VINTAGE INSTRUCTOR
THE
BY DOUG STEWART
“There are two emergency exits on this PA-12 aircraft . . .” “Do you want me to brief you as if you were a ‘real’ passenger?” is a question I am often asked by applicants in the process of administering their private pilot practical test. “Well, I didn’t know I was a fake passenger, and furthermore if I am going to be able to assess your skills at giving a good passenger briefing, I suppose that is something you will need to do” is how I want to reply but, realizing that might appear as a somewhat passive-aggressive response and totally inappropriate to the situation, I bite my tongue and just respond: “Yes, please.” The vast majority of the applicants I test then proceed to supply only the minimum amount of information to me, as required by the regulations, and the PTS (Practical Test Standards). That is to “brief occupants on the use of seat belts, shoulder harnesses, doors and safety equipment.” But is that all that really should be briefed? Aren’t there so many other things that should be included in our briefing to our passengers if we are to be truly responsible pilots? Don’t our passengers have the right to be apprised of the risk factors involved with flying? Shouldn’t they be told how they could take an active part in contributing to the safety of the flight? Wouldn’t it be better if our passengers knew of the potential physiological problems they might encounter during the
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flight, so that if they did experience them, they would know how to deal with them? And the list goes on… There are many things we could include in our passenger briefings. What you, the pilot in command (PIC), choose to include in that list is one of the many decisions you have to make. Some pilots fear that “telling too much” might frighten our passengers into not flying, while other pilots find that their passengers both appreciate and benefit from a thorough preflight briefing. Achieving the right balance is up to you. Here are some of the things I feel responsible pilots should include in their passenger briefing. Certainly at the top of the list is the proper use of the seat belt and shoulder harness as well as how to open the door. Have them try releasing the seat belts and opening the door before you start the engine. If you have emergency exits in your airplane, point them out and demonstrate how to open them. Remember, you, the PIC, might be incapacitated in an accident and unable to assist your passengers, so they need to know these things before you ever start the engine. If you have headsets and an intercom, show your passengers how to properly use them. If there are separate volume and squelch controls for each station, they’ll need to know how to adjust them. They also need to be informed that in the unlikely
event of an accident, they’ll have to remove their headsets and clear their exit pathway of the wires, not only of the headset, but the power cords and antenna wires of a variety of handheld pieces of equipment that might be in their egress pathway. It can be difficult to expeditiously exit a burning aircraft when all those wires hobble one’s ankles. The concept of a sterile cockpit is one that I introduce early on in my passenger briefing. It is extremely important that your passengers understand that their talking during ground operations, takeoff and climb-out, approach and landing, and anytime you are operating in or near the airport area might have a serious impact on the safety of the flight. There have been impacts of aircraft with each other as a result of the distractions caused by a “motor-mouthed” passenger. Let’s make sure our passengers don’t fit that description. On the other hand, your passengers should be briefed on how they can assist in scanning for other aircraft. Describe to them the techniques you want them to use in pointing out aircraft they see (clock position, high, low, same altitude, etc.), whether verbally or manually with their index finger. If your passengers are taking their first flight in an airplane and are unfamiliar with the controls, ensure that they are instructed to
keep their hands and feet clear of the yoke/stick and rudder pedals. I observed one instance when a pilot could barely taxi his airplane because his passenger, unbeknownst to the pilot, had locked his feet under the rudder pedals, preventing the pilot from being able to steer the airplane. Had the passenger been properly briefed, that situation would have never arisen. Luckily there was no bent metal as a result. Your passengers must also be made aware of the physiological effects of flying. I always make it a point to show my passengers where the sick sacks are before starting the engine. My experience has shown that if you point out the sack after your passenger is already looking like that pea soup you had for lunch, he will undoubtedly need that handy container, but rarely get to it in time. Remembering that it’s the pilot who is supposed to clean up the airplane after the flight should have you pointing out those relief bags well ahead of time. Doing so might very well prevent their even being needed. Another area, somewhat related, is keeping your passengers comfortable. Be sure to point out in your briefing where the fresh air vents are as well as their proper operation. Also let your passengers know of your limited psychic abilities―that they should let you know if they are too hot, or too cold, and that you have the ability to control their physical comfort to some extent. Keeping properly hydrated during flight is important, so your passengers should be told of that. But just as important is the other side of good hydration. Suggest to your passengers that they should drain their own sumps while you drain the fuel sumps of the airplane. We are all aware of the bad decisions that have arisen as a result of external pressures. The same could happen from internal pressures. If it is going to be a long flight and you have one of the many containers available for bodily relief on board, the time to describe the proper usage of such devices is yet again dur-
ing the passenger briefing. Believe me, I know how distracting it can be to give that description in flight, let alone demonstrate proper usage. Most of our vintage airplanes are not equipped with many, if any, annunciator lights, or aural warning devices, but if you have any of these installed, it’s best to brief your passengers about them. Remember that if it is your passenger’s first flight, they might become very alarmed when they see some of the normal lights that we are used to seeing,
. . . I observed one instance when a pilot could barely taxi his airplane because his passenger, unbeknownst to the pilot, had locked her feet under the rudder pedals . . . and hear that stall warning sounding as we grease it on. Let them know in advance and it becomes a non-issue. Hopefully every one of us runs the I’M SAFE checklist on ourselves prior to each and every flight, but do you ask the same of your passengers? Shouldn’t you be aware of any medical condition or illness they might have? I heard of a recent flight that ended in a double fatality when the passenger, who was a diabetic, went into a seizure and ended up disabling the airplane. Had the pilot been aware of the condition prior to flight, he might have ensured that proper medication was brought along in case it was needed. This, too, needs to be part of our pas-
senger briefing. Although none of us intends to intentionally park our airplane in a remote site, away from any and all help and assistance, yogurt sometimes happens and we end up there. If you are going to be flying over remote areas, it becomes absolutely imperative that you brief your passengers about bringing along proper clothing and supplies in the event that the worst happens. I am sure you and your passengers do not want to be included in the tragic stories of people surviving a crash only to die later of exposure. Your briefing, especially if you will be flying over remote areas, needs to include the location and use of emergency equipment such as flares and/ or signal devices; emergency locator transmitters and/or personal locator beacons; emergency rations (if on board); the need to stay warm and dry as essential to survival; and the need to stay near the aircraft. Even though your flight might have been planned only as a short sightseeing flight, the possibility of being forced into parking your airplane on a remote mountain peak could very well become the reality. Will your passengers be prepared if this becomes the case? As you can see, there are many things we might choose to include in a passenger briefing beyond just the belts and doors. In fact, a checklist specifically for passenger briefings might very well be in order. One source for help in creating that checklist is the Aviators Model Code of Conduct available at www.SecureAv.com. What you, the PIC, decide to include in your own passenger briefing is your decision and your responsibility. Just please be sure that when blue skies and tail winds beckon, your passengers are as prepared for the flight as you are. Doug Stewart is the 2004 National CFI of the Year, a NAFI Master Instructor, and a designated pilot examiner. He operates DSFI Inc. (www.DSFlight. com), based at the Columbia County Airport (1B1).
VINTAGE AIRPLANE 35