Preparing for a XC : Bathroom Breaks

Jay Honeck wrote:
Bring along potty bags/sick sacks. Make sure they are the BIG ones,
with the absorbent gel. Because you have them, you probably won't use
them.



I have a buddy who was flying over Gainesville, FL in a C-172 one fine evening
when he had a sudden urge to void. Since he was by himself, privacy wasn't a
consideration, but he was at 8,000 feet and didn't want to land. He looked
around and decided a sick-sack was a dandy solution. Said he did a pretty good
job of using it without spilling any, too.

But then what to do with it?

Well, it wasn't like he knew anybody down below. He opened the window....

As you know, the Road to Hell is paved with good intentions. The wind hit the
bag and it exploded before he could drop it. The back seat got a pretty good
spray along with the side of the aircraft and (I assume) my friend. He didn't
give me a lot of details but suggested I not try it myself.

Me? I pee out by the tail of the airplane right before I get in if I'm out in
the sticks... in the FBO if I'm not. But I've never had a problem holding it
all day long if necessary.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com

Little John
Item Number: 6462A
Price: $7.95
Sporty's
Clermont County/Sporty's Airport
Batavia, OH 45103
Phone: 1.800.SPORTYS
Fax: 1.800.359.7794
Website: sportys.com


A convenient, spill-proof portable urinal that can also be
used for motion sickness. Cap screws on tightly to prevent
spills. Constructed of durable plastic and is reusable. Used
in hospitals for years. Holds 32 oz. and can be used with
the Lady J Adapter (sold separately).


"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com wrote in
message
...
| Jay Honeck wrote:
| Bring along potty bags/sick sacks. Make sure they are
the BIG ones,
| with the absorbent gel. Because you have them, you
probably won't use
| them.
|
|
|
| I have a buddy who was flying over Gainesville, FL in a
C-172 one fine evening
| when he had a sudden urge to void. Since he was by
himself, privacy wasn't a
| consideration, but he was at 8,000 feet and didn't want to
land. He looked
| around and decided a sick-sack was a dandy solution. Said
he did a pretty good
| job of using it without spilling any, too.
|
| But then what to do with it?
|
| Well, it wasn't like he knew anybody down below. He
opened the window....
|
| As you know, the Road to Hell is paved with good
intentions. The wind hit the
| bag and it exploded before he could drop it. The back
seat got a pretty good
| spray along with the side of the aircraft and (I assume)
my friend. He didn't
| give me a lot of details but suggested I not try it
myself.
|
| Me? I pee out by the tail of the airplane right before I
get in if I'm out in
| the sticks... in the FBO if I'm not. But I've never had a
problem holding it
| all day long if necessary.
|
|
|
| --
| Mortimer Schnerd, RN
| mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com
|
|

Mxsmanic wrote:

If you're not thirsty, you're not dehydrated.

Well, you may get thirsty before dehydrating while playing with your joy
stick, but people who work and play in hot climates know that that is
not true. Physiologists know that dehydration can precede thirst. The
military knows it in training troops. Pro sports teams know it. Serious
hikers know it. All plan appropriate water consumption based on planned
fluid losses, not thirst. You also imply in another post in this thread
that the kidneys won't make urine if one is dehydrated:
"If your flight is three hours, typically by the
time the stuff you drink on board starts to find its way to your
kidneys (if it does--it won't if you truly need the hydration)..."

That's not so either, unless you're going into shock. Try not making
bold statements on health issues. You are obviously not qualified.

Tony writes:

For golf I do that with Gater Aid or other sports drinks in liter
bottles -- walking hilly courses in hot weather is thirsty work. The
Army tells its members if they are doing hard work in the summer, that
if they are not ****ing they are not drinking enough. Thirst is NOT a
good measure of need in those circumstances.

Thirst is reliable except for heavy, short-term exertion, especially
in warm weather, when one may lose water very quickly. But the Army
is right--as long as your bladder is filling every three hours or so,
you're not dehydrated. If you go all day without having to urinate,
you need to drink a lot more water.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.

Tf,

No
coffee before the flight ?

That helps a lot for me.

No liquids xxx hours before leaving etc. etc.

That has the inherent danger of dehydration. I drink even during the
flight. Absolutely necessary for my well-being.

If your wife is the only passenger, "travel toilets" like this one
http://www.aeromedix.com/?_siteid=ae...f491e9dabbda14
25d83afbb&action=cat&catid=tj make sense.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

My 'brain bag' contains a half dozen zip lock plastic bags, gallon
size, at least one of which has prepackaged wash and drys, paper
towels, tissues and so forth in it. These make great sick bags and for
the px who are equipt with kick stands, a safe and sealable urine
collection/safekeeping device.

Be sure to test all of the advice you've been given here against your
own logic and the credibility of the advice giver. Even non-pilots can
offer reasonable and practical advice, but that's probably not where to
place your bet.




