be ... as soon as you stop scaring the hell out of your passengers with Aborted Takeoff Aversion Therapy.

 

[garf12]

as soon as you stop scaring the hell out of your passengers with Aborted Takeoff Aversion Therapy.

What in the world are you flying, son? Do explain this V1 / Abort deal to me a little bit more!

Yeah Yeah V1/abort bad word to use I know, i just sped up till I could feel it start to want to get off the ground then cut it back. It was really her idea she just wanted to see what it felt like?!?! And its a 6600 foot runway so no problems there.

 

[agpilot34]

I'm with the rest of the crowd on this one, partner. My wife and I have been married 5 years, and she Finally went up with me for the first time back in October. I'll tell you from experience, if you try and push her into it, all you're going to do is piss her off, and you might end up by yourself. What you have to remember is, most of us pilots have been around aviation and been flying since we were very young, and it's never been an issue for us. People who havent been around it are totally different. Put yourself in her place... if you had never been around aviation, and NEVER been up in a small plane, and were apprehensive about going, would YOU want someone trying to push you into it all the time? Probably not, I would guess. It's something new for her, and probably a bit scary. Add that to the fact that you are a fairly new, low time pilot (not saying that to insult you or degrade your abilities, but it's a fact) and you can certainly see why there would be some uncertainty in her mind about all this. I asked my wife to go up with me several times when we first got married. I though that it just wasnt going to be acceptable for her NOT to go. All it did was make her mad. The best thing I ever did was just back off, stop pressing her about it, and leave it alone. She'd come out to the airport, and be around when I was doing maintainance, or cleaning the aircraft. If she asked about something, or wanted to see something about the plane, THEN I would tell her about it. She eventually got more and more interested in things, and finally one day last fall she said, "I think I want to go fly with you if it's alright". Now she loves it. Do yourself (and her) a favor and just back off a bit. I can guarantee you she will come around when she's ready, and the result will be MUCH better than what's going to happen if you keep pushing her into doing something she's not ready to do yet.

Oh yeah, one more thing... lay off the V1/ abort lingo until you are actually flying a plane that has a use for it. (LOL!!!)

 

[troy]

As with anything involved with a relationship, don't force it, dude. See if she'll go up with a CFI. Or ask her to ride in the back with you and a CFI. When she sees how good you fly, she might go for it

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Half of my friends have flown with me and the other half refuse to do so. The ones that know me better are usually the ones who decline (or know better!).

any