Took the Kids Up (First Time)

Things fell into place this past weekend to finally take the kids up in the
airplane. Their grandma's birthday, a nice high-pressure over New York, our
original weekend plans falling through and relatively cooler weather all
made for the right opportunity to cut a 6-hour car ride down to a 2-hour
plane ride from Long Island (FRG) to Lake George (Ticonderoga 4B6) for a
surprise visit.

What a flight. Took off at 8AM Saturday to avoid any low-level bumps of
which we experienced exactly zero. Filed IFR for that little extra traffic
avoidance assurance although only one aircraft was called out to us. The
one-year-old fell asleep on climbout just like I've read about in so many
posts in this newsgroup. She kept her earplugs in almost the entire time. My
three-year-old kept his headset on the entire time as well with a little
help from the "Dora the Explorer" audio off the DVD player pumping through
the music input (marking its first-ever use).

With regards to the return flight, the flip-flop of forecasts from Friday
through Sunday for the Long Island area created some anxiety on my part
while staying at my folk's house in Ticonderoga. But all was well in the 8AM
forecast Sunday morning reinforcing my Forrest Gump-ish belief that "you
never know what yer going to get" until the day you fly. As of Saturday Aug
6th, a warm stationary front was threatening to push up from the south over
Long Island (but I thought it was "stationary??").

I took the advice from another in the group to put "Infant on board.
Requesting shallow descents" in the remark section of the flight plan. A
couple of controller's along the way asked how the baby was doing which
added to the enjoyment of the flight--especially for my wife. Although we
didn't end up using any special handling, it was great to know that the
controllers were keeping an eye out for us. On a side note, my experience
with NY controllers has been 99% good and I'm convinced their reputation for
being cut-throat is only from the fact that they're so damn busy all the tim
e.

It will still be a while until I take them up in IMC and probably not when
there's an airmet for turbulence until I get more experience and the kids
get a little older. I want to be careful not to sour their taste for flight
with a bad experience early-on. By that time, I'll have hopefully saved a
few pennies to get the Garmin 396 to help alleviate my IMC anxiety level as
well.

What normally would have been a car ride eating up the entire usable day
became a pleasant GA trip that allowed us to hit the beach on Sunday
afternoon while marveling at the fact that we were 300 car-miles away just a
couple of hours ago.

Only in general aviation.

Marco Leon




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What normally would have been a car ride eating up the entire usable day
became a pleasant GA trip that allowed us to hit the beach on Sunday
afternoon while marveling at the fact that we were 300 car-miles away just
a
couple of hours ago.

Way to go, Marco -- sounds like a great trip.

With an airplane, UPS, and the internet, it is literally possible to live
ANYWHERE in the U.S. nowadays, quickly partaking in all the benefits of
tourist traps and big cities while avoiding all of the drawbacks to actually
living in these places.

GA is one of the best things that can ever happen to a family. If only
more people realized this fact, we wouldn't be closing airports...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Thanks Jay. You're the first person to come to mind whenever I think of
"flying with the family." I appreciate your many posts relating to that
subject.

I have to prep my family for that trip to Oshkosh ya know. Next I'll need to
prep my wife for camping!

Marco Leon


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:qzVJe.233052$x96.30750@attbi_s72...
What normally would have been a car ride eating up the entire usable day
became a pleasant GA trip that allowed us to hit the beach on Sunday
afternoon while marveling at the fact that we were 300 car-miles away
just a
couple of hours ago.

Way to go, Marco -- sounds like a great trip.

With an airplane, UPS, and the internet, it is literally possible to live
ANYWHERE in the U.S. nowadays, quickly partaking in all the benefits of
tourist traps and big cities while avoiding all of the drawbacks to
actually living in these places.

GA is one of the best things that can ever happen to a family. If only
more people realized this fact, we wouldn't be closing airports...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"




Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
----------------------------------------------------------
** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY **
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.usenet.com

I have to prep my family for that trip to Oshkosh ya know. Next I'll need
to prep my wife for camping!

Well, we're already making plans! Jack and Steve Allison have had so much
fun the last two years, that they are now planning to bring their wives in
2006.

I forget where you're based, but if you really can make it to OSH, don't
forget our fly-in pool party, always held two days before OSH. Next year
that will be on Saturday, July 22nd!

If tradition holds true, there will be a few of us who then opt to fly into
OSH as a loose gaggle. (This year we had four aircraft.) This allows us
to be parked (relatively) close together, which makes sustaining the party
throughout the week just *that* much easier!

Hope to see you then, if not before...
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

GA is one of the best things that can ever happen to a family. If only
more people realized this fact, we wouldn't be closing airports...

Very few people with a family are in a position to pay the cost in money, time,
and risk to effectively partake in general aviation.

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.

"George Patterson" wrote:

Very few people with a family are in a position to pay the cost in money,
time, and risk to effectively partake in general aviation.

Too true, alas.

Outside of myself and usenet acquaintences, I don't know anyone who regularly
makes family trips in personal aircraft.

--
Dan
C-172RG at BFM

Jay Honeck wrote:
GA is one of the best things that can ever happen to a family. If
only more people realized this fact, we wouldn't be closing airports...

George Patterson wrote:
Very few people with a family are in a position to pay the cost in
money, time, and risk to effectively partake in general aviation.

I disagree, George.
It is a choice people make as to how to spend their disposable income.
It may have more to do with level of education and type of employment.
It may also be more difficult now with higher fuel prices absorbing more
of the available disposable income.

john smith wrote:

I disagree, George.
It is a choice people make as to how to spend their disposable income.
It may have more to do with level of education and type of employment.
It may also be more difficult now with higher fuel prices absorbing more
of the available disposable income.

