Since getting my pilot certificate I've been keen to get the wife to go up in the air with me.

She has been somewhat hesitant, to say the least. If it doesn't come with beverage service it's just not that interesting an airplane to her. I figured out a way to get her up with me, though - I needed her to help me with my pilot credentials.

Well, finally she broke down and submitted to a short hour's flight in the Champ, which she eventually admitted she really enjoyed - even though it started gusting and we got thrown around a bit towards the end.

So we're settling up the bill for the rent on the bird and she gently asks if there isn't some sort of stamp or something I need to put in my logbook.

Jim, my CFI and owner of the Champ, looked a bit perplexed.

"You know," she reminded, "the passenger endorsement he had to get."
"Uh..."
"He said he needed to have in his logbook the endorsement of the first passenger."

....Blank stares...

"Give it here," says Jim, with a suddenly knowing look, and scrawls "PASSENGER ENDORSED" in the notes for the hour in my log book.



On the way home she did the fake "fussing" at me for making up such a whopper, but had to laugh at the same time.

"I can see why you really like it," she said, "maybe you could take me again when it's not so bumpy."