How long of a flight can your spouse handle.

dans2992

dans2992

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Dans2992
OK, so I have flown with my wife quite a bit.

We've gone non-stop SFO area to PHX area, non-stop PHX to Cabo, and did PHX to Houston in one day with one stop in Midland (we had 5 people in the Comanche that day, probably six hours with headwinds).

She drew the line on flying PHX to Chicago area in one day (estimating 2, 3.5 hour legs). She says it's too long to sit in the back with our 4-year old - we must break it up into more than one day. (then complains that she doesn't want to spend 2 days in the plane).

Now, when I bring up that she will fly with our 4-year old on a 747 for 13 hours, she says "well that's different, we can get up, walk around, and go to the bathroom".

She won't go for a porta-potty setup in the back of the plane.. ;) I think it would work (and it works for our daughter), but no dice. I have my "toilet solution (the bag with gelling material)" which she thinks is nasty. To me, it's better (and far more efficient) than stopping.

Anyhow, I guess this is typical spouse response? How do you all deal with this? I guess one solution is to go "cabin class", but that isn't in the budget, unfortunately.... ;)
 
My wife will endure two 3-4 hour legs in one day. Beyond that I hear about!
 
I have a spouse who likes flying a lot and hasn't ever limited our legs. We've flown WA-WI in a day (~9 hours in the air) and I don't like to fly a whole lot longer than that. We've done both coasts and down to the Bahamas via GA.
 
A couple of hours in severe clear,with a party or event at the end of the flight. Not necessarily a bad thing.
 
I need to get a spouse before I start getting picky about how much she'll fly with me.
 
Mine starts whining after an hr. Then again, she whines and complains about anything.
 
My Bride will do a four hour leg if she sleeps, if not, three hour legs. Longest trip Wilmington,Delaware to Gulf Shores Alabama.
 
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I think mine will be better after our 4 year old gets a bit older.
 
Did 6.5 hours from Vilanculos to Pemba (both in Mozambique). That was enough for both of us.
 
That depends on if she gets to go right before take off or if she does the preflight, either way 3-4 hours.
 
We've done Minneapolis to Cape Cod on two stops; Minneapolis to Orlando on one stop; Minneapolis to San Antonio on one. So she can do the 4-5 hours legs, but much prefers 3+.
 
He can go longer than I can. He can do the range of the airplane (88 gallons usable) if I would let him. I'm the problem... I limit to about 4-5 hour legs with 8-9 hours max in a day. Ideally I like a 4.5 hour leg with maybe a 3 hour second leg.
 
Is the problem your wife or the wife AND KID? Sounds like the kid to me. We sold our plane after 1 kid, now with 3 kids... she wouldn't have the stamina to do what we did before. Previously, 10 hours, multiple legs, with 1 kid was easy. Now we would need a potty, ability to get up, etc..
 
jmp470 said:
Is the problem your wife or the wife AND KID? Sounds like the kid to me. We sold our plane after 1 kid, now with 3 kids... she wouldn't have the stamina to do what we did before. Previously, 10 hours, multiple legs, with 1 kid was easy. Now we would need a potty, ability to get up, etc..
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So your wife wants a King Air. Go for it! ;)
 
jmp470 said:
Is the problem your wife or the wife AND KID? Sounds like the kid to me. We sold our plane after 1 kid, now with 3 kids... she wouldn't have the stamina to do what we did before. Previously, 10 hours, multiple legs, with 1 kid was easy. Now we would need a potty, ability to get up, etc..
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I think it's a bit of both.. The proposed trip was to see _my_ family whereas the 13-hour airline flight was to see _her_ family, so that might have something to do with it. ;)
 
4 hour legs with the baby. She's a trooper though. She'd probably hang with me for full aircraft endurance (5-5:45 depending on fuel burn selected) if the kiddo wasn't on board. Frankly, in the condition my seat cushion is in these days, that's about all I can handle too. I think more comfortable seats are in order. I'm at annual right now so right on time.
 
4 corner regional to Logan Ut. one jump. 4.5 in a 170. actually that day started at 0430 in San Angleo Tx and ended at Logan at 1830.

Wall S.D. to Pocatello ID. 8 hours in the Fairchild in one day..

she's a trooper
 
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What's the half life of a Xanax? Lol.
 
Mine is a good sleeper, I rarely make it through 1000' AGL before she's bedding down for a good long nap. She'll usually wake up as I pull the power back on final. She's good with 3 hour legs as long as she can get out and stretch her legs a bit while I'm fueling, we've done a few 6-hour runs with a stop in the middle.
 
Mine has done a couple of 2 hour flights and a nearly 3 hour flight, but that was only because her parents were on the other end....otherwise I can't get her near a plane.

In fact, here's an example of how sad it is: a couple months ago she gave me the go-ahead to take the rental to Sun N Fun by myself. We haven't had a vacation since our 4 year old son was born, so I offered we could take the plane down, spend a day and a half at SnF then spend 3 or 4 days at Disney. She priced plane tickets and saw that it would be cheaper to fly commercial so she made the decision we would fly commercial instead. Lo and behold, she waited too long to purchase tickets, now the tickets cost as much as the rental would have cost AND the dept/arrival times are not conducive to comfortable travel. So now we're making the 9 hour drive. Did I mention we're no longer going to SnF? "We're going to have a local airshow and one's enough." I think it's time to trade this one in. :-/
 
Mine went WV to WY, sightseeing enroute, 3 days each way. Lots of fun. Call it 1320 nm one way. Our friends in the other [slower] plane would fly longer than 3 hour legs, so we stopped and waited a lot. The longest leg on that trip was Rapid City KRAP--Cody KCOD.

