Advice on taking young kids as passengers
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Advice on taking young kids as passengers
I'm hoping for some advice from anyone who has taken young kids on GA flights. My kids are 3 and 6 and haven't done any GA flying yet but are keen on the idea. My extended family do a fair bit of private flying with aero clubs and so the kids are familiar with the idea even though they've never been yet. I have a lapsed PPL and haven't really done much flying since the kids were born.
In the next few weeks I've got the opportunity to take them up for a few short flights, with a family member who flies regularly, probably in a club Warrior or similar. I'm slightly anxious about it, mainly because I'd like to make sure their first experience is positive for them and not too stressful for me.
The family member who will be flying us seems to think it will be fine to sit the 2 kids in the back on their own while I sit in the front with him. I'm not
In the next few weeks I've got the opportunity to take them up for a few short flights, with a family member who flies regularly, probably in a club Warrior or similar. I'm slightly anxious about it, mainly because I'd like to make sure their first experience is positive for them and not too stressful for me.
The family member who will be flying us seems to think it will be fine to sit the 2 kids in the back on their own while I sit in the front with him. I'm not
They'll be absolutely fine in the back and will love it. Just keep the flight short (10 minutes), smooth and simple. If they want to go again immediately, then go again. Longer flights, they'll quickly get as bored as if in the back of a car... :-)
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Check headsets fit well - if not, it's worth looking at buying child headsets. Otherwise the only things I have done flying my son from the age of 2-13 (so far) are
1. Always have another adult to deal with any issues - but I was happy having that adult in the front. Later I switched to allowing son in front, adult in back. Later still (6/7) switched to flying with just him
2. No single pilot IMC with just him until aged about 9 - after which he became a useful copilot (tuning radios etc)
3. Give them things to do - spotting other aircraft and airfields is a good start.
Crack on!
1. Always have another adult to deal with any issues - but I was happy having that adult in the front. Later I switched to allowing son in front, adult in back. Later still (6/7) switched to flying with just him
2. No single pilot IMC with just him until aged about 9 - after which he became a useful copilot (tuning radios etc)
3. Give them things to do - spotting other aircraft and airfields is a good start.
Crack on!
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Oh, and use booster seats. Nothing more boring than not being able to see! Back of a PA28 isn't brilliant - when we had a Robin DR400 the back was much more child friendly.
Join Date: Sep 2010
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We fly weekly with a 2 year old usually 30 minute flights but occasionally up to 1 hour. Never longer.
Make sure they have an alternative form of entertainment once looking out of the window gets boring. iPad videos is our method.
Keeping the headset on is the challenge, for us it works fine as long as the iPad video plays into his headset!
Make sure they have an alternative form of entertainment once looking out of the window gets boring. iPad videos is our method.
Keeping the headset on is the challenge, for us it works fine as long as the iPad video plays into his headset!
Child headsets are both much cheaper and yet still fit (most) adult heads!
But, as Carl says, they'll want to take them off pretty quickly on a long flight - so dependent on ambient noise levels this could be a problem. If replaced by in-ear headphones for music then this is probably less of an issue... I just ask mine to put the main headsets back on for the landing.
But, as Carl says, they'll want to take them off pretty quickly on a long flight - so dependent on ambient noise levels this could be a problem. If replaced by in-ear headphones for music then this is probably less of an issue... I just ask mine to put the main headsets back on for the landing.
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We've got a set of blue one side red the over kids headset from harry Mendelssohn. They have an audio jack for music on the side. Works very well, but in some older aircraft where the headphone jacks are just wired in parallel the audio bleeds through to the other headsets.
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I've taken many young kids flying. None have been related which means they were welll behaved. Most of the flights were short, i.e. less than 30 minutes but they all loved the experience. The difficult bits were making sure they can see out safely and getting ear defenders or headsets that fit. In flight, make sure they understand what they are looking at and don't worry about steep turns. It's only when they get older that irational thoughts get in the way of sound judgment. Obviously, make sure they are fed and toileted beforehand.
PM
PM
Prior to flying my granddaughter, aged 9, for the first time I suggested to her that we taxi out to the holding point, do the run-up and if it wasn't too noisy/scary we'd go flying on her "thumbs up". Never in doubt really and her response on landing, after what was by my standards a "greaser", was "that was awesome".
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As a very experienced parent and gliding instructor, with over 3,000 hours, let me ask
Are you taking a kid up to impress him? do you truly have the experience necessary or are you a newbie showing off? wrong reasons. Pay for the kid to have a flight with an instructor.
Are you going on a trip in a small aircraft? BORING, BORING, BORING, except for you, of course. And when the kid gets airsick, which he will on a long trip, you will be irritated, distracted, the wrong pilot. A whole family wiped out flying back to Ireland; happened recently. It happens a lot, actually.
A kid under seven is not going to learn much sitting in the back seat. After seven, yes, they can be intelligent and helpful, should be in the front where they can see what is going on. Make sure they are positioned safely with a safety cushion so he CAN see what is gong on!
Under seven? take them to a fairground ride instead, Daddy.
Are you taking a kid up to impress him? do you truly have the experience necessary or are you a newbie showing off? wrong reasons. Pay for the kid to have a flight with an instructor.
Are you going on a trip in a small aircraft? BORING, BORING, BORING, except for you, of course. And when the kid gets airsick, which he will on a long trip, you will be irritated, distracted, the wrong pilot. A whole family wiped out flying back to Ireland; happened recently. It happens a lot, actually.
A kid under seven is not going to learn much sitting in the back seat. After seven, yes, they can be intelligent and helpful, should be in the front where they can see what is going on. Make sure they are positioned safely with a safety cushion so he CAN see what is gong on!
Under seven? take them to a fairground ride instead, Daddy.
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I don't know with what kind of kids some of you have been flying so that they found it "boring". I have taken quite a few kids from age 3 on flying and they were all very excited. I use the same safety seat they use in the car so the size fits and they are used to it. I think it is a good idea to point out familiar or interesting things on the ground. Adult headsets were never an issue.
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I took my 4 yrs old boy recently for his first 1hr flight. He was very serious, but fell asleep after 30 minutes. Used normal DC headset. He was accompanied by his granddad at the back seats. After getting back home he rushed upstairs for his toy airplanes 
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The secret, as everyone has said, is keep it short - even literally a circuit first time. You don't want them having an association with light a/c and long flights initially.
I have to say, my kids would be in the category of finding it boring and will only get in the a/c if we're actually going somewhere for a weekend away or whatever. It was a bit of excitement for them first time - now they just fall asleep/play iPads etc.
I have to say, my kids would be in the category of finding it boring and will only get in the a/c if we're actually going somewhere for a weekend away or whatever. It was a bit of excitement for them first time - now they just fall asleep/play iPads etc.
My kids love flying, they have been doing it since they were about two years old. They are 6 and 8 now and help with the checks - spotting water in the fuel, checking the controls, help get the aircraft outside, attaching the earthing strap, all sorts really. Just explain that at certain times they need to be quiet such as when you're on the radio. We do two hour plus flights no problem. When in the front they have a go, they think they are flying and I believe my kids really enjoy their time aviating - and I'm sure your kids will too.
I've taken 'almost' hundreds of children flying since getting my wings almost 25 years ago - not yet had a single one who's been unhappy. A few fall asleep but the great majority think it's fantastic.
Because, erm, it is!
Because, erm, it is!