Yes she did a darn good job. I'm sure that she probably picked up a few pointers in the last 30 years through observation if nothing else.
This is one thing I've never been able to get my wife to do. While she doesn't fly with me as much as she did she still has no interest in the slightest fundamentals of flight. I have to threaten to let the plane roll upside down before she will try to hold it level while I read a map. Of course on the bright side, she's never complained of my purchases of GPS so I don't have to look at a map. Maybe I'm thinking to small. I probably should be asking for the fully coupled auto pilot with the auto land feature. I think that would be a minor alteration in a 170.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
A lady friend and I were on a trip of about an hour up to Willows from Rancho Murieta,CA, for lunch. Sandy's flying experience consisted of riding in the cabin of a company King Air. I asked her to hold the controls and just keep heading toward the "Mountains" of the Sutter Buttes, which were directly ahead of our course, while I looked at the chart.
She grabbed the wheel, feet flat on the floor, and proceeded to fly toward the mountains.
After a bit, I took a peek around the left side of the chart at the instruments and glanced through the windshield. Hm, right on course. I kept the chart open and "read" it for a little longer. Gave her plenty of time to see that this business of flying took considerable training and we intrepid aviators were a special breed. Took another peek around the left side again. What the hell? Heading within about two degrees and altitude right smack on! Without having had this deflating experience, I realize it is difficult to explain to other aviators how hard it was to keep from crying.
I'll swear on an owners manual that she is better than a three axis auto pilot, and can fly airplanes without rudder pedals.
Just don't ever try to tell this lady that there is more to flying an airplane than driving her Chevy Corvette.
Bruce, I thought every airplane had the Auto Land feature since no one is stuck up there
Dani sent me that article. A sad story but a happy ending as she walked away after landing a single engine twin.
Although my wife has no interest in learning how to 'fly' an airplane, she's very interested in learning how to 'land' an airplane. She worries about the tailwheel being harder to land and taxi. I tell her that, if she can manage to put the wheels on a runway at a decent speed, the insurance company can get it off the runway. The important thing is to walk away from the emergency, not save the airplane.
I think the pinch hitter course is a great idea as long as people realize it's not a second pilot but an alternative to a parachute. The idea is to live thru the ordeal ( IMHO )
Has anyone here done this or know of someone that has taken the pinch hitter course?
Actually the association has held pinch hitter courses at conventions before. At least a ground school how-to anyway at Galveston. George and his "Instructor" (can't recall his name) spent a lot of time putting the course together and I know it was very well received.
CAUTION - My forum posts may be worth what you paid for them!
Bruce Fenstermacher, Past President, TIC170A
Email: brucefenster at gmail.com
Cessna® is a registered trademark of Textron Aviation, Inc. The International Cessna® 170 Association is an independent owners/operators association dedicated to C170 aircraft and early O-300-powered C172s. We are not affiliated with Cessna® or Textron Aviation, Inc. in any way.
Maybe I'm thinking to small. I probably should be asking for the fully coupled auto pilot with the auto land feature. I think that would be a minor alteration in a 170. 
