Flying with kids in debonair

sferguson524

sferguson524

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All,

I have access to a 68 debonair, and want to take my 3 year old flying. Would I be best served to take his car seat out of my car and put it in the back of the plane, or use something like a CARES harness with a booster so he can see out the window? Also, what do you recommend for hearing protection?
 
When our daughter flew in the old Chief with my wife, we put her booster in the front. Partly to get her up higher. Partly because she was already so comfortable in it and it had side to side supports. But you the yoke can come back rather close to the booster.

For hearing protection we always used an old headset that had really soft ear cushions and didn't clamp really tight. Kids seem to really hate tight clamping headsets and will want to rip them off in about 17 minutes...like when you are taking off or landing :) They seem a bit more tolerant of them being heavy. When she was 7yrs old we bought her a kids headset. She hates it, the clamping was too tight. I put it on a soccer ball for about 3wks...still hated it. Now she wears our most stretched out DC's with the softest gel ear cushions. She tolerates the weight but its not her favorite solution. If she can tolerate earplugs, I will get her QT Halo's and she'll be happy as can be. But QT halo's are probably not ideal for younger kids given all the fidgeting to set them up.
 
We have always just used the car seats until the kids get to about 4 years old. Our 4 and 6 year old just sit on the seat now. The 2 year old is still in the car seat. The car seat we have doesn't stick way out beside the head, so the visibility is pretty good. If the head side protection part on your seat sticks out far enough where the child can't see out the window, I might suggest using something else.

For a 3 year old, a headset should work fine. When our kiddos were really little, we used soft wax or silicone ear plugs in addition to ear muffs. That way you have two layers of protection for when the headphones get tossed. We still do that with out 2 year old. Sometime around 3 years old, our kids quit ripping off the ear muffs, so we quit using the ear plugs. There were times when both the muffs and ear plugs got yanked. If you don't have a co-pilot to help put it all back together, I assure you, they kid will live and still have his/her hearing. I assume that six cylinder Deb is pretty quiet, but you may pull the throttle and prop back to a quieter setting if the hearing protection gets tossed. My ol' '62 182 is quiet enough to hear normal conversation without a headset at lower power settings. I assume the Deb is probably quieter. If that happens, just don't post a video of it here. The good peeps of POA will let you have it. Ask me how I know.

The hearing protection aspect can be frustrating with little ones. We're on kiddo #3, and it's still trying at times. Do the best you can, and if you don't have momma to help, just make sure the kid is strapped in tight, and FLY THE PLANE.
 
OkieFlyer said:
We have always just used the car seats until the kids get to about 4 years old. Our 4 and 6 year old just sit on the seat now. The 2 year old is still in the car seat. The car seat we have doesn't stick way out beside the head, so the visibility is pretty good. If the head side protection part on your seat sticks out far enough where the child can't see out the window, I might suggest using something else.

For a 3 year old, a headset should work fine. When our kiddos were really little, we used soft wax or silicone ear plugs in addition to ear muffs. That way you have two layers of protection for when the headphones get tossed. We still do that with out 2 year old. Sometime around 3 years old, our kids quit ripping off the ear muffs, so we quit using the ear plugs. There were times when both the muffs and ear plugs got yanked. If you don't have a co-pilot to help put it all back together, I assure you, they kid will live and still have his/her hearing. I assume that six cylinder Deb is pretty quiet, but you may pull the throttle and prop back to a quieter setting if the hearing protection gets tossed. My ol' '62 182 is quiet enough to hear normal conversation without a headset at lower power settings. I assume the Deb is probably quieter. If that happens, just don't post a video of it here. The good peeps of POA will let you have it. Ask me how I know.

