How do you get passengers over the fear of flying?

"Gerald Sylvester" wrote in message
news
I recently got my PPL and find that most people are scared sh*tless to
go up. One friend came along and was just blown away and had a ton
of fun. Just about everyone else is "oh my god, I am so scared
of airplanes." This weekend I was going to go with my CFI to celebrate
my passing my checkride in a brand new SR-20 and people are still
shaking in their boots scared to hell and simply will not go.

Is this me or is it just the general public?

Any ideas? I hope this doesn't sound stupid but just my impression the
since passing my checkride.

Gerald


Scared of airplanes or scared of you?

A lot of people put airline pilots on a pedestal, up there with doctors and
the like. It's not possible for you, a lowly -insert occupation here- to
know how to competently operate something as complex as an airplane.
Especially with other people in it. Not to mention that you are more likely
to survive a crash in an airliner than in a little tin can.

This sound harsh, but many people actually think this way. To go up in a
small airplane would mean changing things they believed as true their whole
lives. Not an easy thing to do. Oh well, it's their loss. Going up with
one person and having them spread the word can be better than you doing it
yourself.

I've been flying for 28 years. Each time I get into my airplane, I
expect to survive the trip. The general public gets their information
from TV and movies. They have a different expectation. I've given up
changing their minds. Enjoy flying. Enjoy taking up the rare
individuals who still know that TV and movies are not reality.
--
Gene Seibel
Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html
Because I fly, I envy no one.


Gerald Sylvester wrote in message link.net...
I recently got my PPL and find that most people are scared sh*tless to
go up. One friend came along and was just blown away and had a ton
of fun. Just about everyone else is "oh my god, I am so scared
of airplanes." This weekend I was going to go with my CFI to celebrate
my passing my checkride in a brand new SR-20 and people are still
shaking in their boots scared to hell and simply will not go.

Is this me or is it just the general public?

Any ideas? I hope this doesn't sound stupid but just my impression the
since passing my checkride.

Gerald

I have run into quiet a few of these folks, my brother included. When I did
finally get the chance with my brother I took him through the preflight and
tried to relate it to his car. Believe it or not most folks do a preflight
on their car before every drive. They just don't know it. Once you point it
out to folks that they look at the tires on the walk up and how dirty the
windows are they get the point.

In side I relate the gauges to a car once again. The difference is that just
like in a car you need to know how fast you are going, in an airplane you
need to know how high you are going too. As an added benefit I have a timer
that tells me how fast I will get to my height (VSI).

I tell them I get to talk on my CB radio(s). Oh yea I have a hi-tech compass
that points to where I am going.

I talked my brother through each phase of the flight telling him what I was
doing before I did it. I explained to pass the checkride that a steep turn
and turns around a point were necessary and went to demonstrate. Although at
about 25-30 degree bank I had exceeded his fun meter so we balanced out and
flew around.

The worse part for him was the wind shift in flight. When I got back I
needed to slip for the crosswind which really un-nerved him. Cleaned it up,
did a go around and departed the area and talked him through what I had to
do.

Needless to say we got back and now he is driving me nuts about going up
again.

Fred
"Gerald Sylvester" wrote in message
news
I recently got my PPL and find that most people are scared sh*tless to
go up. One friend came along and was just blown away and had a ton
of fun. Just about everyone else is "oh my god, I am so scared
of airplanes." This weekend I was going to go with my CFI to celebrate
my passing my checkride in a brand new SR-20 and people are still
shaking in their boots scared to hell and simply will not go.

Is this me or is it just the general public?

Any ideas? I hope this doesn't sound stupid but just my impression the
since passing my checkride.

Gerald

"Frederick Wilson" wrote in message
news:5leNb.51713$nt4.83737@attbi_s51

Believe it or not most
folks do a preflight on their car before every drive. They just don't
know it. Once you point it out to folks that they look at the tires
on the walk up and how dirty the windows are...

Hi, Frederick. I'd like to introduce my wife...

The only "preflight" done on her vehicle before she turns the key is the one
performed by the onboard computer.

I, on the other hand, know exactly where you're coming from.

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_s...veloperid=4415
____________________

"Gerald Sylvester" wrote in message
news | I recently got my PPL and find that most people are scared sh*tless to
| go up. One friend came along and was just blown away and had a ton
| of fun. Just about everyone else is "oh my god, I am so scared
| of airplanes."

That is just about typical. The way to deal with this, of course, is to kill
your friends. That way they cannot spread the fear of airplanes to others.
It is the merciful thing to do.

Or you could take up those few friends who are willing and let them talk up
the experience to the cowards.

