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Having fun with passengers

Ralph Inkster

Well Known Member
I have a friend (with Harmon Rocket) that has a decal on the pilot seat back instructing passengers to:
"GET IN - BUCKLE UP - SHUT UP"
He said the responses varied from a snarky reply... to a slap on the side of his head.

My first RV7A ended up having a surplus switch & breaker hole on the panel, didn't want to install hole plugs, so installed a dummy switch and breaker to basically just fill them in. In same font as rest of the panel I labelled them "PAX EJECT".
Without fail, about 5 minutes into a flight there would be a timid inquiry over the headset.. "Is that real?" or "What's that for?" or similar. The accompanying facial expressions were priceless.

How have you entertained your passengers?
 
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Not flying yet, but plan on installing a panel I got at the OSH fly mart one year.
Has a Fasten Seat Belt switch, and Flight Attendant Call button (any part 121 guy would recognize the panel).


Doug
Seattle area
 
im looking for one of those stickers that was in every shaggin wagon in the seventies... gas,grass, or a//, nobody rides for free!
 
The back of my pilot’s seat has a label facing the passenger saying “Stop screaming - I’m scared too!”
 
I typically get asked why I’m weaving back and forth while taxiing. I tell them not to worry, I’m not drunk. I just can’t see where I’m going :)
 
Question for Pax

My Dad once asked my young cousin if he was scared during a flight in a 172. He said no. Dad said “Well, I am.” Cousin’s eyes got real big until Dad laughed and told him the flight was going fine.
 
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if I ever saw something silly labeled in an airplane built by an amateur, the first thing I would do is "get out".
 
I had a short body Mooney for a few decades. 1000 lb useful load with no where to put it. Pretty forgiving CG envelope. Anyway as single guy, I gave plenty of rides to single girls. I would ask them their weight and explain W&B. When I got their (sometimes reluctant) answer, I’d pretend to do some math in my head. Most, if not all, were new to GA so the noise, vibration, etc of a start-up, run-up would cause some nerves. Anyway, I’d verify with them “109, right?” a couple of times as we got closer to the active. As I was advancing the throttle for he TO run, my new right seater yelled “119! 119!” I’d admit to being a big hole later.
 
I was flying a young eagles event in Odessa Tx a few years ago, and one mother of a kid (who was on another airplane) very desperately wanted a flight also - trouble being she was somewhere between 300 and 350 pounds.

I'm a lightweight and I had no baggage, and was about half-fuel, so I knew the airplane would do it - it was a question of shoe-horning her into a 9A, and back out again. She was a good sport about it and said "I'm willing to try if you are!" We got her in, but it was a grudge match getting the seat belts on her - took three people and five hands, all of us laughing and no suggestion of modesty anywhere in the process, but we got her belted in and she got her flight.
 
I was flying a young eagles event in Odessa Tx a few years ago, and one mother of a kid (who was on another airplane) very desperately wanted a flight also - trouble being she was somewhere between 300 and 350 pounds.

I'm a lightweight and I had no baggage, and was about half-fuel, so I knew the airplane would do it - it was a question of shoe-horning her into a 9A, and back out again. She was a good sport about it and said "I'm willing to try if you are!" We got her in, but it was a grudge match getting the seat belts on her - took three people and five hands, all of us laughing and no suggestion of modesty anywhere in the process, but we got her belted in and she got her flight.

I did my IFR check ride in my 6A with an examiner matching that description. Some issues getting her in. Getting here out was a real challenge (she had knee issues as well). At one point, I didn't think it was going to happen. It was her first time in a small RV and I am pretty sure it was the last check ride she offered to do in a side by side RV.

Larry
 
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