What do you do on an intro flight?
- Thread starter slushie
- Start date
R
Roger, Roger
Guest
Spins, since every student should learn them and if they can't handle it they shouldn't be flying.
etflies
Keeping calm, Chiving on.
Loop, barrel roll into a snap roll, split-S back up into a hammerhead and finish with a power-off 180 accuracy landing while pretending to fade in and out of consciousness.
No seriously, explain everything you do, let them follow you on the controls for t/o and landing, once you are in the air give them an opportunity to fly, teach them the basics (pitch, power trim, etc.) or just point out various points of interest. See if they have any questions, etc.
The idea is to make it seem like a challenge but a very realistic and doable challenge while fun at the same time.
No seriously, explain everything you do, let them follow you on the controls for t/o and landing, once you are in the air give them an opportunity to fly, teach them the basics (pitch, power trim, etc.) or just point out various points of interest. See if they have any questions, etc.
The idea is to make it seem like a challenge but a very realistic and doable challenge while fun at the same time.
c172captain
Well-Known Member
I give them the option. Most want to go fly versus sightseeing. I generally let them takeoff (they control the yolk while I control the power and rudders... all depends on your level of comfort). During climbout and enroute to the practice area I generally let them maintain control of the yolk while I control power and rudders, I may use trim if they start going goofy on the altitude. Once out at the practice area I give them everything and sit back with my seatbelt on tight 
. When it's time to come back in to land I generally take over for everything once the approach gets to the point of having to put in flaps. The key is to let them think that they are flying all by themselves (which is why you give them the yolk) and it actually works out pretty well. You don't realize how much power you have with only your throttle and rudders until you start flight instructing lol
my .02
EDIT: Explain what to do for the takeoff before you give them the yolk as well as explaining basic terms you may use while letting them fly the plain i.e. increase pitch, reduce pitch, roll wings level, etc.
. When it's time to come back in to land I generally take over for everything once the approach gets to the point of having to put in flaps. The key is to let them think that they are flying all by themselves (which is why you give them the yolk) and it actually works out pretty well. You don't realize how much power you have with only your throttle and rudders until you start flight instructing lolmy .02
EDIT: Explain what to do for the takeoff before you give them the yolk as well as explaining basic terms you may use while letting them fly the plain i.e. increase pitch, reduce pitch, roll wings level, etc.
I give them the option. Most want to go fly versus sightseeing. I generally let them takeoff (they control the yolk while I control the power and rudders... all depends on your level of comfort). During climbout and enroute to the practice area I generally let them maintain control of the yolk while I control power and rudders, I may use trim if they start going goofy on the altitude. Once out at the practice area I give them everything and sit back with my seatbelt on tight
my .02
EDIT: Explain what to do for the takeoff before you give them the yolk as well as explaining basic terms you may use while letting them fly the plain i.e. increase pitch, reduce pitch, roll wings level, etc.
-mini
c172captain
Well-Known Member
Yoke? Control wheel? :banghead: I fail
Crockrocket94
Well-Known Member
I suggest Not doing steep turns
Some people just cant handle it.
Be gentle and let them fly around... get them to look outside too.
Handle all radios, starting, etc.
Some people just cant handle it.
Be gentle and let them fly around... get them to look outside too.
Handle all radios, starting, etc.
imatworkallday
Well-Known Member
What I like to do is takeoff to about 100' AGL so they can see their buddies faces. I then fly toward the closest tower and show my precision flying by flying under guy wires while inverted. I then go and buzz the cruise ships in port. All of the people love it when we fly over, because they always wave. But I think we keep buzzing a foreign ship because they wave with closed hands. We then race the airliners into the major airport in our particular b airspace. We always get passed and get bounced around a little for some reason but one day I will win! After that I show them the local Air Force Base. That base has such a long runway too. I do about 12 touch and goes in one pass! They like me at the base too. They have their police cars and hummers and fire trucks and ambulances waiting to watch my touch and go prowess! One time they even had an F-16 follow me. I guess he was a new pilot because he kept rocking his wing and flashing his light. I think he had just soloed. I should have given the tower at the base my card so I could give the F-16 pilot some lessons. Coming back... I let them land the plane. I dont tell them what to do so I can see if they can cut it as a pilot. Every one of them has bounced the nose gear and almost prop strikes or stalled and landed tail first. I'm scared if this is our next generation of pilots. With this plan you can never go wrong!
Let Evil Knievel get on the plane I'll be in here with all you stewardess and people in uniform seems to be allot less WIND in here!
RIP a brilliant man
Seriously the intro is up to the person taking the ride. I have had intro rides with people that wanted nothing to do with flying the plane and I have had others ask what kind of aerobatics can we do. Of course with them I do a zero gravity demo and they all turn green and decide aerobatics isn't for them but hey they can dream! Be careful about doing this though I did it once and the caulking from the window had dry rotted and was floating in front of us a swift pull up and pointing at something on the ground to take my intros attention away from floating airplane parts solved that problem but ya.
Douglas
Old School KSUX
Douglas
Old School KSUX
It depends on the person, if their airline captain father is forcing them to come out and do a discovery flight and and they can't stop texting while I am talking to them, I do whatever I want for .5.
If they are actually there because they want to be, I let them do the take-off if they want.
Then they get sub-divided in to two more categories.
1. If they want to start taking lessons already - We go over what the controls do and start acclimating them to their new environment....the airplane.
2. If they want to see if lessons are something they would want to do. - Then we do a little more sight-sighting and a little less up/down left and rights.
I like to have them talk on the radio at least once, most think it is cool.
If they are actually there because they want to be, I let them do the take-off if they want.
Then they get sub-divided in to two more categories.
1. If they want to start taking lessons already - We go over what the controls do and start acclimating them to their new environment....the airplane.
2. If they want to see if lessons are something they would want to do. - Then we do a little more sight-sighting and a little less up/down left and rights.
I like to have them talk on the radio at least once, most think it is cool.
R
Roger, Roger
Guest
What a yoker.
SpiceWeasel
Tre Kronor
Captain_Bob
Well-Known Member
Can someone eggsplain to me just what eggsactly is going on here??
ClearedToTakeoff
Well-Known Member
I'm a new CFI but have done a number of intros already. i pretty much get us to the edge of the non-movement area, then I have flash cards made up already such as "______ Ground, Cessna ______ at ______ with ______ taxi ______" And explain what to fill in so if they choose to do radios, I let them read that script off and I handle the readback. Get's them used to talking to ATC from step one. If they get mic fright, I just take it. Then I let them taxi as I am right along with them. On the turns I pretty much do it for them, but they feel they're turning. Then for takeoff I give them throttle control and yoke control. I try to explain trim, and some get it, some don't. If they don't, I control altitude solely with trim. We fly out to the coastal practice area so it's sightseeing/practice area all in one. basic turns, climbs, descents. Then I'll ask if they want to see a steep turn and/or a zero-g maneuver. By that time, it's time to head back in, and I let them fly it in until about the point that we need to descend into the traffic pattern then I explain they need to be on the controls with me.
R
Roger, Roger
Guest
Oh, quit egging us on.
If you want shell-ter from the puns, you'll have to go somewhere else.
