Six Steps for a Successful Orientation Flight

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2. Pick the right day. Fly on a pleasant VFR day with little haze. No one new to general aviation wants to be bumped around or experience a crosswind landing or deal with an ILS approach to minimums. When in doubt, postpone for a day with better conditions. Once your guest is ready to join you, encourage photo taking and suggest they bring a camera.
3. Prepare your airplane. Make sure your airplane is clean and tidy and that your charts, headsets, etc. are neatly stowed. Ensure your passenger's seat is locked and that the seatbelts are neat and ready for passengers. Your guest will likely be looking out the windows more often than average passengers, so clean your windows as well. Take a quick flight just before your orientation flight so that you know everything in your airplane is in working order and your skills are sharp. Make sure that your paperwork is in order, as ramp checks are becoming more frequent. And take along an airsick bag…just in case.
4. Preflight your airplane with your guest. A thorough preflight with your passenger observing will reinforce the idea that general aviation is committed to safety, and will ease your passenger's mind. Don't just explain what you're doing, explain why. Once seated, take a few moments to point out some instruments like the altimeter and attitude indicator. Tell them that your airplane has all the same instruments as an airliner!
5. Tailor your comments for your guest. Your impact will be more significant if you customize your comments for your passenger. For example, if you're flying a teacher, you'll want to point out how the study of aviation includes the disciplines of math, science, geography, and history. An air traffic controller will most likely be interested in your communications with the facility or the effect of ATC procedures on your flying. A reporter may be most interested in safety, while a political leader will likely be more interested in the impact of airports on the community. If you're flying a friend, they will probably be interested in the view of the familiar areas they know. Regardless of the passenger, be open to questions, as it will make your guest more comfortable.
6. Conduct a sedate, uneventful flight. That's right. Leave the steep turns and stalls for another day. Most first time passengers will benefit from the flight being as calm as possible. Some might find maneuvers fun, but it is best to be on the safe side and not create any additional stress. Point out safety features and describe how the avionics help you navigate precisely. Chances are, your guest had no idea such sophisticated equipment is found on smaller aircraft.
   Describing traffic patterns can also be helpful. If appropriate, let your guest scan for air traffic and participate in flight duties. Remember the purpose of the flight: to demonstrate the joy of flying and the safety and utility of general aviation aircraft.
   Always be ready to cut the flight short, should your passenger become ill or does not seem to be enjoying the flight.
7. Follow up with your guest. Give your guest information from AOPA, such as  a recent issue of AOPA Pilot. Suggest your passenger visit aviation websites, including AOPA Online and GAServes America. If your passenger shows an interest in learning to fly, suggest visiting Let's Go Flying. Some AOPA members like to present an AOPA First Flight certificate or an extra chart with their route displayed as a memento of the occasion. And don't forget to take a picture of your guest with your airplane!

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