Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you...

popaviator

popaviator

Well-Known Member
Yesterday I was flying back from ORD into GSO and the ceilings must have been a couple hundred feet. It was late at night and all the passengers seemed to be pretty groggy...especially the one sitting next to me. So as we came in on final I noticed the plane start to pitch up and then the gear and flaps came up as well as the engines went to full power. I muttered to myself "we must have gone missed"...well apparently the lady next to me heard what I said and flipped out lol:banghead:. "Missed!...what do you mean we missed? did we miss the runway...are we going to crash?" Ohhhhh gawd I thought......this lady is freaking out and now the other passengers are noticing her. So I tried to think of a way to calm her down so since I was already brushing up on some instrument procedures, I pulled out an approach plate and explained exactly why we executed a missed approach. This seemed to do the trick...and she thanked me for helping her calm down and explaining the situation, but I definitely learned my lesson of what not to say on an airplane to a non pilot.

Anyone else say or do something that freaked another passenger out?
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

I don't think you should get on this plane!
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

You "just happened" to be brushing up on instrument procedures in the back of an airplane? Take a nap, Maverick.
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

Boris Badenov said:
You "just happened" to be brushing up on instrument procedures in the back of an airplane? Take a nap, Maverick.
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lol I knew that was coming after I typed that, I was on my way back from a cfi interview...if that's even an excuse....lame I know
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

popaviator said:
lol I knew that was coming after I typed that, I was on my way back from a cfi interview...if that's even an excuse....lame I know
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It's only lame if you didn't get a phone #
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

Polar742 said:
It's only lame if you didn't get a phone #
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Bleh...your probably going to think "hes just saying this to make an excuse for not getting her number" but she had rolllllllllsssssss, and not in the right places. :panic:.....so negative on the #
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

just like DPA copying someone picture as his avatar.
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

I quit carrying my pilot stuff on the plane after the TSA gave me a hard time about it when flying from GTF to MSP. I was flying commercially (NWA) back to MN and then i was going to rent a plane with my dad to fly up to our cabin. They said they were immediate "red flags" when they found them. I figure i'll pack it below, relax have a cocktail, and let the pilot's with thousands of more hours than I, look at the charts. Though i do have dreams of the flight attendant getting on the intercom and asking if any one on board is a pilot :rolleyes:. I'm sure that thought runs through every new pilot at some time or another.
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

Should have said somthing along the lines of "dont worry I know these two pilots, they can handle their booz."
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

flyboywbl said:
I quit carrying my pilot stuff on the plane after the TSA gave me a hard time about it when flying from GTF to MSP. I was flying commercially (NWA) back to MN and then i was going to rent a plane with my dad to fly up to our cabin. They said they were immediate "red flags" when they found them. I figure i'll pack it below, relax have a cocktail, and let the pilot's with thousands of more hours than I, look at the charts. Though i do have dreams of the flight attendant getting on the intercom and asking if any one on board is a pilot :rolleyes:. I'm sure that thought runs through every new pilot at some time or another.
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I've had to bring my flight bag on the airlines with me numerous times for work or pleasure, never had a problem. Sounds like you encountered some of TSA's finest.
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

flyboywbl said:
I quit carrying my pilot stuff on the plane after the TSA gave me a hard time about it when flying from GTF to MSP. I was flying commercially (NWA) back to MN and then i was going to rent a plane with my dad to fly up to our cabin. They said they were immediate "red flags" when they found them. I figure i'll pack it below, relax have a cocktail, and let the pilot's with thousands of more hours than I, look at the charts. Though i do have dreams of the flight attendant getting on the intercom and asking if any one on board is a pilot :rolleyes:. I'm sure that thought runs through every new pilot at some time or another.
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Hm, well if a flight attendant ever said that while I was in the back, I'd shift in my seat away from the sound and adjust my ear plugs because they're obviously not blocking all the annoying noise. :D
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

ord tsa dont like those "remove before flight" keychains..

i had fun explaining that im not a terrorist, luckily their was a UAL capt behind me...

funny tho
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

In fact your FA is asking if there is a pilot on board, I would assume two shot dead pilots upfront, and she is just giving the terrorists a clue who to shoot next. You should not identify yourself as a Pilot, period.

