scared passengers

montanapilot

montanapilot

Well-Known Member
so my buddy wanted me to take him and his girlfriend up for a nice valentines flight today. It was gonna be a suprise for her.

I get there early to preflight and make sure everything is in order. Anyway they get there and we walk out to the ramp to our trusty 172 and this look of horror comes over her face but she didnt say anything and said she was fine. So she gets in the back seat and just starts shaking and almost crying saying how scared she is of small planes. So my buddy and her go aside and talk for like 15 minutes and she decides not to go. anyway my buddy and i go on a short sightseeing flight and had great fun. Its so crazy though when we got back she was still shaking and absolutely looked like a wreck.
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what do you guys do to comfort people or help em not to be afraid? I was at a loss for words cause i ve never run into anybody like that.
 
Probably for the best she didnt go. She wouldn't have had fun anyways. Someone like that, just leave em behind. Sucks for your friend though
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What do you guys do to comfort people or help em not to be afraid?

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Give them a safety breifing - what to do with fire, smoke, crash landing etc.

To be honest, you will not run accross this problem often, it is only when you try and surprise people. As Ed said, if they are that scared they better not go - they will not enjoy it anyways.
 
Have you ever sat in the back of a 172? It sucks! I remember when i finally got the "oppurtunity" thinking, "I put all my friends through this!??"
 
The back of a 172 is not the best place for a person who is scared to fly. If you have a scared or very nervous passenger, I would reccomend seating them up front with you so that you can talk them through every move you make. In the back you can feel very isolated and alone (especially if there is no ntercom to the back).
 
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Tell you friend to dump the girl.

[/ QUOTE ]why in the world would you say that?
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just cuz she doesn't like to fly in smaller planes doesn't mean she's afraid of ALL planes - nor does it mean she'd be unsupportive of a guy who flys for a living....
 
Here's my take on how to get a frightened passenger to feel comfortable flying.

You can't!


Their fears are useually not entirely rational, but that dosen't matter to them. Trying to Con, guilt trip, or any other arm twisting will only make them more scared and resent you in the process.

My mom is afraid of heights and dosen't like flying in GA aircraft. I always extend the invitation to her, but never take it personally that she always refuses. If and when she feels comfortable flying with me, then she will tell me.



Some people are mearly nervous because they don't understand what is going on. If you take your time and explane everything they will be much calmer.

Also leave out the horror stories and jokes. We find them funny, but others don't.
 
I REALLY hate that everyone gets all scared of light airplanes. Anything with a propeller freaks them out. I know people who dream of skydiving yet trip out at the thought of flying in a Skywest Brasilia.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tell you friend to dump the girl.

[/ QUOTE ]why in the world would you say that?
confused.gif


just cuz she doesn't like to fly in smaller planes doesn't mean she's afraid of ALL planes - nor does it mean she'd be unsupportive of a guy who flys for a living....

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I believe he was being sarcastic
 
The difference between a small plane and a larger commercial plane is just too much for a lot of people to overcome.

I've got friends who ride motocycles who say, man, I'd never fly a small plane, you're insane.

I'm like, uh huh. You'll go whipping down the road at 70 mph with a bunch of Aunt Bessies around who don't see you well and who can't react to you well if they did, and you're telling me I'm crazy?
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tell you friend to dump the girl.

[/ QUOTE ]why in the world would you say that?
confused.gif


just cuz she doesn't like to fly in smaller planes doesn't mean she's afraid of ALL planes - nor does it mean she'd be unsupportive of a guy who flys for a living....

[/ QUOTE ]

I believe he was being sarcastic

[/ QUOTE ]if that's the case, then he forgot the
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smiley!
 
Re: scared passengers helped me

I've gotten a few scared PAX to relax just by letting them understand how the airplane flies. I'm deathly afraid of heights, but I understand the science behind flight, and that helped me!!

Give it a try. . .
 
The way I feel is best in overcoming a fear of flying in small aircraft is to go on a flight, and take the left seat.

My sister is deathly afraid of flying, even after reading the book "Flying Without Fear", and I have been trying to convince her to go on an intro flight lesson.

I figure that once she gets to understand the forces that keep aircraft flying in a hands on aspect, she will have a much better time flying.
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Erik.
 
Re: scared passengers helped me

I hear THAT man!

I'm afraid of heights too.
 
Re: scared passengers helped me

You know, it's crazy. I get more nervous driving my car across the Bay Bridge than flying over the Bay!
 
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