On Jan 24, 10:14 pm, "Tony" wrote:
I had another thing worth sharing. In the hot summer time, I suggest
you get a couple of pint or half liter water bottles, fill them to
about 80%, then freeze them. Use them as your drinking water when
aloft. The thaw rate is often a nice moderator on how fast they'll
empty, they'll be cold for hours.

For golf I do that with Gater Aid or other sports drinks in liter
bottles -- walking hilly courses in hot weather is thirsty work. The
Army tells its members if they are doing hard work in the summer, that
if they are not ****ing they are not drinking enough. Thirst is NOT a
good measure of need in those circumstances.

On Jan 24, 10:03 pm, "Tony" wrote:



TF, take no coffee or other diuretics for three hours before take off.
Drink water sparingly, but if thirsty aloft, drink some water.

You and your wife do not have wait until a flight to see if your
bladder endurance is what you want it to be. Go shopping and to a
movie, and call the start of the trip the ETD. From ETD minus 3 hours,
drink only water sparingly. Void before leaving to go shopping -- "I
don't have to go" is not an acceptable excuse.

Then go do your thing, have sips -- SIPS!!!!! -- of water from time to
time, and pay attention to how you both are feeling. See if you can get
to ETD plus 4 hours (it may take a time or two before you can do that.
This is an especially good practice because you'll be aware of what
you're trying to do, and it will make you more aware of your needs for
relief.

Try it a few times. Keep this in mind: you probably both go for many
hours when you're asleep. If, however, one or the other of you is
getting up every two or three hours at night, you'll just have to plan
shorter flight legs.

If these 'low and slow' flights work, do the same pre flight routine
for the real thing, void at the FBO before take off, and be confident
your personal tanks will not be full before the airplane's are getting
close to minimal reserves.

Good luck.

Oh, one other thing: don't try to be a hero. If the need is there, tell
ATC you want to land and do a personal weight and balance adjustment.
Too full a bladder IS a hazard to safe flight.

On Jan 24, 8:15 pm, "TF" wrote:

I've mastered fuel management now the hardest part. How to manage mine and
my wife's bathroom breaks. Our trips are typically 3 to 3.5 hours but our
blatters don't always make it thus forci6ng a stop. Thats a big 30 min
addition to the trip. On my last filight I filed two flight plans and then
called ATC to open the next flight plan when we felt we could make it all
the way without the stop. Seemed to work.

Any suggestions on preflight preparations that have worked for others ? No
coffee before the flight ? No liquids xxx hours before leaving etc. etc.
Sort of like preparing for an operations.

Thanks.
Holding it in- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text -

The tips about not driniking at least one hour before departure
do work. One thing not mentioned is get a faster airplane. :^)

Kontiki,

One thing not mentioned is get a faster airplane. :^)


Actually, one with a toilet would make most sense.

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com wrote

As you know, the Road to Hell is paved with good intentions. The wind hit
the
bag and it exploded before he could drop it. The back seat got a pretty
good
spray along with the side of the aircraft and (I assume) my friend. He
didn't
give me a lot of details but suggested I not try it myself.

Me? I pee out by the tail of the airplane right before I get in if I'm
out in
the sticks... in the FBO if I'm not. But I've never had a problem holding
it
all day long if necessary.

There are some pretty funny stories from sailplane pilots about this sort of
thing since soaring flights can easily exceed 5 hours or more. Not only is
it easy to exceed one's storage capacity, but getting rid of the cargo can
be difficult in the confines of a sailplane where you are usually "wearing"
the aircraft and are also semi-reclined.

One of my favorites was from a guy who used zip-lock baggies to urinate
into, which is not uncommon. He is one of the few who routinely used to
dispose of the bag in flight by way of the window vent. Well, one time he
threw the bag out and it hit the leading edge of the wing and exploded.
That wouldn't necessarily be all that bad except that this particular
sailplane had a nice naca type air inlet on the bottom surface of the wing
for the fresh air vent, which was routed so that it blew air on the pilot
from an outlet at the top of the panel. So, as he threw the bag out the
vent and it exploded against the leading edge of the wing he immediately got
a face full of his own urine. Nasty!

BDS

BDS wrote:
One of my favorites was from a guy who used zip-lock baggies to urinate
into, which is not uncommon. He is one of the few who routinely used to
dispose of the bag in flight by way of the window vent. Well, one time he
threw the bag out and it hit the leading edge of the wing and exploded.
That wouldn't necessarily be all that bad except that this particular
sailplane had a nice naca type air inlet on the bottom surface of the wing
for the fresh air vent, which was routed so that it blew air on the pilot
from an outlet at the top of the panel. So, as he threw the bag out the
vent and it exploded against the leading edge of the wing he immediately got
a face full of his own urine. Nasty!



I expect he was ****ed.



--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
mschnerdatcarolina.rr.com