Have you considered that they are not necessarily afraid of flying, but of
flying a private plane with someone who they are not familiar with, or not
totally comfortable with?

As a non pilot - I would NOT get into a private (cessna type, mooney type)
plane with ANYONE I currently know. At least when I fly commercial, I know
that they have at least had some kind of professional training (I hope)!

I know the chances are VERY small for an incident, even in private flight.

Just my non-pilot perspective Gerald. Perhaps your friends are trying to be
diplomatic?


"Gerald Sylvester" wrote in message
news
I recently got my PPL and find that most people are scared sh*tless to
go up. One friend came along and was just blown away and had a ton
of fun. Just about everyone else is "oh my god, I am so scared
of airplanes." This weekend I was going to go with my CFI to celebrate
my passing my checkride in a brand new SR-20 and people are still
shaking in their boots scared to hell and simply will not go.

Is this me or is it just the general public?

Any ideas? I hope this doesn't sound stupid but just my impression the
since passing my checkride.

Gerald

patience!!

my mom and dad visited soon after i got my cert. it was a hot summer afternoon
and i was desperate to show off my new skills. i knew she had fear of heights
and was hesitant, but i forced her into it. as we were taxiing she was almost
crying, forced me to shut down - and headed back to the FBO.

good thing too - as my dad and i were cruising over denver we were getting mod.
turb, and 3-400 ft up/down drafts. my dad was calmer than i was.

the conditions were so back we aborted our landing at centenniel, headed back
to FNL, and the the rollout a gust of wind almost swerved me off the runway on
rollout.

my mom was sitting happily in the FBO watching the weather channel drinking
coffee.

lesson learned, and thinking back, i'd probably be more than nervous too -
especially being stuck in the back seat

fast forward to a few years and lots of hours later:

when my mom visited last fall she finally agreed to go up with me - and we took
an afternoon trip up to wyoming in a more spacious 182. i informed her of all
flight characteristics - cutting back the engine, banks, etc. she had a great
time for a first time pax, followed and tracked are time with the GPS, and the
only time she clenched the seats were during our turn to base - and even said
"looks like we're too far right" as i overshot slightly.

learn from my mistake - and don't push anyone

I find that people are very enthusiastic, personally. Unfortunately
though, this can wane somewhat after the 2nd or 3rd wasted trip
to the airport when the weather wasn't good enough to go flying,
or the plane had gone tech or whatever. This hasn't happened to
me since I've owned my own plane though...combination of knowing
(with reasonable certainty) if the plane's serviceable and not having a
booked slot so am able to fly whenever there's a break in the weather.

Some people do ask "is it dangerous?"...I just look bemused, look at
myself and say "I'm still here". That usually makes them smile and
realise the chance of anything happening is extremely slim! If they're
interested I explain what normally causes fatal crashes and how
these factors wouldn't apply to the current day's flying.

Paul

"Gerald Sylvester" wrote in message
news
I recently got my PPL and find that most people are scared sh*tless to
go up. One friend came along and was just blown away and had a ton
of fun. Just about everyone else is "oh my god, I am so scared
of airplanes."

"Gerald Sylvester" wrote:
Is this me or is it just the general public?

There are three common reasons people fear to fly in light aircraft with
private pilots:

1) They are afraid of *any* flying. This is a personal control issue
almost entirely unrelated to the real risks involved.

2) They know the prospective pilot and do not trust him.

3) They understand, somehow, that private flying is far more dangerous
than any activity they normally pursue - unless they ride motorcycles in
city traffic or engage in something similarly risky.

There is nothing you can do about the first problem.
The second is a personality and reputation issue which may or may not be
subject to change.
The third is the tricky one. Do you attempt to allay prospective
passengers' fears by telling them that flying with you is safe? I cannot
do this: if someone wants to fly with me, I'm all for it, but I'm not
going to talk anyone into it.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM
(remove pants to reply by email)

"Dan Luke" wrote in message
...
The third is the tricky one. Do you attempt to allay prospective
passengers' fears by telling them that flying with you is safe? I cannot
do this: if someone wants to fly with me, I'm all for it, but I'm not
going to talk anyone into it.

Same here. When pilots are dismissive of others' safety concerns, it's
disconcertingly reminiscent of stereotypical drug-use peer-pressure in high
school: what's the matter, are you chicken?

But if prospective passengers ask, I'll say that I think it's reasonably
safe. I think the type of flying I do with passengers is going to be at
least as safe as student flying, so I cite 1 in 250,000 as my best estimate
of their chance of getting killed if they go for a one-hour flight with me.
But I don't presume to try to persuade them as to whether that risk is worth
taking.

--Gary