Kids and flying

[Tailspin]

My Three year old has been begging me to take her with, but i am very worried about her diconnecting the safety belt - FAWG Pilot you commented

A local pilot made a very special strap that basically enhances the standard seat belt, but ensures that the child has no way of climbing out the seat even if they tried to and the strap is valcro fastenend to itself behind the seat

- who is this pilot can i get hold of him/her ??

The wife is not too happy about the idea though ??

[FAWGie]

My Three year old has been begging me to take her with, but i am very worried about her diconnecting the safety belt - FAWG Pilot you commented

A local pilot made a very special strap that basically enhances the standard seat belt, but ensures that the child has no way of climbing out the seat even if they tried to and the strap is valcro fastenend to itself behind the seat

- who is this pilot can i get hold of him/her ??

The wife is not too happy about the idea though ??

Tailspin, I've sent you a PM with the details....

[Tailspin]

Cool

[grosvenor]

Our 3 3/4 year old (as he says) little boy is a very enthusiastic co-pilot - started flying in Dad's Bushbaby as soon as he could sit - before it was covered or had instruments or doors etc.


When he was little he used to sit on my lap in the Bushbaby with a seatbelt extension like the airlines use - adds on the existing seatbelt. Used to put doofies (sp) (little yellow jobs) in his ears.

Now he loves flying alone with Dave, but knows never to touch any "controls" (unless Dad says so). Would never think of undoing his seatbelt. Depends on the age but at almost 4, you can lay down the rules and they do understand. Now he likes interesting manoevres the most - steep turns and a few Gs are great! Once he was flying alone with Dave, the only problem proved to be that my headsets were too big for him and we added a little padding at the top so that he didn't sit with head immobile for the majority of the flight. New headsets and a bigger head have eliminated this problem. The Bushbaby also has a removable stick for nervous passengers, non-pilots and children!



Now, for seat height, we put part of his car seat (the booster seats that split in half) into the EuroStar and then the normal seatbelt on tightest setting holds him tight.


We have never forced him to go flying and Dave will only take him when it is nice calm weather.

[Tailspin]

I have just to get MOM to make that all powerful nodd and we will be on our way

[Porra]

My daughter is 12,and flys with me all the time. Could say shes my co-pilot My son is 4 and I just started taking him up with me on short flips. Always asking to "go far daddy". He fell assleep on my trike a few weeks ago on a short flip from Klip to Circus and back go figure

[RV4ker (RIP)]

My Three year old has been begging me to take her with, but i am very worried about her diconnecting the safety belt - FAWG Pilot you commented

A local pilot made a very special strap that basically enhances the standard seat belt, but ensures that the child has no way of climbing out the seat even if they tried to and the strap is valcro fastenend to itself behind the seat

- who is this pilot can i get hold of him/her ??

The wife is not too happy about the idea though ??

Tailspin, I've sent you a PM with the details....

FAWGie

Me tooo please...
Ta

[Fairy Flycatcher]

The weather is actually really cr@p today. A Kudu came for a visit, and all the drop-zone and microlight kids loved the fact that the pilot didn't give them too hard a time when they wanted to inspect :D . Soon it turned into a lot of fun, with the kids playing "skydiving". They would count "one thousand, two thousand", and jump! :D One kid started issuing skydive "tickets" to the others. And another kept shouting "arch" every time a kid jumped :D :D

[Bennie Vorster]

Excellent topic

But Fairy Flycatcher

They are not all yours are they

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Fairy Flycatcher

They are not all yours are they

Wind polination down at coast is a problem

[Bennie Vorster]

Didn't see all of them around last time I visited Lamercy and it wasn't that long ago.

[slysi]

Great topic. If I ever get around to flying I am not so sure if I would take my boys up. I have three boys and I am sure that they would love it and think it is really cool to have a Dad that is a pilot. When I went for my introductory flight in a trike the first thought that crossed my mind was that my kids would easily open the seat belt . Perhaps in a three-axis I would think slightly differently (i.e. a BB). I guess this is also influencing my thinking process as I will most probably train for my MPL on a three-axis.......EVENTUALLY .

Lastly I know that you can't allow your mind to be filled with negative thoughts while flying but I would always think what if........after all they are my kids and my responsibility.

Good debate though. I wish I had the opportunity to fly when I was a kid.

[RV4ker (RIP)]

Same thoughts regarding falling out. I have seen sme use a car booster seat with a 5 way velco strap system which has a safety pin. It just takes kids longer to release, but in emergency can be released in 1 motion.

Fawgie has contact details...

[Tumbleweed]

My kid's ( 2 boys 10 and 12) attitude transformation between me training to licence was remarkable.

No hassles to get up at 05h30. Both are extremely comfortable flying, to the point where during during a pristine calm flight, felt very slight 'movement', only to find Jason 'flying - raised arms, angling like Spiderman'. The 'wows' and 'cool' are infectious.

They can't wait for the first flour bomb oppertunity and have already debated the advantage of more effective 'water bombs'.

I had complete safety belts fitted, normal waist plus double shoulder straps to keep them secure in the seat, but this gets uncomfortable with them forced into the chair and the 'heavy' helmet bumping against the back pylon.

'Official camaraman' status is now imposed.

I find them dressed and strapped in before the trike is out the hangar. 'Come on dad what's taking so long'.

Now, I have to convert their mindset from paying passenger to crew, and more involved in some pre- flight and hangar cleaning.

The best function they find an empty hangar for is some 'in door cricket'.

Mention washing out the hangar turns into one serious water fight, normally with me on the loosing end, but would'nt change it for anything.