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Flying with kids- how young is too young?



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 28th 04, 04:13 AM
Paul Folbrecht
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Default Flying with kids- how young is too young?

I have a friend who really wants me to take he & his two boys up- they
are 3 & 5. I am worried about them "freaking out"- especially the
little one. They have never flown before (commercially or otherwise).

Of course they need to be in back of the 172, which would make it
difficult for my friend to reassure them, etc.

I'm especially concerned about the younger one for the obvious reason
that 3 is pretty young. To the folks that have a lot of experience
taking up little kids- what are the rough odds that he'll be just fine
vs. having a cow? I need to decide if I should suggest that this isn't
a great idea or not. TIA.

  #2  
Old January 28th 04, 04:31 AM
Cockpit Colin
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Most kids will take their lead from their parents - if Mum and Dad are
freaking out the kids assume there is something to be afraid of - but if
Mum/Dad are having a great time you can usually 'con' them into enjoying it
at that age too.

Consider putting young child / parent in back - and 5 y/o in front right
(with seat right back of course (show them the wooden dip stick that you're
going to break over his knuckles if he touches the controls (with a
smile))) - you can guage reactions during taxi / runups etc - if in doubt,
do a single circuit with just parent / child in the back (then swap child
etc).

My experiances have been that despite all of our cautions and concerns ...

.... they simply just go to sleep!

Hope this helps!

CC

"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
nk.net...
I have a friend who really wants me to take he & his two boys up- they
are 3 & 5. I am worried about them "freaking out"- especially the
little one. They have never flown before (commercially or otherwise).

Of course they need to be in back of the 172, which would make it
difficult for my friend to reassure them, etc.

I'm especially concerned about the younger one for the obvious reason
that 3 is pretty young. To the folks that have a lot of experience
taking up little kids- what are the rough odds that he'll be just fine
vs. having a cow? I need to decide if I should suggest that this isn't
a great idea or not. TIA.



  #3  
Old January 28th 04, 08:38 PM
G.R. Patterson III
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Cockpit Colin wrote:

Most kids will take their lead from their parents - if Mum and Dad are
freaking out the kids assume there is something to be afraid of -


Or if Mom and Dad are working too hard to keep the kids from freaking out.

George Patterson
Great discoveries are not announced with "Eureka!". What's usually said is
"Hummmmm... That's interesting...."
  #4  
Old January 28th 04, 06:34 AM
A Lieberman
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Paul Folbrecht wrote:

I'm especially concerned about the younger one for the obvious reason
that 3 is pretty young. To the folks that have a lot of experience
taking up little kids- what are the rough odds that he'll be just fine
vs. having a cow? I need to decide if I should suggest that this isn't
a great idea or not. TIA.


Paul,

I have taken my niece and nephew up. We took each one seperately. Both
are just under 2 years old.

To get them familiar with the plane, on my prior visits to their maiden
flight, we let them walk around the plane, and we identified major parts
(wing, rudder, wheels, gas tanks and so on) to make a game of it.

When they were comfortable with it, we then introduced them to getting
in the plane. This was a little harder as I have a low wing, and the
slope of the wing made them unnerved getting in. We insisted they walk
in on their own, only assistance given was I would be in the plane for
them to walk to me, and my brother inlaw was behind them so they didn't
fall back. Once they were in the plane, they were absolutely great.

My brother in law is a pilot, so he flew the plane. I held them in my
lap with just the lapbelt on. We had ear protection for them as I didn't
have child size headsets.

First flight, we never left the pattern, just made a little longer
downwind to extend the flight. We only went to 1,500 feet to see if
they would be ok with ears, and no effects. Second flight, was 15
minutes. Other then taking it easy on altitude, we did standard rate
turns so that they would know that 30 degree banks are normal.

We flew just before sunset, so turbulence was not an issue.

Both were better then my sister who remained on the ground *smile*. My
nephew absolutely loved it and my niece well could take it or leave it.
Getting him out of the plane was extremely difficult! I don't know if
they understood the "significance" of what they did, but it didn't
matter, they enjoyed it.

Really, kids do not know any better, and I believe it's the adults that
will instill the fear of flying.

Needless to say, I did set a "dangerous precedent" as now everytime I
fly down to see them, they want to take a ride my sister said. And my
answer to that, was whats the problem with that? *smile*.

Allen
  #5  
Old January 28th 04, 04:35 AM
Casey Wilson
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"Paul Folbrecht" wrote in message
nk.net...
I have a friend who really wants me to take he & his two boys up- they
are 3 & 5. I am worried about them "freaking out"- especially the
little one. They have never flown before (commercially or otherwise).

Of course they need to be in back of the 172, which would make it
difficult for my friend to reassure them, etc.

I'm especially concerned about the younger one for the obvious reason
that 3 is pretty young. To the folks that have a lot of experience
taking up little kids- what are the rough odds that he'll be just fine
vs. having a cow? I need to decide if I should suggest that this isn't
a great idea or not. TIA.


