Pinch Hitter

[Rich]

So suddenly mia meglio decides she wants to get serious about "What if you drop dead while we're flying?" Years ago we tried to get her into a pinch hitter course, but we wound up with the wrong instructor/program and it didn't really work out. So I'll be designing a syllabus specifically for her.

The simplest scenario, of course, is we're cruising along in VMC and suddenly I'm being greeted by my ancestors (maybe). But I got to thinking beyond this simplest of situations and it gets pretty daunting. Like right after takeoff, with obvious variations like solid VFR vs IMC on clearance. Or latter stages of an instrument approach in IMC. Or even enroute IMC.

So the deal is I'll start with the most likely situation as stated and try to ease her into the more complex stuff later, wherein the AP is her best friend. Lots to think about.

[Steve]

Rich;

Good idea. I would advise getting her comfortable talking on the radio as a first step. She will need to use the radio to get assistance regardless of the type of emergency.

[Rich]

Rich;

Good idea. I would advise getting her comfortable talking on the radio as a first step. She will need to use the radio to get assistance regardless of the type of emergency.

Definitely an early step. Switching frequencies (and knowing how to find what they need to be), e.g. One interesting nuance in my plane is that she can readily rotate my iPad to her side so she has the AHRS and maps right in front of her, hands-free. Whereas the "real" instruments are off on the other side of the panel.

She has flown with me a lot over the years (including having her own iPad following along), but there's a big difference between seeing stuff done and doing it oneself and knowing when to do what.

[chili4way]

My wife went through an extensive "pinch hitter" course with my instructor. Although she never soloed (and never intended to), she successfully made all the radio calls, took off, flew a small XC, flew the pattern, and landed the plane (both at towered and non-towered airports) under instructor supervision after about 16 lessons. The only thing I kick myself for not thinking of beforehand is that she did it all from the left seat instead of the right.

I think having a good independent instructor do the teaching/coaching and training her just like a student pilot contributed to her successful outcome (i.e. confident familiarity with fundamentals, not proficiency).

YMMV

[Soareyes]

Parachute or Autoland are the only things that will get my wife down safely without me.

[Rick]

I'm a big fan of the pinch hitter idea, and you never know how it will play out. My wife and I are both in our 60's, and she decided not long ago that she wanted to take the pinch hitter course, so we signed her up at the local flight school. After making several near-perfect landings, she decided this was kind of fun and wanted to continue working toward her PPL. She went as far as soloing and did several solo cross-country flights, and then decided that was far enough and never took the written or did the checkride. But she is a very competent copilot now who keeps me honest and I know could get us on the ground safely if something happened to me in flight. Like Paul, though, I regret not getting her some landing experience from the right seat. I think that might be our project this summer...

[Rich]

One thing I can do that no standard pinch-hitter course would do is focus on the reality of our airplane. What controls/radios/gauges are where and how to use them. A further example probably unique to my setup would be the ability to swing my iPad to her side suspended right in her view and use it (in conjunction with the FS210 and Aspen) to select a nearby airport and have the autopilot fly to it.

[Rich]

My wife signed up for a Pinch Hitter course back in 2005. After a few hours in the air, she said I can do this. So she went on to get her PPL, Instrument Rating and Advanced Ground Instructor ticket. Then together, we both received training in CRM protocols which we employ together on every flight. It was a dream come true for me. I highly recommend the pinch hitter course for any spouse of a pilot.

Unlikely for me. Nora turns 80 in June.

[Don]

My wife signed up for a Pinch Hitter course back in 2005. After a few hours in the air, she said I can do this. So she went on to get her PPL, Instrument Rating and Advanced Ground Instructor ticket. Then together, we both received training in CRM protocols which we employ together on every flight. It was a dream come true for me. An unanticipated side benefit is we both were trained to work together as a team which spilled over to even outside of the cockpit. Flying made our relationship even stronger. I highly recommend the pinch hitter course for any spouse of a pilot.

https://www.facebook.com/10000910314901 ... 3640552381

[Boatguy]

My wife expressed similar concerns. First she took the AOPA pinch hitter course, but was reluctant to go up with a CFI, in part due to the pandemic. Then she started doing a little radio work for me, taking frequency hand offs, changing the frequency, checking in on the new frequency, and adjusting the altimeter setting. She's OK with the radio and I think in an emergency they aren't going to give her a lot of handoffs.

Then we started practicing with my Redbird TD simulator. I taught her to use the AP to fly a heading and descend to an altitude. I also gave her a cheat sheet of power settings. We role play with me as ATC. We start off in cruise and then I give her vectors and altitude changes to a long runway. When the runway is in sight she knows how to read a PAPI/VASI and adjust the VS rate and HDG to refine the line up with the runway. And she's learned to not aim for the numbers, but to give herself some latitude to be short. And she's seen me "land long" enough to understand you don't have to land in the first 500'! She cancels the AP at about 100'AGL and I've taught her to pull the power (over 2 secs) when she's over the runway. My mantra is that if she gets to within 50' of the runway, the plane may never fly again, but she'll walk away. Now she lightly holds the stick when I'm landing and is getting some idea about the flare.

This has been sufficient to remove her anxiety and give her some confidence that if I'm "incapacitated" she can talk on the radio, accept vectors and use the AP to get to a long runway.

Once she's vaccinated I think she'll take some right seat lessons with a CFI, but she'll never become a pilot.