Involving the kids

asechrest

asechrest

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asechrest
Assuming all goes well with my checkride, I should be a pilot within the next two months.

My girlfriend has two children, ages 9 (girl) and 6 (boy). They've each been for one ride with my instructor and I. Once I'm certificated, I'd like to take trips with the four of us.

My question is, what are some ways you've engaged kids in the process of flying?

List compiled with the help of the POA community:

  • Have them help plan the flight on the sectional
  • Play a game: for each aircraft they can point out in the air before you see them, they get $1
  • Get each of them a youth headset they can call their own
  • Get them a monogrammed headset/fight bag
  • I Spy game with objects on the ground
  • Let them be the official photographer for the flight
  • Let them fly the plane as age permits
  • Involve them in the pre-flight (double check their work!)
  • Get them some aviation apparel, possibly personalized with the airplane they fly or a caricature
  • A tour of a control tower
  • Aviation museum
  • Have them call your speeds on takeoff: "50,,,,60,,,,65 - rotate, positive climb, best rate is xx."
  • In-flight movie
  • Buy or create a Passenger's Log Book and log each leg of their flights
  • Tune the radios (and talk, if old enough)
 
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I'd go with #3 and #1. And I'd do #2 but leave the money out of it. Make it about the fun and being a help. :)

I Spy games looking down at the ground can be fun, too. I've had kids do that for an hour or more when flying with me before. Whole new world of I Spy.
 
I purchased a headset and bag for each of my two girls and my wife had them each monogrammed. They got a kick out of them and liked having something new and their own. They are older, 13 and 15 so they fight over who gets to be co-pilot. I am a new pilot so we have yet to do a long cross country yet with the whole family so we'll see how that goes. I did get headsets with an audio connection so they can listen to their own music.
 
My son just turned 8 and is just about old enough to understand the sectional. I've let him fly a 172 aloft, but he's not really comfy with it yet. He loves to suck the gear up in the 177RG and takes photos of everything, including the instrument panel.

He also likes to preflight, but of course I have to double check everything (no turns around a tiedown).

I'm trying to figure out what else he can do.
 
Aviation apparel...maybe something with a plane on it similar to what they've flown in. Get the aviation art guy on here to make a caricature from a photo of the kids to really personalize it.

Also, a tower tour may be fun. A couple hours in aviation museum?
 
I updated the list with each of your suggestions. Depending on how long this forum lets me edit my original post, I'll keep updating the list with each idea and we can have a resource for pilots with kids.
 
If they can see the airspeed, have them 'call my speeds' on take off cause I'm watching the runway.

"50,,,,60,,,,65 - rotate, positive climb, best rate is xx."
 
Show them where to find the answer to, "How much longer?"

The crew isolate switch on my audio panel is very handy.

My 10 yr old son is becoming interested in the airspeeds and why/how things work. He is starting to be a big help and safer around aircraft. My wife and daughter just enjoy the destinations. Knitting, Ipod or napping is there thing.

Play the sterile cockpit rule 5 miles out unless traffic is spotted.
 
copied from the red board from when my kids were 5 & 7:

I was out in the garage working on my homebuilt project this evening when my kids came out to do a little flying.

First they planned their flight, in crayon on an L-chart they taped to the wall. As you can see the expected routing was somewhat convoluted. It included waypoints such as disney world, a pasture with horses, and grandma's house. My 5-year old then briefed the flight as seen in the picture.

After the briefing they did a pre-flight which included some criticism of my craftsmanship. Then they climbed on board and took off. Judging by the sound effects, my starduster is powered by twin turbofans.

My wife thinks we are all nuts.
 

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RV10flyer said:
Show them where to find the answer to, "How much longer?"

The crew isolate switch on my audio panel is very handy.

My 10 yr old son is becoming interested in the airspeeds and why/how things work. He is starting to be a big help and safer around aircraft. My wife and daughter just enjoy the destinations. Knitting, Ipod or napping is there thing.

Play the sterile cockpit rule 5 miles out unless traffic is spotted.
Click to expand...


I hear your son is just happy to not crease his head again on your RV!!!
 
there was another time the kids were about that same age that we were on the way home from florida. We we dodging a lot of air mass storms and I was looking for a place in a developing line to pick our way through. There was a tap on my shoulder and the girls handed me this.

They said: "here, you might need this. The round part is the world and the red parts show where the tornados are. It's like that (pointing to the strikefinder) except in color"
 

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JHW said:
there was another time the kids were about that same age that we were on the way home from florida. We we dodging a lot of air mass storms and I was looking for a place in a developing line to pick our way through. There was a tap on my shoulder and the girls handed me this.

They said: "here, you might need this. The round part is the world and the red parts show where the tornados are. It's like that (pointing to the strikefinder) except in color"
Click to expand...

Classic. I would keep that forever..:yes:

LDJones said:
Aviation apparel...maybe something with a plane on it similar to what they've flown in. Get the aviation art guy on here to make a caricature from a photo of the kids to really personalize it.

Also, a tower tour may be fun. A couple hours in aviation museum?
Click to expand...

Good one.. Little Girls love jewelry. Mine 8yo has a airplane necklace and some small post earnings.

docmirror said:
If they can see the airspeed, have them 'call my speeds' on take off cause I'm watching the runway.

"50,,,,60,,,,65 - rotate, positive climb, best rate is xx."
Click to expand...

My 13yo would like that job.. Good idea..

What about letting them bring a cousin or friend for a ride?

On long trips an inflight movie and gum to help them pop there ears are a must. I think you are on the right track involving your new flight crew.
 
Buy or create a Passenger's Log Book and log each leg of their flights.
 
btw that 9 year doesn't need mickey mouse jobs, she is ready to learn the real thing. Here's ours just turned 10 in Feb. She can follow a course, tune and listen to asos and describe the wind in relation to the runway, and talk through a center handoff if it's nothing unusual. I added a PTT switch on the right side so she can start learning the radio work.
 

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I have a similar picture of my youngest taking it seriously. She's too short to reach the rudder pedals but she is getting better with everything else.

 
Love the pics showing them in action!

I updated the OP with the newest additions, and to give credit to the community for compiling the list.

If you have more ideas, let me know.
 
By all means let them take the controls at altitude and "fly" the plane!
 
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