"Turn that on, turn that on, turn that on" as he's flipping switches? She definitely seems to go into panic mode after that, though.

I was going through the switches associated with windshield bled air, overhead vent, defrost etc. I did have a w/s overheat annunictor come on for a bit but didn't say anything or point it out.

Funny she melts when we were VMC on top.

"Two different realities in the same cockpit." So true.

I could tell you but then I would have to kill you Ryan Just a trump fan who didn't have a date to the dance

I figured she would freak when you were IMC it did strike me that you were on top with the horizon insight and she freaked. Good lesson for me when giving people rides. Never had someone get weird.

3:54 mark. Mark reaches down to reset something? Transponder? And he says Ah, get your head on, get your head on, get your head on. Three times. And she melts down.

Mark,

Don't remember saying "oh %#$@" when I turned right base in our 182 shortly after PPL with my daughter on board. Turned too soon to base. Haha. On the ground my daughter said she thought we were going to die...
Note to self, oh %#$@, never out loud with pax..

who are you trying to convince here...........

When you mumbled to yourself to get your head on contributed to her meltdown. Messing up the squawk code in the D.C. SFRA will get everyone's attention. I triple check squawk codes when around there.

Cant you use your AP when flying that departure? Even if in HDG mode and VS climbs? Looks to me like you were hand flying the turn and level offs.

AP handling the basic flying leaves more time for other stuff at busy times.

You did the best you could do. Her safety is more important then her feelings. I usually do not invite inexperienced or high strung people into the right seat until in cruise and maybe they stay there for the landing.

You have to be aware that passengers are watching and listening to every move you make. Keep your game face on at all times.

That is probably one of the more instructive videos you have posted.

My standard briefing to a non pilot passenger who sits in the right seat with me:

"Assume everything that happens is normal. It nearly always is, and even if it is an emergency, you assuming things are normal will help me deal with it. If I tell you to do something, do it without question.

The plane will make various beeps and dings and other noises. These are normal, none of them mean danger. (I don't have a stall horn, only a stick shaker, but even if I had a stall horn, I'd say this.)

During various parts of the flight, mostly takeoff and landing, I will be concentrating and not paying any attention to you. Do not to ask questions during these times.

I will be talking on the radio to air traffic control and they will talk to me. If I raise my hand, stop talking immediately since that means they are trying to talk to me and I need to hear them. What we say to each other is not being broadcast to others, only we can hear that. (Sometimes you have a right seater who doesn't know that and they say nothing the entire flight. If that is desired, omit this statement.)

I may periodically refer to a manual or checklist. This is normal and not an indication I don't remember how to fly the airplane."

When I fly with a non pilot passenger, I do not make any negative comments about my performance, I do not express any disgust at ATC or equipment trouble, I carry on professionally. Non pilot passengers are hyper sensitive to these things because they have no idea what is going on, so they amplify the perceived mental state of the pilot to judge their situation.

Do not brag about how difficult or challenging the situation is or was, or how much of your skill was required. That will just make the non pilot passenger feel like they were at risk at some point in the flight. You may congratulate yourself internally, however, and tell this to a pilot later.

I am also careful with my phrasing.

Wrong: "we are going down".

Right: "we are starting our descent".

I've had a lot of non pilot passengers in my right seat and have yet to have a situation like the one in the video, but I am aware it can happen. A berserk right seater is a scary prospect.

Mike C.

a reasonable approach. Useful. You don't mind if I make some tweeks? It very serviceable which I will adopt with the caveat that it depends highly on seatmates. In a devious way it could be part of a career interview. Grace under pressure.

To be honest I have never done this in a formal way. Thanks

You cannot change anything about it. It is perfect. :-)

Of course you can vary the briefing for the individual. I just gave the complete version.


One of the benefits is that it allows you, the pilot, to worry less about your right seater. I find that after I have done the briefing, I can concentrate better on flying because I spend less brain cycles on monitoring the right seater.

Mike C.

I remember years ago bringing one of Olivia's friends up to visit in the Bo. It was just her and I, so she sat up front (I think she was maybe 12 or 13). The air was a bit rough and she got sick. That was distracting but what really scared me was she puked up a whole bunch of blood..... It wasn't blood, she ate red frosting cake but it took her a few minutes after puking to be able to tell me it was ok. I had chopped the power, turned around and was thinking through what I'd do next before she was able to tell me. In the end, we both got a good laugh from it but I was pretty scared (for her).

Pretty amazing how distracting a passenger can be. The wrong situation could definitly overwhelm a single pilot.

She went all Linda Blair on you. (Exorcist). Priceless.

How long till you got the smell out?

Good posts and video re non pilot in front.

I could argue to keep the brief to the non pilot separate from the passenger brief.... and do it in stages. They won't remember half of what is said. For take off, I like to start with say NOTHING until I tell you. Tough NOTHING. And assume everything is normal, enjoy the flight.
I'll point out the moving map and tell them they can occasionally look at it for our progress.

After the departure is over and not busy, I'll point out other things. And the approach is similar to the departure brief, but by this time hopefully they have been trained to point out traffic. And the brief on that is just point and say airplane.

However, as a rule, I just don't take a non pilot with in the right seat, unless I know them personally. And, if someone wants me to help them get their GF over the fear of flying, I'll tell them to put her on the bus.

I've had a few experiences that turned out much worse than Marks video.