FOK,

Haha brilliant :ok:

How come? I've never flown in there myself but the stories I've heard certainly haven't been bad! :)

I have no problem doing this with my children - albeit they are a bit older. As parents we ARE supposed to be the ones deciding for them! Certainly wouldn't want anyone from "government" or even worse Brussels :yuk: doing this for me!

I personally don't think the risk is enormous. Very few people actually die in aeroplane crashes. With my previous track record it'll probably be a slow crash at the end of the runway.

I took my boys up when they were about 6 onwards.

I would recommend having somebody else in the plane, to deal with situations that may arise - for the first flight or two anyway. And see how it goes.

The issue I had was that my ex demanded a 2nd pilot, which made fly-away expensive (I had to pay for an extra hotel room, food, etc). It was nearly 10 years before she gave up on that. (She had no legal ability to require this, BTW, but I gather it is not an uncommon controlling ploy).

My older son lost interest by the time he was 10 (7 years ago) but the younger one (now 14) became aeroplane crazy. He flies to a mid-PPL standard now, and could certainly land if he had to.

Headsets are obviously vital. The cockpit is normally far too noisy without headsets. My bose-x ones were fine - they have soft earcups. Some of the cheapo ones I have worn in the distant past were truly crap - like having one's head in a vice and would not be good for a child.

And make sure you have some juice in the tanks ;)

And don't do anything stupid. A Seneca which lived in the same hangar as my plane got embedded in the side of a mountain, in a +TSRA, on a "VFR" flight on solid IMC. Killed 2 adults and a 7 year old. I doubt the pilot ever checked the enroute weather.

Halfbaked Boy

Unfortunately Skegness - Ingoldmells closed shortly after the fly-in (which is the reason we went). Met up with my first instructor Dave Coulson and saw one of the Austers I had flown in with my father 30 years before when they flew pleasure flights back in the 60s.

All gone now I'm afraid.

KR

FOK

Didn't scare any of them when young ... but my 19yo daughter got scared on our last flight and said she's never going to ride in a light aircraft again.

Wasn't that big a deal ... we got the engine going again, and we had plenty of time to try other things from 9,000'.

I never had any problem taking along kids and dog. As was posted before, they usually fell asleep soon (the dog always got up on finals, the kids when cutting the engine).
But beware of the noise. Childrens ears are very sensitive, so make sure their ears are well protected. Normal headsets won't do, they slip away. Use some in-the-ear noise protection. Have fun!
ctc

Number one child flew at 4 1/2 alone in the back seat of the Cub.
Number two child at 2 1/2.
Number three child at 6.

It was all driven by the children concerned, although number two was pretty exceptional. Initially I took the stick out of the back, but stopped doing that quite quickly. They understand pretty quickly that if they muck about they risk dying, along with you. I think it's good for them to have that appreciation at an early age.

My older brother had a similar experience, at a similar age. My dad was flying us somewhere, we were in weather and filed IFR, and skirted a t-storm. It didn't bother me as much, but my brother was done.

Last October I had my older boy in the back of the 2-33, and we had a rope break at 100'. Harris Hill is on a ridge, and we had the emergency field made. However, as I got down by the hang glider launch area, the ridge started working and I climbed 600', enough to land back. He thought it was great, has the busted piece of rope on his cork board.

I have a flying kids story from a different perspective too - my own childhood. On a flight in either the C172 or Debonair, I don't remember which, with me in the front and my older sister & brother in the back. My dad asked if I wanted to fly. I said sure, but I could just get my fingers to the yoke. As I was trying to get purchase, I realized it could slide back, so for proper ergonomics I pulled it back to the stop. Brother & sister screaming in the back, then after apologizing to each other for all the bad things they ever did to each other. Guess they thought they were goners. My dad hammerheaded (stall turned if you prefer) out the top and all was well. Having shown myself a child's capability to make mischief in an airplane, I am ever aware of the possibility.

-- IFMU

I oftern used to get phone calls from the local flying club asking if I could do a quick instruction flight. If it was my turn to look after the kids, no problem. Just took them with me and strapped them in the back in car seats. They loved it. Particularly the stalling exercises!

We take cubs and scouts flying and never have a problem bit older then your kids but most seem to enjoy it.

I guess its important to tell your child that if they are scared and dont like it to tell you and then you just return to the airfield although I am sure they will love it and will keep asking after when they are flying next!

TW

My son was six and suffered from unexpected air sickness. The first flight, he started screaming into his headset as I was on finals - his stomach hurt badly and he couldn't believe that his mummy wasn't even *trying* to make it better. Luckily my other half hit the mute button so that I could use the radio - it's worth bearing in mind that despite warnings, under pressure you might find the child forgets what he's been told.

Obviously we had even more long talks about what was happening and remaining silent even when sick as a dog. It's odd as he quite happily sits in the backseat and reads during long country drives, but I've learned to give him a Quells before putting him in the PA32. :ouch:

Anyone have any tips on securing a car seat into a PA28? The rear seats only have lap belts. My son is only 10 months old so he's a bit too young for just a booster seat. :)

We used to strap our daughter into a car child seat and strap that seat plus child into the aircraft using the lap strap in the back of the PA28-140. The seat was secure and stable. Ear defenders, buggy tucked behind the other seat and a picnic basket completed the ensemble.

KR

FOK

PS wife sat in front!

Ah crap! :}

Thanks to all for the productive and informative replies. Some real food for thought here, thanks again!

Ryan

Just remembered about Safe Airplane Travel for Kids - CARES Child Aviation Restraint System | Kids Fly Safe - CARES | Kids Fly Safe

CAA approved too! (wonder how much that cost them!?!)

I think this would work :ok:

Take your children flying
 

:)

I have been involved in air experience flights both in rotary and fixed wing for over 25 years with youngsters from the age of 6 up to 16 in a wide range of aircraft from a Cessna 150 to the S61N.

I have taken each of my own 3 boys flying from when they have all been under 1 year old. The risk is not in the flying but in the mind set.

They are now 12, 5 and 3.

They love it and regularly fly with me. However my wife, with 20+ years as cabin crew, cannot get her head around the whole pilot thing (yet she still wants the occasional jolly with the boys) and wonders why I want to "stall" the helicopter when coming into the hover!!!

The boys just roll around laughing at her :E

The basic premise in my opinion is: D'ont be nervous, explain what you are doing, and be aware of your own and their limitations and make the experience an enjoyable one. And as has been pointed out, young children tend to go to sleep anyway so it is the parents you need to worry about :eek:

Safe flying

AMCP