ny311

IFLy17 has a good point, I wish the CFI at the time would've taken me to a different airport on my intro flight but I think they keep it short because they're limited to like .6 ... either way 9 months later here I am working on my commercial

FlyingChipmunk

I had an engine fail during an intro flight once.. Never saw that kid again.

papatango269

Of course it depends on the person, but, I try to have them do as much as possible. At the same time, keeping it very simple. I talk to them before we go up and kinda get an idea where their head and knowlegde is at. I basically treat it as a mini lesson. Like I said before though, I keep it very simple. I have everyone taxi and takeoff, do most of the flying, and, on occasion you get somebody that's pretty good right out of the shoot and you can talk them through a landing. That doesn't happen that often, but it has happened.
Definately no....WATCH THIS!!!!
good luck
papa t

Pilotpip

I like the "do some easy stuff" thing. My intro flights went like this:

Show them the preflight.
Get in, give em' the safety brief.
Fire up, offer to let them taxi.
Runup
Let them do the takeoff with me.
Once at cruise, point out what the instruments are telling me
Outside, show them some prominent landmarks
Let them do some straight and level, climbs and some turns
Ask if there is anything they'd like to do or demonstrate (at this point some ask about manuevers. If they're doing well, I might do a steep turn, maybe slow flight but never a full stall)
Back to the airport for a fullstop.

Talk through all of it, laymen's terms. Try and include them in what's going on. From time to time I'd get somebody that just wanted to see what a small plane was like, see their house, etc. I never really did two intro flights the same but the gouge above was a good starting point.

block30

I definitely agree no spins, stalls, etc. Concur again on flying to someplace, time permitting. Concur on letting the student taxi and fly the air work.

Noted CFI Bill Kershner recommends demonstrating the first takeoff and having the students on the controls for the second. In my experience I had a student following on the controls of the takeoff on the second lesson. He smashed on the controls with all his might to over come me, and took us off the runway.

So I'd offer that if the person starts asking too many "are you old enough", or "how long have you been flying", nip that *stuff* in the bud! Nothing worse than some folks who fly with friends and suddenly they not only have experience, but incredibly more than you! (I'm assuming you are a younger person, as I am, and many CFIs are).

Regards