The hearing protection aspect can be frustrating with little ones. We're on kiddo #3, and it's still trying at times. Do the best you can, and if you don't have momma to help, just make sure the kid is strapped in tight, and FLY THE PLANE.
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This is all great advice.. Mom lives in SoCal since the divorce. When I take the 3 year old for the first time, I will probably have girlfriend's 10 year old in the back with him to help out with him. Are you using a normal adult headset with the older kids?
 
sferguson524 said:
This is all great advice.. Mom lives in SoCal since the divorce. When I take the 3 year old for the first time, I will probably have girlfriend's 10 year old in the back with him to help out with him. Are you using a normal adult headset with the older kids?
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I don't have 4 place intercom, so whoever is in the back wears shooting ear muffs that I modified with ear buds inside them, so they can plug it into a tablet, or V-tech, or whatever to keep them entertained in flight. When one of them is up front, they just use my wife's headset. Seems to work fine. Just have to spend the time to get it adjusted correctly before taking off.
 
OkieFlyer said:
I don't have 4 place intercom, so whoever is in the back wears shooting ear muffs that I modified with ear buds inside them, so they can plug it into a tablet, or V-tech, or whatever to keep them entertained in flight. When one of them is up front, they just use my wife's headset. Seems to work fine. Just have to spend the time to get it adjusted correctly before taking off.
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That's a great idea.. keeps the 3 year old from talking non stop on the intercom
 
sferguson524 said:
This is all great advice.. Mom lives in SoCal since the divorce. When I take the 3 year old for the first time, I will probably have girlfriend's 10 year old in the back with him to help out with him. Are you using a normal adult headset with the older kids?
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We do. Find some old DC's. Get the nice gel ear cushions. Adjust them all the way up (for smallest head). And put one of those head cushion things on the band to make it softer and even smaller. If the kid is too chatty, just swing the mic boom up along one ear or just unplug the mic plug.

Another things kids can really get fussy about is volume. If the intercom or radio is too loud they will rip it off and complain...at the worst possible time!! Older headsets don't have adjustable volume. Meanwhile you're setting the radio and intercom volumes and have no clue it killing their sensitive ears. I always listen to them and turn the volume all the way down (you can still hear). Then I teach them how to turn it up. They quickly figure how to turn it back down. But if its on their head and too loud and they are young they will not figure it out.

As boring as it might be for the girlfriend...have her ride in back with the youngest one on the first ride while everyone figures it out.

My wife took up a friend her age (in front) and the friend's two boys (7 & 10). She said the 7yo started screaming into the mic non-stop, not fear, just loving it a bit too much!!!. I think my wife had to finally reach back and yank his mic once at cruise. Had the mom been in back she could have helped calm things down. This was at Delta and happended after rotation. She was pretty worried she'd miss a tower call but at least it was during a departure vs entry into the Delta and landing clearances, landing, etc.
 
Sinistar,

This is some fantastic advice as well. I will have to show my son how to adjust volume etc for his headset.. Might do the earmuff thing with earbuds so he can use his leappad while in flight
 
Most car seats are airline approved, as for the ears, my dog has far superior hearing to your child and does fine without any protection, I wouldn't think the child at 3 would be of much use on the comms anyways.
 
sferguson524 said:
Sinistar,

This is some fantastic advice as well. I will have to show my son how to adjust volume etc for his headset.. Might do the earmuff thing with earbuds so he can use his leappad while in flight
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It is so weird with kids an flying. Sometimes they are so into it they forget everything else. Sometimes it isn't their thing and it takes a lot to figure out what will help.

Regarding tech to keep them busy: We carry a small portable wifi point in the plane with movies...but then kids just sit with their heads down and can/will eventually get motion sickness. Plus they are often in the back, a bit lower, can't see the ground and away from the CG.

Another big issue is fresh air: If it is stale and warm they will get unhappy and motion sick faster.

