When you are beginning as a GA pilot, loved ones may become very sensitive to aircraft accidents and incidents, especially if they know very little about aviation.
When pilots get a worried text message from a loved one, chances are good that there's been an airplane incident and someone you know thinks it could be you.
[Shutterstock]
Key Takeaways:
Public concern and "WHERE ARE YOU?" texts for pilots often stem from incomplete information about general aviation incidents, leading to exaggerated fears and arguments against airports.
Pilots should proactively counter misinformation and exaggerated safety claims with factual data, referencing resources like NTSB reports to defend aviation.
Communicating flight plans and expected return times to loved ones is crucial for pilots to prevent undue worry and stress, as uncertainty about a pilot's fate can be highly distressing.
If you are a pilot and you get this text message, chances are pretty good something has happened to an airplane in your vicinity, and someone you know thinks it could be you. It probably isn’t, and their concern may seem silly. To the person on the other end of the text, however, it is a serious thing, especially if they are a novice to aviation.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
