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Thinking of taking my first passenger

you’ve done 4 hours already; just go for it!

If you mean solo, you should have done 10 hours. I have never heard such a strange recomendation, I wonder if this is because the LAPL now requires 10 hours solo before carrying passengers; just enough time to start becoming dangerous! The licence is to carry passengers, if you need another 5 hours you should not have passed the test!

Tumbleweed, I think he meant he had done 4 hours solo POST PPL skills test. As you say, he will already have done a bunch of hours solo in training.

Administrator
EGTR / London, United Kingdom

Just go for it, take few sick-bags and talk to your passenger about what’s going to happen (expectation management, to use that crappy term). I flew with my father-in-law as my first passenger and I told him casually he was my first passenger when we were safely enjoying our lunch at our destination.

Don’t make big fuss about it.

EHTE, Netherlands

My suggestion would be to pick a calm day. If you pick a windy day, say 15-20kt plus, anywhere below about 2000ft is going to be bumpy if there are any hills around.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Anything I would have said has already been covered, but I’d second (or third, or fourth) a calm nice day. You can always say you might feel a few bumps, its nothing to worry about.

The only other thing I do which I don’t think has been mentioned, is just before you line up and give a rough departure brief (we will shortly take off from the runway over there, and head North and climb to 2000 ft (or whatever you want to say)), say to the passenger “if once we’re airborne and you want to return, just let me know, I can turn around and land back in a few minutes or so”. I’d rather anyone told me about any issues within a minute or two rather than getting 20 minutes away from the circuit.

Its a big moment – largely its what all that training was for :-) Enjoy it.

It’s surprising how a passenger (especially a non-pilot) can affect your concentration. Partly because they will talk to you and you will need to respond in a reassuring manner; partly because you will feel a sense of responsibility (even unconsciously) that will affect your decision making; partly because of the different handling characteristics of 1 vs 2 POB. Anticipate these distractions and be prepared. You may want to prepare them for the sections of the flight that involve maximum concentration and radio work, so they know not to distract you at busy times.

Others have mentioned sick bags – I will extend that and suggest you unostentatiously put one in an easily-accessible place. If the urge comes, you don’t want to be reaching behind you and groping through your flight bag with your passenger gipping alongside. Ask me how I know :)

EGBJ / Gloucestershire

On the motion sickness theme, a smooth short flight with the passenger looking at the horizon usually works. The 152 also has the option of opening the window. Ideally they shouldn’t fly on an empty stomach.

If they are very quiet, check on them. Straight and level will hopefully settle them down.

They will feel embarrassed if they are sick, so also have some Dettol wipes so they can clean themselves up.

Oxford (EGTK), United Kingdom

“Passengers” really come in all colors. While I had only one (in about 500) who was really scared (had to land right after t.o), I had many who loved flying turns, steep turns, or even Chandelles. And I never had a sick one! It’s probably my precise flying :-))
I remember well when I took my first passenger, an old friend. I was much more scared than he :-)

Last Edited by Flyer59 at 21 Feb 09:21

Maybe it’s just me, but frankly I think this is a bit daft.

It’s not just you. My first flight post PPL (and after Archer familiarisation with an FI) was from Speck to Zürich, Stuttgart, Nürnberg and then back for a meeting; Zürich for customs and Stuttgart to pick up a second passenger.

Two days before the flight I got a bit nervous and bought a GPS, not even an aviation one, since the plane didn’t have a panel mount GPS built in. That was a good idea, as easy to spot landmarks can be sparse in the german countryside.

LSZK, Switzerland

Thanks for the tips everyone. Really useful, especially the sick bag! I completely forgot that they might be sick in the air. I was also planning not to go too far from the airfield in case she starts to feel too scared, as she’s never been on anything smaller 737. And no… I’m not trying to impress anyone. I just hope we both enjoy it :)
Still waiting for that wind calm day…

Regarding 5 hour post ppl, it’s only a recommendation, not really a strict rule. I think it’s meant so you get a bit more experience flying solo without anyone distracting you. They have similar recommendations before you start doing conversions to different aircrafts, but again they’re just suggestions (I’ve already done my first conversion lesson in a PA-28).

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