As seasoned recreational pilots we sometimes forget just how little about general aviation our passengers really know and understand. Many of our right-seaters probably think flying in a light airplane is little different from what they experience on the airlines. From their time flying United or Delta, they know the drill is to sit down, buckle up and get going.
We, of course, know better. A small general aviation airplane isn't a Boeing 777, and there's an incredibly long list of reasons why we might not be able to make it to our intended destination today, or even take off in the first place. The winds at our home airport might suddenly pick up, the visibility might drop, we might observe a worrisome engine or systems indication during the runup, or a pop-up TFR could shut down the airspace.
Once we're in the air the situation becomes even more complex. As pilot-in-command, one of your primary duties is to be able to think and fly simultaneously as you anticipate the changes you know are probably coming. Is the weather suddenly getting worse than forecast? Are headwinds eating into our fuel reserves? Is that low fuel pressure warning annunciation cause for concern?
You might be reluctant to relate your concerns to passengers out of fear they'll become alarmed and, Heaven forbid, never set foot in an airplane with you again. And no wonder. When you're in the midst of dealing with an emergency or some other situation that deserves your undivided attention, now isn't the time to be explaining this to passengers. Before you leave the ground, during the passenger safety briefing (or even earlier), is the right time to start managing passenger expectations, educating friends and family members about all possible eventualities.
Talk to your passengers about the unique challenges of general aviation. Explain to them your airplane can't go everywhere an airliner can, because of icing, winds, turbulence, elevation and a dozen other things an Airbus can handle no sweat and a Skyhawk just can't.
Be honest with your passengers. And never be afraid to deal with an inflight emergency the same way you would if you were alone in the cockpit. Now isn't the time to fret about whether your nervous spouse will fly with you again. It's the time to take decisive action and rely on your training to ensure that he or she can fly again.
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