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February 11th, 2005, 21:38
| #1 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: May 2003 Location: Portland, Orygun
Posts: 1,638
|  scared passengers 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.  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. |
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February 11th, 2005, 21:46
| #2 |
| Moderator  Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: chicago
Posts: 4,152
| Re: scared passengers 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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February 11th, 2005, 22:05
| #3 |
| Moderator  Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Socal
Posts: 5,649
| Re: scared passengers [ QUOTE ] What do you guys do to comfort people or help em not to be afraid? [/ QUOTE ] 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. |
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February 11th, 2005, 22:17
| #4 |
| Junior Member  Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Norfolk, Virginia
Posts: 110
| Re: scared passengers Tell you friend to dump the girl. |
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February 11th, 2005, 22:22
| #5 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ithaca, NY
Posts: 1,943
| Re: scared passengers [ QUOTE ] Tell you friend to dump the girl. [/ QUOTE ] Haha...agree. |
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February 11th, 2005, 22:29
| #6 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Nomadic...World Wide Boobie Bungalow Bouncer
Posts: 3,168
| Re: scared passengers 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!??" |
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February 11th, 2005, 22:44
| #7 |
| Junior Member  Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ohio USA
Posts: 145
| Re: scared passengers 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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February 11th, 2005, 23:05
| #8 |
| Junior Member  Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Australia
Posts: 233
| Re: scared passengers You and your buddy should've just pointed your fingers and laughed... works a treat on sensitive girls  |
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February 12th, 2005, 02:25
| #9 |
| Big Chief's Woman  | Re: scared passengers [ QUOTE ] Tell you friend to dump the girl. [/ QUOTE ]why in the world would you say that?  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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February 12th, 2005, 04:17
| #10 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 1,577
| Re: scared passengers 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. |
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February 12th, 2005, 23:09
| #11 |
| Administrator  Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pinal Airpark
Posts: 6,897
| Re: scared passengers Force her to watch the movie "Airplane!" |
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February 12th, 2005, 23:36
| #12 |
| Junior Member  Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 121
| Re: scared passengers 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. |
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February 13th, 2005, 11:51
| #13 |
| Junior Member  Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: TLH
Posts: 105
| Re: scared passengers [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Tell you friend to dump the girl. [/ QUOTE ]why in the world would you say that? 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 |
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February 13th, 2005, 13:15
| #14 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: May 2002 Location: Maryland
Posts: 15,198
   | Re: scared passengers 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? |
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February 13th, 2005, 13:57
| #15 |
| Big Chief's Woman | Re: scared passengers [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Tell you friend to dump the girl. [/ QUOTE ]why in the world would you say that? 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  smiley! |
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February 13th, 2005, 14:46
| #16 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Utopia
Posts: 12,426
| 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. . . |
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February 13th, 2005, 17:15
| #17 |
| Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Newark, CA USA
Posts: 43
| Re: scared passengers 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.  Erik. |
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February 13th, 2005, 17:45
| #19 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: May 2002 Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 3,134
| Re: scared passengers helped me I actually read somewhere that a large percentage of pilots are afraid of heights. |
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February 13th, 2005, 17:52
| #20 |
| Old Skool Join Date: May 2002 Location: Maryland
Posts: 15,198
| 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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February 13th, 2005, 18:33
| #21 |
| Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Newark, CA USA
Posts: 43
| Re: scared passengers helped me I'm afraid of riding on elevators.  Erik. |
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February 13th, 2005, 18:51
| #22 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Where everybody's somebody
Posts: 603
| Re: scared passengers helped me I'm kinda afraid of heights too.. don't even think of putting me in one of those glass walled elevators on the side of a building. The first mistake was putting her in the back seat. Anytime I'd take my girlfriend flying I'd put them in the left seat. I'd show them how to taxi (sit on your hands!)...walk them through the takeoff if they were comfy... and such. Remember people have a certain conception of small planes..and when they are put at the controls and right at the action..they feel more comfortable and in control of the situation..even though you are doing the work. Nothing beats the look on their face when they hear you talk on the radios too. One girl I dated though never really got over her fear. She got alot better after a few flights, but still was a nervous wreck. |
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February 13th, 2005, 20:23
| #23 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Inside your OODA loop
Posts: 6,737
| Re: scared passengers helped me I'm not afraid of great heights, I'm afraid of falling from great heights! |
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February 13th, 2005, 23:23
| #24 |
| Old Skool  Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Mid-Atlantic, KMRB
Posts: 1,925
| Re: scared passengers helped me [ QUOTE ] I'm not afraid of great heights, I'm afraid of falling from great heights! [/ QUOTE ]  Rented a 172G again while I'm here in Dover, DE visiting my parents. Dad was eager to go again, mom still won't go. She told me she wants to go during the day, where she can see more ... somehow that will make her feel much better. I told her night time = smoother air (generally speaking), easier to spot other aircraft due to a/c lighting, and the other benies of flying at night, like being able to tell cities from a further out distance. Like said on here before though, if they're afraid, they're afraid and leave 'em behind. |
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February 15th, 2005, 14:56
| #25 |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: McDonough, GA
Posts: 981
| Re: scared passengers Here's what I'd do... - Smooth air. Good weather. - Take them through a through pre-flight - Keep the first flight short. I'd say 15 minutes tops. There's nothing wrong with leaving her wanting more. - No hotdogging. - Now this will probably spark some controvery, but keep the emergency proceedures to a minimum. Anxiety is the mind processing all the things that COULD go wrong regardless of solutions to said problems. So going over in detail what to do in case of fire, smoke, forced landing, and the rapture is likely to fuel her anxiety not ease it. Even though it will increase your workload a bit in an emergency you can always walk her through openning the door IF something happens. This is how I'd handle it anyway. - Don't assume that she wants to learn how to fly. Keep the coversation light. Tell her to ask any questions that she has. Some people don't like to talk a lot when they're fearful, because they focus their mental energies into calming themseleves. If she doesn't want to talk do push it. Talk with your buddy and monitor her. - Keep a sick-sac in your pocket just in case, but don't even mention airsickness. Most airsickness is more mental than physical. - I'd put her in the right seat if she's cool with it. That way she can see the instruments and confirm that the plane is still flying. - She should probably go with a very experienced CFI for her first flight....unless of course you're an experienced CFI. The last thing I'd say is don't press the issue. If she doesn't want to fly then don't make her. Let her spend time watching the planes take off and land at the airport. After a while she may actually decide that she's being irrational and ask to go up. My two cents. Naunga |
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