Kyle Boatright wrote:
After one spooky experience several years ago, I am very discriminating
about who I'll fly with.

First, I have to know a pilot well enough to form an opinion about his/her
abilities as a pilot and about the owner's mechanical aptitude and
ability/will to properly maintain the aircraft.

Second, I won't fly with someone if I have a prejudice against the aircraft
they fly. Homebuilt helicopters come to mind.

Third, regardless of the other two checks and balances, the airplane must
appear to be in good condition and have enough recent usage to give some
indication that it is safe for flight.

If I'm not sure about any of the issues, I'll either try to "qualify"
someone or politely decline the offer of a ride. For instance, if someone I
know offers a ride in his beautiful new Stearman restoration, my question
will be... "So how many hours does it have since the ground up restoration?"
Under 25 hours and I'll politely take a rain check.

If John Travolta pulls up in his 707 and asks me to sit right seat. Thanks,
but no. I'd love to go, but don't know enough about him or his airplane to
be comfortable.

What are your criteria and what, if any, flights have you bypassed?

KB


I've never had a real problem with this really. Being an instructor at
heart any time I'm in the air or on the ground around pilots, the
situation with me is either an understood student/instructor
relationship up front as would be the case in a dual session, or if I'm
getting ready to fly with a pilot I've not met before for some reason,
I'll usually know from the way the preflight is handled whether or not
I want to fly with that pilot.
I can't envision a situation where I would have talked with a pilot
before a flight, or at best watched him/her preflight the airplane where
I would be in that aircraft as a passenger with a pilot I didn't trust.
Dudley Henriques