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Reluctant Passengers

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The author facilitated an introductory general aviation flight for Pat, a reluctant first-time flyer who had never experienced air travel.
  • Despite initial apprehension, Pat took a short "ice-breaking" flight in a small plane with the author.
  • This brief flight proved to be a profoundly positive and transformative experience for Pat, completely overcoming her fear of flying.
  • As a result, Pat confidently embraced a cross-continent trip and plans future air travel, prompting the author to encourage others to offer similar introductory flight experiences.
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Every once in a while, we get an opportunity to promote general aviation, or just to expose someone to our preferred mode of travel. Some of us do that with structured familiarization flights, like those organized by the EAA. Others, like me, just take those opportunities as they arise.

And one arose not too long ago. I was visiting a friend; call him Chuck. Chuck is a pilot and an airplane owner, but unfortunately lost his medical. He has a friend—call her Pat—who is one of those rare souls who’d never been on an airplane. Pat is an educated, successful professional whose employment just never required travel.

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