rb@houxn.UUCP (R.BOTWIN) (01/16/85)
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When my wife started making noises about being a little apprehensive
(spelled s-c-a-r-e-d) about flying shortly prior to my getting the
private, I planned a means around the problem in advance!
Shortly before the flight test, I kept up the pressure about how
excited I was about finally getting the license, and how much fun it
would be to fly together. Second, I told her that she would be given
the extreme honor of being my VERY FIRST PASSENGER, and that if she
didn't go right away, there would be others waiting in line to take her
place (jealousy is a good motivator). Finally when the big day arrived,
I didn't give her a chance to think.... I ran home, grabbed her into the
car and told her that we were going for a ride....Before she could back
out, we were up and flying.
I assured her that we wouldn't go far on the first flight, and that if
she felt at all uneasy, I would land immediately (just as soon as I
could get back to the airport). But I insisted that she give it a fair
shake.....She was so fascinated by seeing our neighborhood from the air
and spotting landmarks she could recognize that she forgot all about
being scared.
The hardest part, admittedly, is getting someone in the plane to begin
with if they don't want to go. Once they've done it, succesive trips
are relatively easy ("Nothing bad happened last time...right?").
The trick is to get them so excited that it overrides the fear.
Rob Botwin, N2FC
.....{utah-cs|seismo|decvax}!harpo!eagle!hogpc!houxn!rb
ATT/IS Labs (201) 577-5016 (Cornet 8-270-5016)
FJ 1B-130dhp@ihnp4.UUCP (Douglas H. Price) (01/17/85)
I am just finishing up my private ticket, but I think I have solved the spousal fear problem rather neatly. My wife has been a pilot for 4 years! My biggest problem these days is making sure that she goes out and gets enough time to stay reasonably current. -- Douglas H. Price Analysts International Corp. @ AT&T-Bell Labs Naperville, IL ..!ihnp4!ihnp3!dhp
marcum@rhino.UUCP (Alan M. Marcum) (01/17/85)
I'm single, but recently took a lady-friend who's becoming an SO
up for a ride. She is, as she states it, a white-knuckle flyer,
even on the big stuff (it's the takeoffs and landings she
dislikes; once at cruise, no problem). We planned a tour of the
San Francisco Bay Area in the late afternoon, in 172.
A leisurely pre-flight, explaining what-all was what, helped calm
her. I worked hard on a very smooth takeoff, gentle turns, the
whole bit. The air was pretty smooth, and all went well. Until
returning to Palo Alto, that is -- it was just after sunset, and
they decided to report 2 3/4 miles visibility. Arrgh! No SVFR
after sunset unless IFR rated, current, and equipped! So, we
took it to San Jose (clear and 7), and I picked up the plane the
next morning. (And, yes, for all the skeptics, I got a good
briefing, the temp/dew-point spread was in good shape at
departure, and visibility at departure was 7-10 miles.)
Would you believe she's interested in flying again? Even with
all that junk in the first flight?
--
Alan M. Marcum Fortune Systems, Redwood City, California
...!{ihnp4, ucbvax!amd, hpda, sri-unix, harpo}!fortune!rhino!marcumgmm@bunker.UUCP (Gregory M. Mandas) (01/22/85)
> The air was pretty smooth, and all went well. Until > returning to Palo Alto, that is -- it was just after sunset, and > they decided to report 2 3/4 miles visibility. Arrgh! No SVFR > after sunset unless IFR rated, current, and equipped! So, we > took it to San Jose (clear and 7), and I picked up the plane the > next morning. > > Would you believe she's interested in flying again? Even with > all that junk in the first flight? > -- > Alan M. Marcum Fortune Systems, Redwood City, California > ...!{ihnp4, ucbvax!amd, hpda, sri-unix, harpo}!fortune!rhino!marcum Alan, I think if you posted this to net.singles there would be a mad rush on FBOs and the $2990-get-your-ticket plan all over the US. "Well the valley is foged in and we can not land. But, fear not, I just happen to know of this little field in the mountains where we can stay until the weather clears." Greg Mandas ittvax!bunker!gmm