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:

Pilots are typically required to complete extensive checkouts and accumulate specific flight hours when transitioning to new aircraft types, as the author did with their Commander 114B before carrying passengers.
During a return flight in the new aircraft, the home airport's runway lights unexpectedly failed to activate, necessitating a diversion to another airport.
The incident reinforced the critical "when in doubt, divert" safety mantra, as the pilot successfully diverted to a larger, towered airport.
The experience highlighted the importance of comprehensively briefing passengers on all potential flight eventualities, including diversions, even from the home airport.

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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.