I've talked to half a dozen people lately about flying with the kids.
Cherish F. has a four month old that she put in the back seat at three
weeks. Mike M. took his pregnant wife up and the baby right after it was
born. Richard M. had no problem with his boys when they were
toddlers --sometimes they were sound asleep before he could get the engine
started. Dr. Marcia M. (pediatrician) says to take it easy gaining or giving
up altitude so the kids can clear their ears. That is less than 500 FPM. She
said the kids are better at doing that than adults. She also recommended
something to suck on -- includng pacifiers and candy. Breast feeding would
be even better.
One crusty old geezer around here said it is important to tell the
newbie kids what to expect BEFORE you do it, including the takeoff noise,
pitch-up and so forth. He also suggested to NOT stick kids in the back seat
by themselves for the first couple of trips.
With that in mind it sounds like maybe a good idea to put one in the
front and then you get in the back with the other for a couple of trips, evn
short ones around the patch.
In short, it is a great idea. Paul F. got his PPASEL certificate in
1976 following in the propwash of his dad. Paul never hesitated taking his
kids flying with him. Now, five of his eight children has private pilots
certificates and they take their kids along. Well, three of them... the
other two aren't married yet.
On the other hand, I have a ten-year-old granddaughter that won't even
drive to the airport with me. But then, she won't ride a roller-coaster
either.


  #6  
Old January 28th 04, 05:57 PM
EDR
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In article , Casey Wilson
wrote:

She also recommended something to suck on -- includng pacifiers
and candy. Breast feeding would be even better.


Yes, but then I wouldn't be able to see where I was going! :-))
  #7  
Old January 28th 04, 07:06 PM
EDR
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The best advice I was given when my children were young, was to wait
until they were old enough to understand and follow directions.

Okay... we all know how difficult it is to get kids to do both at the
same time, but one or the other will suffice.

Both my kids had their first rides when they were between 2 and 3 years
of age. My son got his ride in a booster seat of a Champ. He wore a
DC10-13Y headset (and actually kept it on!) plugged into the portable
intercom.

My daughter got her ride in the backseat of a Beech Sundowner while
transporting my wife to be with her mother following my father in law's
death. The kids then rode home in the back seat while I flew. Each was
given a grease pencil and happily drew on the rear windows, which
occupied them during the hour and a half flight home.

After that trip, each time we drove past the airport, my daughter would
ask, "Daddy, are we going flying now?"

Now, when we go on trips, all they want to do is play their GameBoy's.
The one item that got their faces pressed up against the windows was
the flight along the Chicago lakeshore to and from Oshkosh last summer.
  #8  
Old January 28th 04, 04:48 AM
Dan Luke
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"Paul Folbrecht" wrote:
I have a friend who really wants me to take he & his two boys
up- they are 3 & 5. I am worried about them "freaking out"-
especially the little one.


The little one is the one you *don't* have to worry about freaking out -
he will probably go to sleep. What's worrisome is protecting his
hearing: little kids hate headsets. My 2 1/2-year old grandson thinks no
more of going for a flight than he does of going for a drive, but
keeping a headset on him is tough. And forget earplugs; he absolutely
will not stand for them.

Of course they need to be in back of the 172, which would
make it difficult for my friend to reassure them, etc.


The only child I've ever seen frightened was a 10-year old Angel Flight
patient I took to Atlanta last week. Normal, low altitude bumps really
scared him. I bet your 3- and 5-year olds will be fine unless they get
airsick from a bumpy ride. Keep it ultra smooth.
--
Dan
C172RG at BFM
(remove pants to reply by email)


  #9  
Old January 28th 04, 04:55 AM
R.Hubbell
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Default

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 03:13:10 GMT Paul Folbrecht wrote:

I have a friend who really wants me to take he & his two boys up- they
are 3 & 5. I am worried about them "freaking out"- especially the
little one. They have never flown before (commercially or otherwise).

Of course they need to be in back of the 172, which would make it
difficult for my friend to reassure them, etc.

I'm especially concerned about the younger one for the obvious reason
that 3 is pretty young. To the folks that have a lot of experience
taking up little kids- what are the rough odds that he'll be just fine
vs. having a cow? I need to decide if I should suggest that this isn't
a great idea or not. TIA.



As always it depends on the kids. Plan a short trip the first time to
get an idea if they like it or not. When I hear "Weeeeeee!!!" on steep
short final I take that as a sign they like it a lot! I also give out
a dollar or lollipop or candy bar to every plane spotted while we're
flying. Kids have great eyes! Especially with a sweet incentive.

I treat it like going for a ride in a car. The trickiest part is
walking the ramp with them.



R. Hubbell
  #10  
Old January 28th 04, 08:39 AM
MRQB
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if you did that ware i fly out of your kids teeth would be rotten to many
airplanes (ohh mabye sugar free would work)


"R.Hubbell" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 03:13:10 GMT Paul Folbrecht

wrote:

I have a friend who really wants me to take he & his two boys up- they
are 3 & 5. I am worried about them "freaking out"- especially the
little one. They have never flown before (commercially or otherwise).

Of course they need to be in back of the 172, which would make it
difficult for my friend to reassure them, etc.

I'm especially concerned about the younger one for the obvious reason
that 3 is pretty young. To the folks that have a lot of experience
taking up little kids- what are the rough odds that he'll be just fine
vs. having a cow? I need to decide if I should suggest that this isn't
a great idea or not. TIA.



As always it depends on the kids. Plan a short trip the first time to
get an idea if they like it or not. When I hear "Weeeeeee!!!" on steep
short final I take that as a sign they like it a lot! I also give out
a dollar or lollipop or candy bar to every plane spotted while we're
flying. Kids have great eyes! Especially with a sweet incentive.

I treat it like going for a ride in a car. The trickiest part is
walking the ramp with them.



R. Hubbell



 




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