- Maybe just
a circuit
Consider starting them out with just
a circuit. The more apprehensive or
unsure the passenger is the better
it is to have the airport close. That
way, if they suddenly want out of
the air now, you can get them on the
ground fast. If they seem happy on
downwind, you could then head for
the training area or a short flight.
No more than one hour for starters.
- Go scenic
If you opt for a bit of a cross-country
flight, fly them around a city, over
a national park or along a string of
lakes. If you can, show them their
house! They are up there to see
what they can see, and their
interest is unlikely to be inside
the aeroplane. If there’s nothing
for them to look at they may start
wondering what they are doing up
there. The view out the window is
the greatest sales tool aviation has,
so make sure it’s on show.
- They need
to know
How much do you brief the
passenger? If you cover them
in statistics about climb
performance and airspeed or
baff le them with jargon they are
likely to glaze over. As a short
rule of thumb, tell them enough
to be able answer questions other
people are likely to ask about
the f light later. Tell them the
aeroplane type, tell them speeds
in kmh and altitudes. If you’re
going cross-country, use a map
to get them excited about what
they’ll see. During the f light, talk
to them about what they can see,
and what you’re going to do with
the aeroplane. They’ll feel more
comfortable with fewer surprises. - Tell them
nothing negative
There’s no need to feed any fear.
Stories of derring-do and close
scrapes are completely out of
ABOVE: Give the
passenger a good
briefing about where
you’re going and what
they’ll see.
R IGH T: Water, lollies
and a camera: all
good accessories for
a memorable cockpit
experience.australianflying.com.au 71
March – April 2015 AUSTRALIAN FLYINGfleet helicopters
Flight Training School
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Private Helicopter Licence
Commercial Helicopter
Licence Endorsements
Including: R22, R44,
B47, B206/L, B204 /205,
Sling, Low Level
Biennial Flight Review
High Altitude Flying
(Sea Level – 5000ft Training Area)
Participate in Routine Maintenance
Training Bush Pilots for over a decadeArmidale Airport
PO Box 453, Armidale,
NSW 2350, Australia
Ph +61 2 6772 2348
Fax +61 2 6772 7654
http://www.fleethelicopters.com.au
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