Love is in the air

To help with that, the AOPA Air Safety Institute created the Companion Copilot video series through a generous donation by Steve and Libby Maus.

The hope for this series is to encourage folks who might otherwise be reluctant to take to the skies by demonstrating how safe it is to fly. It further teaches that some training and task-sharing can help a disengaged passenger become more involved in the experience and fully appreciate the unique adventure of flying by private airplane.

Let’s climb to 35,000 feet for a minute and have a look around. Flying is enviably efficient at this altitude. Many of us general aviation pilots can take a page out of the organization and safety handbooks of commercial airlines and corporate flight departments. Their dedication to effective crew resource management is admirable and worthy of our imitation. Through the Companion Copilot series, nonpilot passengers learn to be contributing crewmembers—an integral element in the flight’s operational strategy rather than a spectator.

In 2010, AOPA commissioned a research firm to identify attributes associated with an optimal flight training experience (airsafetyinstitute.org/2010FlightTrainingExp). The researchers answered one crucial question: Why do students pursue primary flight training? Sixty-five percent of those surveyed responded with “for recreational reasons,” rather than for business or in pursuit of a professional pilot career. So, a large majority of pilots learn to fly for the sole purpose of personal enjoyment.

Keeping with the theme of enjoyment, a broader study undertaken by academics from outside the field of aviation concluded that we humans do indeed enjoy ourselves more when we share our adventures rather than experience them alone. From this, it’s reasonable to infer that flying with friends is more fun than flying solo.

While it’s true that carrying passengers on board might increase the potential for distraction and an associated decrease in safety, the risk-benefit balance tips decidedly in favor of the reward side. By giving your passengers tasks in spotting traffic, radio communication, and simple navigation, you may help them feel more invested in the mission. Instead of a distraction, your passengers contribute to the flight’s success.

With a safety culture established and cooperating as a crew, much like the airline industry, you and your mate can operate a nearly risk-free flight. For the pilot, eliminating distractions and reducing information overload allows you to focus on what’s most important, flying the airplane.

Although GA’s safety record is outstanding compared to decades past, there is space for improvement, given that we still suffer an average of 200 fatalities annually. Here at the AOPA Air Safety Institute, we won’t quit until that number is zero.

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