Since then, headwinds turned the 2 hour trip to her parents into a 4.4 hour flight home. I was nervous about gas, ran the right tank as close to empty as I dared, then a little more [watching the clock and counting on my fingers]. Landed with 12 gals left, the Golden Hour plus another half.

Above the clouds or in smooth IMC, she sleeps. In bouncy IMC, she'll chat lightly; if it gets rough and I need to concentrate on what I'm doing, she knows enough to not bother me. On the ground, she's afraid of thunder and lightning; in IMC, when you can't tell how far away the lightning is, she's quiet and less jumpy.

Guess I have a keeper!!
 
Banjo33 said:
Mine has done a couple of 2 hour flights and a nearly 3 hour flight, but that was only because her parents were on the other end....otherwise I can't get her near a plane.

In fact, here's an example of how sad it is: a couple months ago she gave me the go-ahead to take the rental to Sun N Fun by myself. We haven't had a vacation since our 4 year old son was born, so I offered we could take the plane down, spend a day and a half at SnF then spend 3 or 4 days at Disney. She priced plane tickets and saw that it would be cheaper to fly commercial so she made the decision we would fly commercial instead. Lo and behold, she waited too long to purchase tickets, now the tickets cost as much as the rental would have cost AND the dept/arrival times are not conducive to comfortable travel. So now we're making the 9 hour drive. Did I mention we're no longer going to SnF? "We're going to have a local airshow and one's enough." I think it's time to trade this one in. :-/
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I concur :D
 
airguy said:
Mine is a good sleeper, I rarely make it through 1000' AGL before she's bedding down for a good long nap. She'll usually wake up as I pull the power back on final. She's good with 3 hour legs as long as she can get out and stretch her legs a bit while I'm fueling, we've done a few 6-hour runs with a stop in the middle.
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Sounds exactly like my wife. She likes to say 2hrs one up one down. Meaning one leg of 2 hours with one takeoff and one landing. However since she usually sleeps it can be much longer.
 
about 60 seconds ... she made 3 attempts to get comfortable - ok, actually "not terrified" ... and all 3 ended with "around the pattern and land". We've agreed that I fly without her.

She's a white knuckle commercial flyer and can tolerate the big tubes, but that's it.
 
My wife finally would go with me after about 20 years of not wanting to. But did tolerate a few short flights with me. Then we flew to IL. from OR. We got to Custer, SD. and it was about 1:30 PM and that was it for the day. Another day like that and we were in Bloomington, IL. our destination. She did fine.
 
airguy said:
Mine is a good sleeper, I rarely make it through 1000' AGL before she's bedding down for a good long nap. She'll usually wake up as I pull the power back on final. She's good with 3 hour legs as long as she can get out and stretch her legs a bit while I'm fueling, we've done a few 6-hour runs with a stop in the middle.
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Ditto. She and my daughter fall asleep at 1K. Wakes up on downwind and asks how long we've been flying. The boy & I get to set the legs. A pair of 4 hour legs is our general limit.
 
My wife is pretty good at this. After spending $300 for clothng for her for the trip on the morning of the flight she says: "I don't feel very well honey, I think I got the flu. Soorry. But it is OK with me if you go to Oshkosh by yourself or with a friend. Don't worry I'll be fine. Have a good trip"

She only flies with me when we are visiting her relatives and carry about 200 pounds of gifts and stuff for them that would be impossible to carry on an airline.

Pretty smart girl.

José
 
My wife has a better bladder than me, I'm good for 2 to maybe 3 hours and I need a potty break, or a Gatorade bottle. She'll go 4 hours without a bathroom break, but she's not fond of over 6 hour flying days, even with a stop.:rolleyes: Of course I'm not much on flying over 6-7 hours in a day either. :D
We used to one stop it from Atlanta to Vegas, it was a pretty long day depending on winds, two 3+ hour legs. But going to Vegas seemed to make the trip easier.:D
 
One hour without Dr. Laura on the XM radio, 2.5 if Dr. Laura is on.
 
The longest flight I can remember with my wife was 3 hours on the Hobbs. No complaints from her. Now, it was in the Arrow and my knees were shot. Don't know what it is about that airplane, but 2.5 to 3 hours and it's all I can do to crawl out of it after landing. She has a sectional in her lap and knows exactly where we are. GPS couldn't do better. Of course, we're assuming conditions where she can see the grounds. Now, I've looked over and she looked like she was asleep a few times. Tells me that I'm not scaring her. :D Then she'll wake up, deny she had been asleep and put her finger on the Sectional where she thinks we are. Dead on, too. Now, if she would just learn to fly, I could sleep. :D:D
 
The only thing stopping us from non stop WA to MN is the size of the fuel tank. I make sure we have plenty of snacks and water. Neither of us have a problem with the on board Little John/Lady J potty facilities. hahaha Just have to make sure I don't drink too much coffee right before we leave. The after effects of that would definitely require a stop somewhere.

I think the longest we've managed so far in the Stinson is 4 1/2 hours.
 
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