Bathroom Breaks

U you
R are
I in
N
A a
T tee-tee ( or tinkle)
E emergency
 
steamee said:
Argh: I meant to post this on "flight following". Maybe a moderator can move this for me!

So far I've not flown a long enough cross country where I couldn't wait to do my thing when I landed. I was wondering how people generally manage this?
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Depends.






















:D
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
I bought this device:

http://www.powderpuffpilot.com/products/gear/gogirl.aspx

But now I realize since it is in my flight bag I will need a container. Duh. Haven't found a container yet. Doubt I'll ever need this but wanted a fully stocked flight bag......


Kimberly
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5 gallon bucket with a drawstring bag and clumping litter inside with a toilet seat on top. In a Cessna it's great because you can slide the right seat all the way back and have a control throne while you go.
 
seems like this is degrading towards one of my alert points "how's this gonna read in the accident report?" :D
 
Henning said:
5 gallon bucket with a drawstring bag and clumping litter inside with a toilet seat on top. In a Cessna it's great because you can slide the right seat all the way back and have a control throne while you go.
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Remind me never to get a "glamourous flying job". Sheesh.
 
At KGLE or KLUD (I forget which), there's a semi-circular berm around the run-up area, and it's sort of secluded. It's sort of like peeing on the runway, only not.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Well, it is VERY small (haven't opened the sealed box it comes in). Smaller than a cell phone. Just thought it would be good to have with me. If you are asking how I would stand up, I don't think that I would need to (scoot seat back all the way when plane is flying itself / trimmed well and then - well - you get the idea).

Think of it more as a way to aim.

Argh, nevermind - hard to explain if you are not a girl - ! Though, I have never tried it and it might be horrible.


Kimberly
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I'm married to one. Let's just say "try it before you need it." Make sure it's the right design for you and that you know how to utilize it effectively.

We've done flight legs upwards of 5 hours. We do NOT limit fluid intake before launching. We do not want to suffer some of the (possibly fatal) effects of dehydration. If we need to make an unexpected deviation for "biological needs", then so be it. I've used the porta-john before at airports that closed before I landed. Not a big deal, especially for the males of our species. On the ground, it's not a big deal for the females either. They may just have a little more trouble while seated. Heck, I know from personal conversation that a wide-mouthed bottle works just fine for them at altitude too, even for the flight instructors. Just don't toss the lid when you're done drinking it! :)

Heck, we're all human (well, most of us, anyways) and understand that we have biological needs. It really isn't that big a deal! :no: Just avert the eyes to provide a modicum of privacy. They should be outside the cockpit anyway!
 
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Think of it more as a way to aim.

Argh, nevermind - hard to explain if you are not a girl - ! Though,


Kimberly
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You could practice writing your name in the dirt or snow.

What you are describing is better suited at not having to squat over a filthy toilet. Rather than in cockpit use. But if you can make it work, more power to ya.

One bit of advice. Practice with it before you find yourself having to use it under duress in flight.
 
EdFred said:
Or pull the mixture before you quit rolling - which I often do when I don't have someone directing me.
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On an uncontrolled field with no traffic in the pattern, I'll make my last radio call "clear of the active" and just pull the mixture as I'm crossing the hold short line while rolling to the ramp. I push/pull the plane into position if I have to. Saves fuel that way! :rofl: :D
 
I bought one of those emergency pee bags when I as still a student pilot and there was a fully stocked Pilot Shop on the field (bad combination).

"Your total today is three hundred and twenty five dollars and sixty two cents..."

:eek:

Anyway, I carried that thing around for years. Now that my "flight bag" consists of a headset bag with a single pocket, the number of "necessary" accoutrements has dropped to a pen, an E6B, and a Wal-mart cheapo headlamp.
 
MSPAviator said:
On an uncontrolled field with no traffic in the pattern, I'll make my last radio call "clear of the active" and just pull the mixture as I'm crossing the hold short line while rolling to the ramp. I push/pull the plane into position if I have to. Saves fuel that way! :rofl: :D
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You'll have a bit of pushing to do at some places! Especially if you miss the first turn off at 9D9 landing on 30. :D
 
+1 on the suggestions to not limit your fluid intake to the extent that you could dehydrate. I've put her down early a number of times. Used a bottle a couple of times. But was dehydrated while in flight only once. That will never happen again and as silly as it seems I immediately added a small bottle of h20 as a staple to my flight bag. Especially during the summer it can get hot in the plane and you can dehydrate a lot faster than you'd think.
 