Here is our list of what we do for kids flying for extended periods of time:

1.) Let them unplug the headset's audio-in to not have to listen to all the chatter. ATIS, AWOS, HIWASS and really busy freq's can really overload them and make them nervous. Then add in mom and dad talking about where to land for an emergency, etc and they can get really anxious.
2.) Have them chew gum they picked out
3.) Make them sip some water and nibble on a few simple crackers.
4.) Show them the throw-up bag (at home), ensure them its in the plane and then downplay from there.
5.) We bring the small blue pee-bags that dry up. My daughter tried one at home, laughed and said it was easy. Greatly reduced her fear of having to potty on a longer trip.
6.) Bring a cheapo handheld fan (quite small) with rechargeable battery.....they love this...wind blowing on the face!!! I use the old iPad suction cup and mount it on side window or just hold it.
7.) We gave up on longer rides up front, the panel is so high on the 182 they prefer the back and watching a movie or something.
8.) Tablets and movies are awesome......
9.) ...but make them look out the window and spot things too.
10.) Tell them to close eyes and go to sleep.
11.) If they are young, bring a little pillow or stuffed animal they use when sleeping.

Several of those things are great for all types of passengers. Heck, my first CFI used that fan on the really hot summer days. He wasn't complaining!! I think it was like $20 or maybe even less and it will go for a few hours.

Good luck! Flying as a family to a destination, especially with an overnight,is like the best thing ever :)
 
Yeah, Disneyland is like 1:15 from here at debonair speeds.. So there's that.
 
sferguson524 said:
That's a great idea.. keeps the 3 year old from talking non stop on the intercom
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My daughter discovered sidetone about 1 year ago (before that she would not wear a headset) and now she sings into the mic so she can hear herself. I use the isolate, crew, all choice on the audio panel.

It is cute as heck for my 5 year old to sing Disney songs, until I need to talk to ground/tower/ATC.
 
One place where the throw over yoke is a plus. I always worried that my sisters kids would grow the yoke in flight (especially take off).

Now the worry is a direct shot at the panel if they get sick. Hasn’t happened yet, but I think I might would rather die than have to clean that up.
 
brian] said:
One place where the throw over yoke is a plus. I always worried that my sisters kids would grow the yoke in flight (especially take off).

Now the worry is a direct shot at the panel if they get sick. Hasn’t happened yet, but I think I might would rather die than have to clean that up.
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Ugh, never thought about that.
 
sferguson524 said:
Yeah, Disneyland is like 1:15 from here at debonair speeds.. So there's that.
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If the tail doesn’t come from together....

When did you become a doctor?

PS...how did it go? I have some headset ideas I can discuss as soon as my FB ban is up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
is anybody have experience of a ANC headset that the kids can plug into their iPads or tablets?
 
Phil Benyo said:
is anybody have experience of a ANC headset that the kids can plug into their iPads or tablets?
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http://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/headset-adapter-for-all-sporty-s-radios.html?utm_source=google_shopping&m=simple&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Radios+&+Scanners&adpos=1o1&creative=149409241655&device=m&matchtype=&network=g&mrkgcl=596&mrkgadid=3149425856&rkg_id=h-c39d74960300f96272a69c12b9e68a0b_t-1517697341&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5vb7i-eK2QIVkbfACh1w8wNjEAQYASABEgKLjPD_BwE

This should do the trick with your existing ANC headsets.

8635a.jpg
 
Tampico Trauma said:
If the tail doesn’t come from together....

When did you become a doctor?

...
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The straight tail Debs didn't have the same "shedding the tail", breakup in flight issue the C+ V-tails encountered upon loss of control. They generally stayed intact until hitting the dirt.
 
ElPaso Pilot said:
http://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/headset-adapter-for-all-sporty-s-radios.html?utm_source=google_shopping&m=simple&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Radios+&+Scanners&adpos=1o1&creative=149409241655&device=m&matchtype=&network=g&mrkgcl=596&mrkgadid=3149425856&rkg_id=h-c39d74960300f96272a69c12b9e68a0b_t-1517697341&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5vb7i-eK2QIVkbfACh1w8wNjEAQYASABEgKLjPD_BwE

This should do the trick with your existing ANC headsets.

8635a.jpg
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I will save this for future. But I’m looking for a “kids” headset that has ANC for use in plane that they listen to their own stuff. But I have two sets of older DC’s that are in good shape and these cables might work without purchasing two new headsets.
 
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