Flying With Children/Childrens Headsets

[Con_G]

So today I took my wife and two girls (3yo & 9 months) flying which was a first for all of them. Just went to the Sydney training area for a bit of sight seeing (decided against a circuit because I didn't want everyone's first flight to consist of being told to stop talking). Its my wife who is the nervous flyer but somehow forgot all that and absolutely loved it when she was sitting in the right seat. The 9 month old fell asleep soon after takeoff so Im going to call that a win. The 3yo however while all excited before hand, got really scared about 5 mins in which meant we had to turn back. Now a bit of history with her, since born she has been around planes, from helping me fix and coming out to "help" me fly my RC planes and helis, to watching me on a number of occasions landing after a trip or flight test, at which time I would show her around the plane and let her sit in it and explaining what everything does and walking around the hanger and looking at other planes. She has been on numerous commercial flights which she loves and we often fight over who gets the window seat. Every time I'd ask her if she'd like to come flying with me she'd almost wet herself with excitement, and a few times out of the blue has asked me when am I going to take her up into the sky in "my" plane.

Today she wasn't in a booster seat (the 9 month old was) and had the schools borrowed DC's which while worked didn't fit to great, she loved the intercom though.

So after talking to my wife the plan is, a) A reward for being so brave today. b) bribes to get her to go again c) print some photos of today that she can take to pre-school and ask the teachers there to talk it up d) A pretty pink headset with ANR for both of them e) her own booster seat.

So what else can you suggest that might help get her used to flying? And also what kids headset have people had good experiences with (preferably available in pink)?

[avcraft]

My kids are about the same age and fly quite often, the youngest goes to sleep almost immediately and we just use a soft woolen beanie over her ears. I tried kids headsets but found they were just too uncomfortable and ended in tears so now my 3yo has a set of Bose X and loves them. We always use their car seats in the 172 as well. An ipad with cartoons helps fight boredom after a couple hours. And a lollipop for the descent

[UnderneathTheRadar]

Hi Con

Congratulations - it's a real buzz taking the kids up - my 3yo is convinced that everytime I'm not home and a plane flys over it must be daddy flying it.

The 3yo wears a pair of Bose (non-aviation) noise cancelling (with a u-fly-mike attachment) so she can also watch the ipad if she wants. The 18m wears a set of kids earmuffs we found somewhere online (and they are pink - I'll see if I can find the website for you). The other thing to do is to reduce the RPM as low as possible (yes - operate 'oversquare' :-o ) - makes a massive difference in the cabin noise level if they won't keep the headsets on. In a presurised cabin at the lowest practical RPM then it's not really necessary to keep the headsets on.

Picking up on what Avcraft said - the one thing that is a must for me is that they travel in their carseats and that the carseats are properly fixed (hope this is what you meant when you said the 9mo was in a booster seat?). Whilst the crashworthyness isn't the same as the car we arrived in, I don't want any risk of them being able to a) get out of their seat or b) being propelled around the cabin due to turbulence. It also helps get them high enough to see out the windows properly.

Good luck

UTR.

[Old Akro]

Dick Smith & others have a good range of kids headsets & earphones thanks to iPods. I'd be inclined to suggest that connected to an iPod rather than the intercom. Kids have the knack of being raucous at just the wrong time.

[hiwaytohell]

Car seat & iPad! Personally I think trying to use headsets/intercom for a 3 year old, 5 year old is a waste of effort.

But iPad games/videos with the iPad earphones works a treat. Their own car seat makes them feel safe.

In my case took quite a few flights with mummy holding his hand.

... and yes the Chuppa Chup for descent!

[Con_G]

Yes the 9mo was in the car seat which the 3yo normally uses in the car, which was strapped in using the planes seat belt as it would in the car.

Just to clarify is every one saying not to use an aviation headset but to have a normal headset hooked up to favorite movie/gaming device and not plugged into intercom?

I found the 9mo would keep pulling her headset off until the avionics were on and she could hear all the chit chat, and I found it easier to talk to (telling her we're turning back straight away for eg) and calm the 3yo when she was "in the loop". I was thinking of a set of these (http://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/4324) which can be hooked up too the iPod.

I'm flying a C182 which is a bit hard to kill so I will give lowest possible RPM a go next time.

[avcraft]

We use the intercom and our 3yo loves to hear what's going on and I enjoy talking to him. Never been a problem for us so far and if they get a bit rowdy you could always isolate them. I want them included as much as possible. The ipad only comes out after a couple hours or if he's tired and grumpy. The lollipop is reserved for descent, never before! Used ANR headsets are cheap, the bose x are nice and light and fit little ears well. We did about 20 hours over xmas with no complaints from the kids, 2 1/2 hours seems about the limit for them though..

[hiwaytohell]

Just to clarify is every one saying not to use an aviation headset but to have a normal headset hooked up to favorite movie/gaming device and not plugged into intercom?

It will depend upon your kids. My 5 year old is a total boy into anything mechanical, but hates flying! Hates the headsets / intercom! Hates the front seat!... but iPad (Angry Birds, Super Mario, Cars video etc) and the iPad earphones he is good for up to 3 hours... but I have friends whose kids just loved everything flying!

It will depend on what works for you!

[Grogmonster]

I have a set of almost unused David Clark junior headsets used once by my son who doesnt have any interest in aviation. PM me if you are interested.

Groggy