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As a female, I would say that it's not impossible to use a jar. You just need enough room and if you don't have an autopilot (or another pilot) you need to maneuver carefully while pushing the seat back. After all, we are required to pee in a (small) cup at the doctor's office too....
 
Henning said:
One thing about making a biological crash stop, especially for your passengers, always swing the plane around so the tail faces the FBO. You always want the line of travel to be the opposite direction of the prop. You can't believe how fast an unathletic person who needs to pee can be out that door and running, and that prop is invisible. It wouldn't be a first time experience. It happens every year or two, sometimes more...

If you have a DA 20, you need to be very careful...
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Doors don't open on my airplanes until the prop stops turning, when sheeple are on board. Prop stops on Diamonds regardless of who's on board, and I MIGHT let a fellow pilot or CFI depart a Cessna/Piper/Mooney with the prop running, but only if there was a really good reason to keep the engine turning.
 
kimberlyanne546 said:
Well, it is VERY small (haven't opened the sealed box it comes in). Smaller than a cell phone. Just thought it would be good to have with me. If you are asking how I would stand up, I don't think that I would need to (scoot seat back all the way when plane is flying itself / trimmed well and then - well - you get the idea).

Think of it more as a way to aim.

Argh, nevermind - hard to explain if you are not a girl - ! Though, I have never tried it and it might be horrible.


Kimberly
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It's a good idea to test these devices in a chair in the privacy/comfort of home before trying them in the airplane.
 
TMetzinger said:
Doors don't open on my airplanes until the prop stops turning, when sheeple are on board. Prop stops on Diamonds regardless of who's on board, and I MIGHT let a fellow pilot or CFI depart a Cessna/Piper/Mooney with the prop running, but only if there was a really good reason to keep the engine turning.
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Pilot's have been known to walk into spinning propellers too, you'd think we would know better:rolleyes:

And having repaired turttle deck cracks, good call on the diamonds
 
How out of shape are some of you that you can't go a couple hours without drinking. I've gone 36 hours w/o food or drink, with zero issues. Sure I might be a bit tired, but you are not going to die of severe dehydration by not drinking anything for 8-12 hours.
 
EdFred said:
How out of shape are some of you that you can't go a couple hours without drinking. I've gone 36 hours w/o food or drink, with zero issues. Sure I might be a bit tired, but you are not going to die of severe dehydration by not drinking anything for 8-12 hours.
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+1 on this
 
Skylane81E said:
Pilot's have been known to walk into spinning propellers too, you'd think we would know better:rolleyes:

And having repaired turttle deck cracks, good call on the diamonds
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My level of guilt would be much less if a pilot walked into a prop versus a passenger.

Heck, depending on the pilot, it might even be a cause for glee!
 
MSPAviator said:
On an uncontrolled field with no traffic in the pattern, I'll make my last radio call "clear of the active" and just pull the mixture as I'm crossing the hold short line while rolling to the ramp. I push/pull the plane into position if I have to. Saves fuel that way! :rofl: :D
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What's an "active"? :popcorn:
 
Funny story,

I have those portable urinals in my flight bag, the ones with the gel in them that absorbs the pee. My wife and i were flying to vegas (bout a 3 hr flight), and i had loaded up on coffee and water, mistake 1. I pull out one of the travel johns, let loose in it. Went to zip up, and wasn't quite done. i guess the angle i was at on the 172 seat gave me a false empty bladder indication. My wife still laughs about the time i peed on myself while flying.
 
xaminmo said:
At KGLE or KLUD (I forget which), there's a semi-circular berm around the run-up area, and it's sort of secluded. It's sort of like peeing on the runway, only not.
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Gotta be Decatur (KLUD). I don't recall that feature at Gainesville (KGLE).

Next time you're out there doing that, remember, put your back to the aircraft! :lol:
 
Everskyward said:
As a female, I would say that it's not impossible to use a jar. You just need enough room and if you don't have an autopilot (or another pilot) you need to maneuver carefully while pushing the seat back. After all, we are required to pee in a (small) cup at the doctor's office too....
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Don't really have room in my flight bag for a jar, but my current plan (still) is to use the "go girl" I bought to help me aim, plus perhaps a ziplock bag, didn't know about the solids that absorb liquid and turn it into a gel thing.

