Ok. The million dollar question: have you ever had to pee in a container?

On a trip to new Orleans a couple years ago my buddy was drinking a few cold beers and decided he needed to go, I told him about the relief tube and when he got back to the cockpit he decided he was in love!! :D:D
 
Most every flight in the glider, but then my average flight time is 4 hours and I usually drink about 2 quarts of water or more.
But not really a bottle, but have used a gallon ziplock before.

Chief Aircraft, relief tube horn
AC_8018-1.jpg
 
DrewG: You'll find if you fly lots of long flights that things get boring, you've already called in a PIREP to FSS, taken pictures of whatever is in the area. scanned gauges for the millionth time ... what else is there to do? EXPERIMENT. I found when solo or with a PAX, if you put the seats back as far as they go and store everything possible as far aft as you can (within CG limits of course), the rearward weight transfer allows you to pick up a couple/few knots of speed (tail not having to pick up the nose as much).

This is the best thing to do on long trips. I've found similar - aft CG is worth several knots.
 
On a trip to new Orleans a couple years ago my buddy was drinking a few cold beers and decided he needed to go, I told him about the relief tube and when he got back to the cockpit he decided he was in love!! :D:D

Thanks, now you made me spit out my drink....lol!!
 
At the school I rent at, there is a pic of some noob with a relief tube shaped like an athletic cup, or vaguely like an O2 mask.

you can see where this is going.


Picture is of said noob with the relief tube on face like O2 mask.

the moral is, don't put random "mask like things" from a cockpit on your face unless you know which way the flow is supposed to go.
 
In gliders some pilots use a gallon ziploc bag with a diaper inside.
 
Nope. There's airports everywhere.

I watered the grass at Goodland, KS a couple of nights ago at midnight.
 
Reading the PA46 manual, they call for completely washing the underside of the aircraft after every use of the relief tube.

Is that really necessary to avoid corrosion?
 
1qt Gatorade bottles. Plenty of "mouth" and volume.

Pilots best friend.

+1....or 12. I couldn't count the number of times I've taken advantage of this option. Beats wasting time and fuel on a landing.
 
Reading the PA46 manual, they call for completely washing the underside of the aircraft after every use of the relief tube.

Is that really necessary to avoid corrosion?

Depends.

Pee is very corrosive. Thats why the floor under a urinal is always discolored. Well that and apparently most guys cant pee straight. I would wash the plane after use, unless I got some precip in IMC to do it for me.
 
Yes, I've used straight zip lock bags, zip lock bags with absorbent pads (way better than just the bag), and male external catheters to a leg bag or pee tube. when you are in a glider for 5 plus hours it really is important to hydrate, and to be able to pee. takes some getting used to, but it can be done pretty easily.

I would post a pic, but ewww. Instead here is David Sedaris talking about the external catheter.

 
Almost every flight. I have two or three empty Gatorade bottles in the seat back all the time.
 
There's an old story about a guy who put long range tanks on his Supercub and for relief he rigged up a plastic funnel with a Tygon tube. Well, story is that the first time he tried to use it it drew a three inch arc and he darn near crashed so don't underestimate the power of static electricity when designing your system.
 
Almost every flight. I have two or three empty Gatorade bottles in the seat back all the time.

Ewwww...heh.

My son had to go because he refused to use the restroom before we left. Halfway there he finished drinking his bottle of water and said he really had to go. I handed it back to him and said, there you go..use that.
 
There's an old story about a guy who put long range tanks on his Supercub and for relief he rigged up a plastic funnel with a Tygon tube. Well, story is that the first time he tried to use it it drew a three inch arc and he darn near crashed so don't underestimate the power of static electricity when designing your system.


You owe me a new keyboard...
 
What do you do if the Gatorade bottle is full of Gatorade? Is it better to drink it empty then use the bottle? Or drink maybe half of it then refill it as it were?

Hmm. Probably drink as much as I can then refill it. This one was fortunately empty.
 
There's an old story about a guy who put long range tanks on his Supercub and for relief he rigged up a plastic funnel with a Tygon tube. Well, story is that the first time he tried to use it it drew a three inch arc and he darn near crashed so don't underestimate the power of static electricity when designing your system.

That is one place I care not to get shocked.

I had an old CFI that banned bottle tea while flying. One day, I asked why and he told me he once grabbed the wrong "tea" bottle while on a x/c.
 
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