Understanding the Flying Companion’s Role

If there is a pilot in your life, chances are good that you have been “encouraged” to occupy the pas­senger seat in a GA airplane. As an enthusiastic presenter of flying companion seminars over the years, though, I’ve met quite a few reluctant passen­gers. To help self-described cockpit cowards make the transition to comfortable and confident cockpit companions, I structure these sessions around a couple of key points.

First, GA flying is not a death-defying activity undertaken by risk-loving daredevils. Yes, there is risk, but it can be managed. The scary stuff you see in the media ironically arises not so much because aviation accidents are common, but rather because, unlike auto accidents, they are rare enough to be newsworthy. Certification and maintenance require­ments for both aircraft and pilots are a lot more demanding than most people realize, and pilots are intelligent, rational, and accomplished people who get a lot more training than that required for a driver’s license. There are also more inspection requirements for airplanes, and recurrent training requirements for pilots.

Second, pilot incapacitation, which is a common concern in the flying companion community, is rare. Like accidents, these stories make headlines primar­ily because they are unusual occurrences. That said, acquiring some basic knowledge and skill through ground training and a few hours of hands-on flight training with a good flight instructor can be a great confidence booster. It’s very unlikely a flying com­panion will ever need to take over the controls, but learning a few basics can enhance confidence, enjoy­ment, and the ability to lighten the pilot’s workload.

What Does A Flying Companion Really Need to Know?

Pilots quickly learn the Aviate-Navigate- Communicate mantra, which serves as a reminder of essential duties and priorities. Because it’s both helpful and easy to remember, we have chosen to use this framework to present essential information for flying companions.

We have added “mitigate” — another term for risk management — at the end for convenience, but mitigating hazards is really an ongoing process. So it’s no coincidence that you will find more articles under the “mitigate” rubric than in other sections.

Here’s a quick preview of this issue:

Aviate is a fancy word for “fly the airplane,” which is the most important duty. Aviating means controlling attitude, airspeed, and altitude, so we’ll talk about using flight controls and instruments to accomplish those essential tasks.

Navigate means knowing where you are, where you want to go, and how to get there. With the advent of moving map navigators, both those installed in the airplane and those provided through tablets and other hand­held devices, navigation is easier than ever before.

Communicate — You are never more than a click of the mic from help; using 121.5 — the “911 of the sky” — will get an instant response. But we will also offer tips for learning and practicing basic radio functions on routine flights, along with a primer on PilotSpeak.

Mitigate means managing risk by identifying hazards and taking action to eliminate or reduce them before they cause a problem. We will look at several areas of practical risk mitigation. We also provide a mnemonic passenger S-A-F-E-T-Y briefing checklist you can use.

There’s a lot to cover, but we’ll make it fun. So, as they say on commercial flights: sit back, relax, enjoy the trip … and let us know if there’s anything we can do to make your GA flying companion journey more comfortable.  (FAA Safety Briefing MarApr 2018)