Again, I hope to never have to do this and right now I don't even have the ziplocks in my flight bag so this is sort of a "hypothetical" idea.

And yeah, in a 152, alone, it would be difficult. Perhaps I could at least land somewhere and then do it in the runup area and take off again. It would look bad in an accident report if I did it at altitude and it caused me to lose control of the aircraft.

Kimberly
 
EdFred said:
How out of shape are some of you that you can't go a couple hours without drinking. I've gone 36 hours w/o food or drink, with zero issues. Sure I might be a bit tired, but you are not going to die of severe dehydration by not drinking anything for 8-12 hours.
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The one time I was dehydrated it left me sick to my stomach and gave me a headache that lasted a couple of days. fwiw, I'm in fairly good shape and was in even better shape back then.

On a hot day when the sun is cooking you it can happen.
 
Gerhardt said:
The one time I was dehydrated it left me sick to my stomach and gave me a headache that lasted a couple of days. fwiw, I'm in fairly good shape and was in even better shape back then.

On a hot day when the sun is cooking you it can happen.
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Sure, if you're out in the sun and sweating your ass off. Been there too. But, I've never had that be an issue at altitude, and I've flown when surface temps have been above 120º.
 
EdFred said:
How out of shape are some of you that you can't go a couple hours without drinking. I've gone 36 hours w/o food or drink, with zero issues. Sure I might be a bit tired, but you are not going to die of severe dehydration by not drinking anything for 8-12 hours.
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Sorry- depending on the environment you are in and what you are doing, you can get yourself very sick or dead.

working in an AC office is one thing. Working outside on a nice warm 100° F day and even a very fit person can put themself into a world of hurt in a short time if they don't have regular drinks.
 
Cap'n Jack said:
Sorry- depending on the environment you are in and what you are doing, you can get yourself very sick or dead.

working in an AC office is one thing. Working outside on a nice warm 100° F day and even a very fit person can put themself into a world of hurt in a short time if they don't have regular drinks.
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But is flying in a small airplane for 3 to 4 hours more like working in an office or working outside on a hot day?
 
Jim Logajan said:
But is flying in a small airplane for 3 to 4 hours more like working in an office or working outside on a hot day?
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Depends on conditions. Start your flight at 95 degrees and 80% humidity, and you might lose a quart of water in sweat between climbing into the torture chamber cockpit and taking off. Get up to altitude where it's cool, and the dry air will continue to desiccate you as you breathe.

I'd say that's more like working outside than sitting in the a/c.
 
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Jim Logajan said:
But is flying in a small airplane for 3 to 4 hours more like working in an office or working outside on a hot day?
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It really depends on the day. In Nebraska the temperature swings -40°C and 40°C. It also depends what you drink. Also, supppose your last drink was 3-4 hours before that? Sugary soda drinks don't really help your thirst after a time IME.

As a desert dweller (look at his avatar :) ) Ed ought to know about this, or perhaps Jawas don't need much water.
 
Jim_R said:
Depends on conditions. Start your flight at 95 degrees and 80% humidity, and you might lose a quart of water in sweat between climbing into the torture chamber cockpit and taking off. Get up to altitude where it's cool, and the dry air will continue to desiccate you as you breathe.

I'd say that's more like working outside than sitting in the a/c.
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Meh. Carson City via Death Valley to Lake Havasu. It was over 100º when I departed, and was 115º and 122º at each stop. Water intake: Less than a pint. I was absolutely fine.
 
EdFred said:
Sure, if you're out in the sun and sweating your ass off. Been there too. But, I've never had that be an issue at altitude, and I've flown when surface temps have been above 120º.
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I used to fly 13 hr days at that temp and "altitude" meant 200'.
 
EdFred said:
Meh. Carson City via Death Valley to Lake Havasu. It was over 100º when I departed, and was 115º and 122º at each stop. Water intake: Less than a pint. I was absolutely fine.
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Every mental patient always claims they are "absolutely fine"....:rofl:;)
 
Henning said:
Every mental patient always claims they are "absolutely fine"....:rofl:;)
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I've done the 12 hour softball tournament day and wound up hurting big time because I didn't rehydrate. It is not even in the same league as the GA trip flights we are talking about. I know when I need to start putting water away, that day from Carson City to Lake Havasu was not one of them.
 
Thing is "limmit" and "eliminate" aren't the same thing when it comes to water intake.
 
I've landed on unlit grass strips at night, molten lava, etc...
 
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