Any gouge for traveling with kids in the R44?
 

Hi all. Wondering what the collective wisdom is on getting car seats and toddler harnesses into the 44. The belts are inertial reel but don't lock when fully extended like cars and the rear seats are all the way against the bulkhead which don't allow me to get the toddler harness behind it. Who has traveled with kids and knows the best way to keep the little ones in place? Serious replies appreciated.

Thanks

I flew with both of my sons from about 3 months old in the R44. When they were babies, we put the Max-Cosi car seat in the rear (initially rearwards when they were tiny). The seat belts in an R44 won’t extend far enough to wrap around behind the seat in the strap guides. I used two solutions 1) bought seat belt extensions or 2) ran the seat belts around the hard-points on each side and under the seat. I found the second method the easiest and most secure. (photo below)


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....293c187554.jpg


When they were older, we used this seat (can't recall the brand/model), but it disassembled into two pieces and was an exact fit for the rear under-seat storage compartments, if by chance you only had the kids on one leg of a flight and wanted it out of the way.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ea3e8c81ed.jpg

So, why is the baby facing backwards?

Most infant car seats - certainly in Europe, are rearward facing as this is generally considered to be the best way to protect infants from impact.

Great! Thank you for the reply - I think the seat belt routing guidance was what we were missing.

Thought that was just for protection against airbags?

No, the reverse position of toddlers has to do with the yet underdeveloped neck muscles of the young child.

With a rearward facing infant seat in the front, obviously the airbag has be switched off.

If the (elder) child is in a forward facing child seat, it belongs in the back. Airbags, if fitted, should be left on (armed).

In Oz small children are not allowed in the front seat as the adult airbag capacity kills them. Same rule for child car seats. Some car manuals list the restriction based on height and weight.

That's why there is an airbag disarm key for the front passenger seat.
It doesn't just affect kids, small people or poor driving position can end up far too close to the bag when it deploys, causing injury.

I'm digging this kid. He is so posh and nonchalant. I predict he will achieve the same pose in the passenger compartment of his S-76 when he grows up :ok:

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....237e0f3be8.jpg

I'd be worried about hearing damage though. The helicopter is ridiculously loud at flight power. Did you protect the baby's ears?

Of course we always used ear protection or headsets.

PPRuNe needs a like button! :ok:

I carried a family around the Hunter Valley vineyards and horse studs in an S76. The kids spent all their time looking at screens. But perhaps their boredom came from having stepped off Daddy's Gulfstream, having just flown in from Ireland. Seen better things before, boooooring.......