Potty option for longer flights?

mulligan

mulligan

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Birmingham, AL
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Mulligan
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I prefer staying hydrated so on my 2.5+ flights I usually have to go potty. I currently have this

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But am thinking of switching to this because cleaning the prior is gross.

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Any better options besides holding it? I know most of you would ride a horse home from a vasectomy but for those of you who are willing to share experience and preference I look forward to seeing where this goes!!
 
Don't drink too many fluids before a long flight. We will do 3+ hour legs/trips. We've done 4 hours a couple of times, but that's just a long time to sit in a small plane. If we need to we'll stop, but whomever is asking had better not have to "go now". From 9,000' AGL it takes time just to descend.
 
Empty Gatorade bottles are my preference. Relief tubes are even nicer, but those tend to be permanently installed. The 414 has one, it's a nice luxury.
 
wayne said:
Don't drink too many fluids before a long flight. We will do 3+ hour legs/trips. We've done 4 hours a couple of times, but that's just a long time to sit in a small plane. If we need to we'll stop, but whomever is asking had better not have to "go now". From 9,000' AGL it takes time just to descend.
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You'd be surprised how fast you can drop altitude, remember doing some 2500+ FPM in a 206
 
James331 said:
You'd be surprised how fast you can drop altitude, remember doing some 2500+ FPM in a 206
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I try to avoid that much rapid pressure change on our ears.

Fortunately our kids have always been good travelers, cars or planes. I do make a point of making sure Angel Flight passengers know how long the flight is and that there's no bathroom on the plane, especially those with little kids. Flying somewhat faster planes I often do two Angel Flight missions in one flight. That's much faster for them than two flights, but does mean a longer time up away from a bathroom.

I guess I've been lucky so far.
 
Glider pilots who often go on long (10+ hrs) cross country flights (or on duration goals) while cramped in a tiny cockpit, have all kinds of innovative solutions. The one recommended to me the most, which I have recently also experimented with in power flying is the "double ziplock bag" method. You get 2 big ziplock bags (ideally 2+ gallon size) and insert one inside the other. The idea is that the inner bag is the actual container, while the outer one is for safety. To add another layer of safety (and reduce grossness), you can put something absorbent inside the inner bag, like crumpled up paper towels or an inside-out baby diaper. As extra precaution, you should line the zippers on opposite sides, so one motion can't open both.
This is a very low-cost and fairly comfortable solution for males.
My understanding is that female cross country glider pilots all use adult diapers.
 
wayne said:
I do make a point of making sure Angel Flight passengers know how long the flight is and that there's no bathroom on the plane, especially those with little kids. Flying somewhat faster planes I often do two Angel Flight missions in one flight. That's much faster for them than two flights, but does mean a longer time up away from a bathroom.

I guess I've been lucky so far.
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Regarding Angel Flights, that's a separate issue. Although I agree that combining legs can save a lot of time overall, my concern is that even if the pax assure me in advance that "it will be fine", they may feel otherwise once enroute. I have had at least one lady push her way past me and jump out after landing, saying, "I gotta go!", and that was on a 2.5 hr flight where I had made sure she hit the BR right before boarding. So in general on the "mission" legs I stick to the short (< 2.5 hr) ones assigned by dispatch, but keep my solo positioning legs as long as needed since enroute relief is not an issue when alone.
 
Yeah, not a good idea to take people on legs that are too long. Fortunately at 170-180 knots I can often do two legs is an acceptable amount of time. I and another guy did several flights between New Orleans and Atlanta for a girl and her mother; we both flew an SR22. It was 2-2.5 hrs depending upon wind. Those missions were set-up to stop in Alabama. In a 172 it would take almost two hours for one leg.

I'll combine them if I can get both in under 3 hours. I don't want to push it further with people not use to flying in GA planes. Plus ATC can always hit us with "I have an amendment to your route, tell me when you're ready to copy". And up goes your flight time. :(
 
I chose to buy a pack of Option #2. I had to use it on my last XC and it worked like a charm. Considering I had my girlfriend on her first XC flight with me in the right seat, it was much more preferable than a Gatorade bottle.
 
RotorDude said:
Regarding Angel Flights, that's a separate issue. Although I agree that combining legs can save a lot of time overall, my concern is that even if the pax assure me in advance that "it will be fine", they may feel otherwise once enroute. I have had at least one lady push her way past me and jump out after landing, saying, "I gotta go!", and that was on a 2.5 hr flight where I had made sure she hit the BR right before boarding. So in general on the "mission" legs I stick to the short (< 2.5 hr) ones assigned by dispatch, but keep my solo positioning legs as long as needed since enroute relief is not an issue when alone.
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That is one of the things I really like about using the Twin Beech for Angel Flights. I can combine legs into a single flight and there is a sit down potty onboard to make it easier for the pax.
 
For those who are thinking it, NOT regular soda bottles. Ok, you can make do in a pinch, but the neck is way to skinny. Don't believe me, take one into your shower and try to pee into it. Then imagine doing that at altitude in any kind of chop.

Gatorade bottle, wrapped in duct tape. You don't want to see it and if you grab it, you want an immediate "this isn't right".
 
Large mouth detergent container,I usually drink little before long flights,and when I'm an hour out I start to hydrate.
 
There is a long thread on BeechTalk about this very item. Pilot population must be getting old to have so much chatter on this topic!
 
The Beech 18 has a relief tube for the pilot and potty plus additional relief tube in the back for the pax. I also carry the gel packs in my flight bag for when I'm flying other airplanes.
 
Best inflight potty story I heard was from a friend who flies Hornets. He was telling a story about a instructor pilot who was up in a T-34 with a Kuwaiti student. The student announced during the flight that he had to go to the bathroom. Instructor told him to use the relief tube.

After a few minutes the student says there is a problem.....the relief tube is full. And a few seconds later the odor hits him.......

Not a pleasant experience apparently.
 
When I did my 'test run' I used this....an empty salsa jar. I filled an empty one with water, closed the lid and set it upside down on the kitchen counter for a week as a test, no leaking. Large opening big enough even for my girthy tallywacker. Put the jar in a ziplock bag as well. Do not drink. Happy whizzing!

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Option #2 - it's sold in bulk on Amazon. I've used it. My 7-year old daughter has used it (in a pinch, with moms help).
 
wayne said:
I try to avoid that much rapid pressure change on our ears.

Fortunately our kids have always been good travelers, cars or planes. I do make a point of making sure Angel Flight passengers know how long the flight is and that there's no bathroom on the plane, especially those with little kids. Flying somewhat faster planes I often do two Angel Flight missions in one flight. That's much faster for them than two flights, but does mean a longer time up away from a bathroom.

I guess I've been lucky so far.
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Meh, suck it up ;)

It'll make your kids stronger, yank and bank!
 
Wing over, keeping everything slightly positive G, pitch for just shy of vne in smooth air, clean, decel turn downwind to final, cross the fence at vref, done and done
 
Fly low, find a tree, so easy even a dog can do it

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Or strap one of these under your wing, bombs optional

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Over in the desert we had 3-4" PVC pipes stuck into the sand at about a 45* angle or so, walk up, unzip, and relief! Usually four of them stuck in the ground. And then there were the crappers........
 
mscard88 said:
Over in the desert we had 3-4" PVC pipes stuck into the sand at about a 45* angle or so, walk up, unzip, and relief! Usually four of them stuck in the ground. And then there were the crappers........
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Why not just **** on the sand?
 
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