Originally Posted by
bgbazz
I've been reading this thread with much interest and have found the differing opinions to be mostly entertaining. The "reckless endangerment of an aircraft" is especially interesting.
Here's a little scenario....I regularly fly my little family of three, over to the coast for the weekend...Mrs Bazz and our 11 year old twin girls (Annie and Sarah). Wifey likes to sit in the rear area with a good book but the girls take turns in the RH seat...Annie enjoys the takeoff phase and is almost always strapped in that seat at the beginning of the 2.5 hr flight...Sarah is almost the polar opposite and wants to be upfront for the approach and landing phase. When the time comes for the swap, if conditions are smooth, Annie slides the seat back, unbuckles and they swap seats. The whole process takes about 30 seconds. I concentrate of flying as smoothly as I can, Wifey is on hand to assist either girl as needed and we have never had a problem. We have done this many times and only once have I had to tell them "No, not today", because of some light chop.
If that is reckless endangerment of my C172, then I guess I am guilty!
Done the W&B calculations?