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Flying Spouse


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This is not a new topic for discussion. It's also a matter of using all available resources. Remember resource management? On that basis alone it should be worthy of consideration.

 

OK also a guiding principle is the training should be done by people with competence and the skills necessary. so an instructor is indicated there. No real argument on that?

 

Legality? Sure . The answer is that only legally licenced and current people should operate the controls in flight.

 

Let's have a hypothetical. A hilacker gets to injure one pilot and kill the other before he is despatched himself. Would THAT injured pilot use the opportunity of a low hours pilot passenger to help him get the plane on the ground. . If you didn't you would be a dill. The Law is not meant to cover all emergencies. You have to use your initiative. Nev

 

 

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Nev. that's a hyperthetical and a half, considering we only have 2 seats;). I get your point however, but it's not overly relevant to the posters questions and subsequent responses playing down the serious breach that trying to instruct ones spouse ( without certs) would entail and we should discourage this sort if thinking as much as possible, as you did elsewhere in your post.

 

 

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My wife has had a small amount of training and can fly a plane straight and level and make very gentle turns but gets in a mess when throttle and planning ground related matters are added to the fare. She quite enjoyed the flying instruction but would far rather just be a passenger and sit back to enjoy the flight. Like many people I do worry about the possibility of my being incapacitated while airborne and if I were to die as a result then so be it but if she were to die because of me then that would be a tragedy. And if she were to save both of us that might be best described as a miracle...

 

It's not an unreasonable fear to have, I personally knew two who had heart attacks and crashed, but frankly, if I went down to a birdstrike or heart attack, I don't think my wife could get the plane down, maybe she could if there was nothing wrong with me but if I was unconcious I don't think it'd happen. All this was a matter of discussion at our club last year, my wife and I had just landed and the WAGS were quizzing each other about how they'd cope if their husbands/boyfriends keeled over. My wife got the best laugh, she said "no problem, mags off, pull the red handle, talk on the radio".

 

We'd been flying a rented plane with a BRS and from then on I've seen a good reason for having a BRS so I will be saving for one to fit to OzMoz.

 

 

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Here's an idea - have the spouse join RAAus as a student pilot, get enough lessons(with a school) to feel some competence and then quit. Cancel RAAus membership (and Club membership) and return to the ranks of non-flyers, but a little wiser. Advantage - spouse now has the option of rejoining and finishing the Certificate and has had proper training, done within the law. RAAus can handle this as there are a few people who start but never finish every year. Could be worth a phone call to RAAus or local school. My position was a little different. I was already a GA pilot of many years, but was an office bearer with an Ultralight flying club, so I started my conversion but never finished it. I had a student licence about 12 years ago, but 11yrs ago I changed to a Non-Flying membership to get the magazine and keep up with issues. As an aside - I might be a NON-flying member, but they always ask for a photocopy of my CASA medical when it is due.(??)

 

Sue

 

 

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Sapphire, what you have suggested is illegal PERIOD!

 

Extending it on is only making it worse.

 

I'd suggest you look up the Civil Aviation Regulations and check out the fine you'll get if one of the CASA guys reading this forum decides to take action.

 

 

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I know Kevin Walters does a "wife course" its all from the right hand seat and I think it is not too complex it just to be able to operate the radio and to successfully land the plane no more no less . This is the basic course I know a couple of people whose wives have done it and ended up getting their pilots certificate because they enjoyed it. My wife wants to do the same and I will be getting Kevin to do this for her but it will be in my aircraft of course which dramatically saves the cost and its the one she will be in anyway.

 

 

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I dunno about 2 pilots being in the same aircraft as husband & wife. My ex wife was a pilot after I got her involved in aviation. Well you have heard about back seat driving .I got back seat flying .LOLSeriously though, great idea to get your spouse to learn how to land.

Couldn't be as bad as that nagging bitch in the tomtom harping on and on when you miss count the exits on a round-about!

 

 

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There is a short course that I know of that some RA instructors do. P.O.P (Partners of Pilots) I believe it is called and it is designed to understand how to work the radio and bring the aircraft into land the best way possible, if something happens in flight.

 

And no. I haven't done it. I have said to Brian several times, I am not interested in flying it and if he feels ill at all before we go anywhere we remain on the ground.

 

-Linda

 

 

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Sapphire, what you have suggested is illegal PERIOD!Extending it on is only making it worse.

I'd suggest you look up the Civil Aviation Regulations and check out the fine you'll get if one of the CASA guys reading this forum decides to take action.

 

Gulp

 

 

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Guest Howard Hughes

I don't know that doing '2 or 3 hours', or even a two day course would equip a spouse in such a situation. As we all know aviation is all about currency, if you don't have it, then you are a risk to yourself (and others).

 

 

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Linda I am devastated. I thought out of anyone you would be all for this with the travels you do. LOL Maybe I will just hope I never pass out in flight. I guess atleast I won't know what is happening as we plummet to earth. LMAO

 

 

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I don't know that doing '2 or 3 hours', or even a two day course would equip a spouse in such a situation. As we all know aviation is all about currency, if you don't have it, then you are a risk to yourself (and others).

I agree. My wife did a two day course under instruction a few years ago. While she certainly received a useful introduction to the basics of flying and landing an aircraft, there is no way that she would have the skill or confidence to get a plane down now. Still, as Nev suggested, when things get grim, anything that might increase your chances of survival is better than nothing. You might just get lucky!

 

rgmwa

 

 

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Have you all read the link posted by FT? The old dear did a good job of getting the Titan? down, after 30 years of not flying.

 

Currency is important in flying. You need lots of it or they won't hire the plane to you. Nev

 

 

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I think there is some matey favoritism in passing bi-annual flight reviews especially if you own your own plane. Remember one pilot I casually knew who called downwind when he was wandering aimlessly around between the active and inactive side of the runway stumbling badly on his transmission. Wasn't worth my life to taxi out before he finally landed, parked and positively walking away from his a/c.

 

 

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3 Point it and it won't bounce. Nev

(Nearly) Every time, Nev! (3 point that is).

 

I occasionally do a wheelers in her just to see if I can but, unless she kisses the ground ever so gently AND I nail it at that moment,

 

a-w-a-y -y-y she goes.

 

I was talking BS with some retired airline pilots at Shepparton yesterday. One flew in with a CPL student in Matt Halls Extra (the student was Matt's LAME) and the other two guys are doing some instructing with Gawne's.

 

One guy has a Winjeel, a C180 and a Chippie and does power line flying as well as instructing. He commented that, if you can take off and land an Auster in reasonable fashion, you can probably fly most things because no other small aeroplane keeps you so honest!

 

I have to tell you it was fantastic listening to these guys talking about commercial flying in the 60's when they got started in DC3's, Fokker Friendships, 707's, DC9's and the like. One was with Mickey Mouse Airlines and Ansett, the other with TAA before they both went to various international airlines.

 

Kaz

 

 

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