You seem to be concentrating on the money. While it may or may not be true that
most Americans can afford the $5,000 or more it takes to keep a 4-seater on
tiedown and fly it a few hours a year, I certainly wouldn't think so. That's
about 10% of the median income for an American family.

As for the other two items, very few can take the time necessary to maintain a
proficiency level good enough for even a few VFR cross-country trips a year.
Fewer still can afford to get an instrument rating and stay current. And even
fewer are able to convince both themselves and their spouses to take the risks
inherent in taking long trips by light aircraft, especially if they're honest
about how marginal their piloting skills have become flying, say, 50 hours a
year. It's also one thing to head for Sun'n Fun solo, knowing that you will have
to call the boss if the weather keeps you from coming back on time. It's quite
another thing to take the family somewhere and risk having to return 3 days late.

And just about the time that the kids are getting big enough to enjoy it, you
can't fit the family in the old Cherokee (or the not-so-old Maule) anymore.

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.

"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:SD7Ke.4802$lK2.1218@trndny01...

You seem to be concentrating on the money. While it may or may not be true
that
most Americans can afford the $5,000 or more it takes to keep a 4-seater
on
tiedown and fly it a few hours a year, I certainly wouldn't think so.
That's
about 10% of the median income for an American family.

As for the other two items, very few can take the time necessary to
maintain a
proficiency level good enough for even a few VFR cross-country trips a
year.
Fewer still can afford to get an instrument rating and stay current. And
even
fewer are able to convince both themselves and their spouses to take the
risks
inherent in taking long trips by light aircraft, especially if they're
honest
about how marginal their piloting skills have become flying, say, 50 hours
a
year. It's also one thing to head for Sun'n Fun solo, knowing that you
will have
to call the boss if the weather keeps you from coming back on time. It's
quite
another thing to take the family somewhere and risk having to return 3
days late.

And just about the time that the kids are getting big enough to enjoy it,
you
can't fit the family in the old Cherokee (or the not-so-old Maule)
anymore.

George, you nailed several points about GA and families. While it is
certainly possible to involve the whole family in GA activities, in many
cases, it's hard to do. Like you said, when they are really small, they fit
the W&B, but they are very needy and may actually not like it. When they get
older, they have this way of getting big (and heavy) and I just can't afford
a Cherokee Six, at least right now. And kids want to bring their friends
along. What now? A Caravan?

I've been wrestling with this issue for a few months now. I have a 6 year
old son and a 1 year old daughter.

I have taken my son to the airport hundreds of times, but he's just not that
interested. I took him flying and and he wasn't too impressed. He's the
outdoorsy type who likes to fish, hike and explore and likes my attention.
While you're flying, you just can't pay attention to your kids, which is
what they really want anyway. Why the hell take them if they don't enjoy it?
[Now, I am just talking about flying here, not X/C's. Destinations can be a
lot of fun] I came to the realization that flying is for ME, not really for
the family and I seem to be the only one who gets a kick out of it. Not that
there is anything really wrong with that, but when you have a young family,
you just don't have that much time for yourself. My wife supports my flying
(for which I am very grateful), it's just not HER thing either.

You mentioned time. I seem to have NO extra time these days. I pay dearly
for any time spent away from the house because my wife needs me at home to
help with the kids. It's hard to fly enough to keep current because of the
lack of time. I began to feel that the best thing to do would be to find
things that we can do together as a family that I also enjoy, not just me
going off by myself.

So, I bought a boat this year. It's an activity that we can all do together
and we can invite friends as well. While it's not flying, it does have some
of the same feelings of satisfaction of a job well done. The big difference
is that while I enjoy doing it, the whole family does too. Someone mentioned
that the best way to keep your kids interested in family outings is to let
them invite their friends. No big deal, invite who you can, pack the cooler
and head to the lake. Everyone has a blast and it's cheap!

I still fly, but I don't badger everyone to do it with me. I realize it's MY
thing and anyone who wants to join me can do so. I do hold out hope that
it's something that my kids will take a shine to, but there's always that
chance that they won't. I have to be OK with that. I plan to take my son up
this Fall, just him and me and see how it goes. It's funny, he always is
asking me when we are going fishing again, even though we've flown before. I
think the difference is that while fishing, we can talk, and relax and we
spend time together. While flying, I am rather preoccupied with what I am
doing and can't be silly, which he really likes.

GA is awesome, but my opinion is that it isn't the ideal family activity. To
those who make it work, God bless'em.

-Trent
PP-ASEL

Very true George. My flight hours went down significantly after I had kids.
I expected to start a family back in 2000 with my then fiancée which was
part of the reason I chose to get the cheapest 4-seater I could get with
straight-forward maintenance. It also played into the decision to becoming
an owner in the first place because I knew I would have probably stopped
flying altogether because of all the reasons you stated. And if I took my
family up, it would only be in an aircraft where I was 100% confident of the
maintenance history.

I took on a partner after I had the first child to make the costs much more
palatable and reasonable. My "partner" happens to be my uncle and we have a
slightly non-standard agreement that's working quite well. IMO, partnerships
make sense for a large portion of GA ownership situations and even more so
for pilots with growing families.

That being said, I feel very lucky to still be able to pull this off. I'm
getting in the air more often but I know they won't be back to the levels
during my single/pre-family days but that's OK. Makes me cherish each hour
aloft.

Marco Leon

"George Patterson" wrote in message
news:It4Ke.2234$D4.839@trndny07...
Jay Honeck wrote:

GA is one of the best things that can ever happen to a family. If only
more people realized this fact, we wouldn't be closing airports...

Very few people with a family are in a position to pay the cost in money,
time,
and risk to effectively partake in general aviation.

George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks.