Finding Your Ideal Aircraft: Keep Your Passengers Informed

Letting family and friends know what to expect in flight can put them at ease even when surprises occur.

Monday, January 30, 2023 at 01:39 PM ET

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Following a recent diversion, our Commander 114B spent the night among turboprops on the Essex County Airport ramp. [Credit: Jonathan Welsh]

Key Takeaways:

Aviation pilots undergo various checkouts for transitioning aircraft, rentals, or insurance requirements, as exemplified by the author's experience with a new Commander 114B.
During a planned leisure flight, the author encountered unexpected challenges including weather delays and, critically, the failure of his home airport's runway lights during a night return.
This situation prompted his first diversion, reinforcing the "when in doubt, divert" principle and highlighting the importance of thorough passenger briefings about all potential diversion scenarios and maintaining pilot composure.

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Checkouts are common across all types of aviation and they vary depending on the situation. Airline pilots have checkouts when transitioning among aircraft types. So do GA pilots who want to use their flying club’s new Piper PA-28 after years of flying only its Cessna 172.

Aircraft rental companies may require pilots to demonstrate a certain set of skills for an hour or so with an instructor before allowing them to rent an airplane.