Things not to say to fellow travellers:
  • "Looks like we are leaking fuel."
  • Point at the turban fuzzy sitting a few rows ahead while taxiing and playing with his cellphone. (Everytime he presses a button you say "Flaps up!" "Flaps Down!" "Navigation Systems Off!" "Target, Set")
  • (Special Sounds, Bangs...) Wisper: "Holy Crap, something must have fallen off!"
  • Tell the passengers how much the two guys upfront are being paid. (It really scares pax if you do that!)
  • React to power changes with any sort of comments, concerned looks or twitching.
  • React to pitch changes with wondering if the guys upfront are on steroids.
  • Tell them: "I'm really scared right now, but thats normal, I'm a pilot"
Best is to avoid airline travel at any price anyways. :)
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

I would have said, "yes. We're going to die. Nice knowing you" just to see the reaction on her face.

Yes, it's a bunghole move. So be it.
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

popaviator said:
Yesterday I was flying back from ORD into GSO and the ceilings must have been a couple hundred feet. It was late at night and all the passengers seemed to be pretty groggy...especially the one sitting next to me. So as we came in on final I noticed the plane start to pitch up and then the gear and flaps came up as well as the engines went to full power. I muttered to myself "we must have gone missed"...well apparently the lady next to me heard what I said and flipped out lol:banghead:. "Missed!...what do you mean we missed? did we miss the runway...are we going to crash?" Ohhhhh gawd I thought......this lady is freaking out and now the other passengers are noticing her. So I tried to think of a way to calm her down so since I was already brushing up on some instrument procedures, I pulled out an approach plate and explained exactly why we executed a missed approach. This seemed to do the trick...and she thanked me for helping her calm down and explaining the situation, but I definitely learned my lesson of what not to say on an airplane to a non pilot.

Anyone else say or do something that freaked another passenger out?
Click to expand...
I usually get the "you must do this a lot" or "why are you so comfortable?" but I seldom get it at that. If I'm with family or a friend, I normally get more questions the first time I fly with them, but that's because they know that I know what's going on.

SFCC/UND said:
I don't think you should get on this plane!
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Thank you angel-wearing-jeans!!!!
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

I would have pat her on the hand and said ther is nothing to worry about, then quickly turn my head and mutter Oh God loud enough so she can hear it:laff:
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

The worst I've had to deal with was a dead head where we got diverted.

I had taken a plane into TYS late the night before (we have a MX base there, flew the damned thing unpressurized at 10,000' the whole way) and missed the last flight out. So the next afternoon, I'm taking the dead head out. Well first, we're delayed for a few hours. Eventually, we get on and get out of town.

What happens? We get a hold. And we hold...and hold...and hold...and I start to think to myself, "We're going to divert, there's no freakin' way we're getting to Newark."

As we start to leave the hold and descend, sure enough the skipper comes on the PA and tells everybody we're diverting to Philly.

The person behind me notices that I'm in uniform and starts to flip out and ask me a ton of questions about how we're gonna die. I spend at least the next 30 minutes reassuring her that a diversion is not that big of a deal and that this happens every once in a while, and in fact I did one last week while headed into Houston (true story, got to see Austin for the first time in a while. Too bad I didn't leave the ramp). Once we land, I have to continue to reassure her we're not going to die on takeoff, the 10 minute leg, or landing in Newark, and that the plane is fine, the crew is fine, and everything is fine.

Some people are really freakin' nervous flyers.
 
Re: Things not to say to the passenger sitting next to you..

You guys interact with the pax a whole lot more than I used to when I was riding in the back in uniform.

I would put on my headsets and close my eyes the MINUTE it was permitted to do so and not take them off again until it was required. Don't make direct eye-contact -- then they'll think you want to talk.

And if they did manage to get my attention, I would talk to them about the problem in exactly the same way I explained mechanical issues to the flight attendants.

Just like Fletch would: "The 7th Fetzer valve is sticking. Could be the bypass line. It's all ball bearings nowadays. They're gonna prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads, then they gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State."
 
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