When Nature Calls??
 

I am new to flying and I have been wondering one thing, but tooo embarrassed to ask pilots in person. What do you do when nature calls when at you are at 10,000 feet in a Cessna 172? Especially when that bean burrito is not sitting well (I will not name restaurants :). I have not had this happen yet, but want to know what the pros do. Oh and I already know the pucker factor and praying, so any other situations (mishaps). Don't be shy.

Newbie pilot

The more logistically awkward call of nature could be a problem - but I didn't even know a 172 could get to 10,000ft without a JATO pack, so that's news to me.

I suggest holding it :}

10,000 was just a rough estimate. I have not been much higher than 5,000, but man or woman can only hold it for so long.

Now that I think about it, what COULD you do?

I've never had to use the restroom that badly in-flight, but what if, you know?

I guess if you couldn't land, use the sick-bag and old sectional charts, and pray you don't have the runs.:ouch:

Good planning is part of the being a good pilot! Hence, one would hope that you do not eat stuff that would cause such probs ;)

I hope that never happens to me though.. It would really suck

If it's only a number one, try these glider pilots' solutions:

http://soaring.aerobatics.ws/ART/pee.html

I'm sure there are better methods now (see previous post), but a tampon in a plastic bottle used to be used quite often ... as for the other, cross your legs but not the controls :E

SS

There is only one way to fly trips longer than one could drive in the same length of time: carry something you can wee into.

The red plastic bottle carried by the usual pilot shops is good, and it also has a "gurl adaptor" available which also works although the lady might wish to climb into the back seat (not for privacy as much as that she needs to be more vertical when using it).

Personally I carry a few empty Tropicana plastic juice bottles. They have very good screw tops and never leak, even when you part-fill them at FL160 and then descend, with the pressure change crunching the bottle. One just chucks them in the nearest skip. They can be used while sitting down; it's even just possible to do the radio.

.... and of course there's always that wonderful NRST button on your GPS :E

call of nature
 

tcr 1016...

i had a friend ..used to do long flights in an aztec. he used a rubber hot water bottle...and then on those cold nights..put it under his feet to warm them..!!..afterburner of a different kind...!!:D

for the other...no cure...just do'nt eat the wrong food before a long flight...but if u gotta go ...u gotta go and if you have passengers you'll all have to share the experience...!!:}

confabulous....

not unusual for a C172 to be over 10,000....the ceiling is much higher but you have to watch out for signs of oxygen narcosis.i had one with the new diesel engine at FL140 for 40 minutes on a 170 mile trip recently. i had 600/700 ft/min for most of the climb but then there is a turbocharger in that kit. got a bad headache and had come back to FL100...but they will go there without JATO..:ok: ...best to have a friend so you can watch each other...but i am not suggesting you should fly above 10,000 as a regular thing without oxygen..

burn jet A1...!!!:D

dean.

Essential part of pre-flight checks - go for a jimmy. Once you actually get up & flying, then you just don't want to seem to go.

However, once you've landed - then the urge can come on a bit strong :uhoh:

My 172 spends most of it's life well above 10,000 I generally fly everywhere around FL140-FL150 allthough it will go (and has) to FL170 without problem.

I get the best fuel economy and TAS up there and it gets me above most of the weather.

I have O2 of course.

I have one of those portable "John" things with the gel in it but have never needed to use it. The aircraft range is 6hrs at those levels but my attention span is not that long so I tend to go in 4hr legs. I am still young enough to be able to hold my bladder and bowl for that long!

And there is no such thing as Oxygen Narcosis, Nitrogen Narcosis which is a result of increased PN2 not reduced. You mean Hypoxia.....

Forget that, I'd be more worried about some 20st Harry with a collection bag asking for toilet paper in a 152.......

Divert....simple as that. There is no way my wife would use a portable thingy. Do it early though, I was once over the SW USA deserts en-route to Laughlin and was busting. I could see Laughlin in the distance but it was still a good 100miles away and there was no where else to land (we considered a road:O ). It was close, but we just made it to parking.

I heard about this chap who was in such a rush to get down for a pee, he busted airspace and then landed without permission. After he checked in on the subsequent telephone number he was given they let him off due to the unusual circumstances :)

Got one to FL95 without any trouble. Could see pretty well the whole of East Anglia - navigvation was just point and shoot.

I had 1.5 left out of a 4.5 trip and one of the pax had to go, therefore I diverted to my alternate, still had to announce to the world why, quite embarrassing as the ATC did not speak great English and another aircraft translated for me.. I wanted to scream, "It’s not me it's the pax":O

Better than having to clean the aircraft though.

EI

That's why there is absolutely no point in not carrying something to pee into. Really really simple.

Poo is something else.... I would make it very clear to passengers that they have to be sorted before we depart. In general, short of having eaten something dreadful shortly before, or having just had a barium enema done, this isn't a problem :)

Remember the seven P's and you should not find yourself in that situation often enough that you should need to worry.
Having said that, I tend to carry some Imodium with me during longish trips[*] and a regular plastic bag should take care of any unmitigable Type-B urges if a diversion is not feasible. Will take a bit of manouevering in a small cockpit, and you will need to live with the smell until you can dispose of it properly (tossing it out of the window does not qualify as proper disposal) but I don't see why it can't be done.
So there you go. Happy flights.
[*] In principle only to prevent reocurrence, but it can be used preemptively as well, four tables before you go and you won't have to worry for a good 24hrs. Not recommended though.

"...Lavatories are located at either end of the flight..."

if one does not know how to control their personal pre flight checks, one could simply take a few tablets of imodiam lol


regards

Hamid