Narrative:

While receiving vector during climb, I was cleared to marathon NDB. I was demonstrating various features of EFIS to passenger in right seat when ATC cleared me to orl then on course. Instead of turning toward orl immediately, I programmed whole route into GPS (explaining this to passenger) and continued for another 2-3 mins before starting the turn north. To my knowledge there were no other aircraft involved and no traffic conflicts arose. I was in the turn to orl when ATC called asking for my heading. Contributing factors: I was at fault for letting passenger distract me with questions until completing immediate task. In addition, I should have briefed passenger on when I would be able to give explanations and I should have insisted that he become aware of my call sign so as not to interrupt. My passenger was an experienced pilot and I expected him to act accordingly. Corrective action: in the future, I will brief passenger more thoroughly about when they are allowed to ask detailed questions and make sure I complete task prior to giving explanation. If I am asked to check out a pilot in this type aircraft I will make sure they have detailed understanding of system prior to flying the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SEL SMA DELAYED TURNING ON COURSE HDG DUE TO EXPLAINING THE GPS NAV SYS TO A PLT PAX IN THE R SEAT.

Narrative: WHILE RECEIVING VECTOR DURING CLB, I WAS CLRED TO MARATHON NDB. I WAS DEMONSTRATING VARIOUS FEATURES OF EFIS TO PAX IN R SEAT WHEN ATC CLRED ME TO ORL THEN ON COURSE. INSTEAD OF TURNING TOWARD ORL IMMEDIATELY, I PROGRAMMED WHOLE RTE INTO GPS (EXPLAINING THIS TO PAX) AND CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER 2-3 MINS BEFORE STARTING THE TURN N. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT INVOLVED AND NO TFC CONFLICTS AROSE. I WAS IN THE TURN TO ORL WHEN ATC CALLED ASKING FOR MY HDG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I WAS AT FAULT FOR LETTING PAX DISTRACT ME WITH QUESTIONS UNTIL COMPLETING IMMEDIATE TASK. IN ADDITION, I SHOULD HAVE BRIEFED PAX ON WHEN I WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE EXPLANATIONS AND I SHOULD HAVE INSISTED THAT HE BECOME AWARE OF MY CALL SIGN SO AS NOT TO INTERRUPT. MY PAX WAS AN EXPERIENCED PLT AND I EXPECTED HIM TO ACT ACCORDINGLY. CORRECTIVE ACTION: IN THE FUTURE, I WILL BRIEF PAX MORE THOROUGHLY ABOUT WHEN THEY ARE ALLOWED TO ASK DETAILED QUESTIONS AND MAKE SURE I COMPLETE TASK PRIOR TO GIVING EXPLANATION. IF I AM ASKED TO CHK OUT A PLT IN THIS TYPE ACFT I WILL MAKE SURE THEY HAVE DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF SYS PRIOR TO FLYING THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.