Taking daughter flying 1st time

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superdad

Pre-takeoff checklist
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superdad
Now that I have my medical back I booked the plane with a CFI to get my BFR finished. So I decided to take my 10 year old daughter with me.

Anyone have any tips to make this first flight enjoyable? I think I will bring a puke bag in case she gets sick. It's going to be 60 and clam winds this afternoon.

I all ready did stalls, turn around a point and half a dozen landings. I am thinking slow flight would be fun.
 
Do NOT do anything but take her for a SHORT smooth, shallow turns sightseeing flight.
Go and do some of that pilot sheet to impress her and likely she will refuse to ever set foot in the plane again.
Listen to your elders!
 
Oh I totally agree, I would NEVER do anything to scare her on her first flight. I am waiting for a call back from the CFI to see what exactly he wants to do so he can sign off on the BFR. If he wants to review some crazy power on/off stalls and such my daughter wont be coming with and I will take her next week when we can go slow and sight see.
 
Does your kid like roller coasters? Is your daughter a rough and tumble adventurous girl, or a reserved cautious girl?

If she is anything but a crash and burn hellion, I would not make her first ride in a GA plane your rusty pilot FR. There is a good chance that you will review stalls, steep turns, and do other not so gentle, and if you are rusty, uncoordinated maneuvers all right back to back. Also remember she will be in the back seat where any U coordination effects are multiplied.

This makes for a very poor introductory experience to GA for anybody with reservations about it. The law of primacy affects passengers as well. Her first flight should be all about her. Put her in the right seat (left if you are comfortable doing so), jack that sucker all the way up, and spend at least the first 15-20 minutes flying it like you were flying an airliner. At that point you can judge her reaction to flying. If she still has trepidation, keep it airliner all the way to parking. If she is seeming more adventurous, then you can start adding in some maneuvers. Before you do that, it's important that you first establish that base sense of, "Ok, I feel safe" in her.
 
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superdad said:
Oh I totally agree, I would NEVER do anything to scare her on her first flight. I am waiting for a call back from the CFI to see what exactly he wants to do so he can sign off on the BFR. If he wants to review some crazy power on/off stalls and such my daughter wont be coming with and I will take her next week when we can go slow and sight see.
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Yeah, that's just it, you will do these things on a FR. If you are are good to stick and are physically current, just your FR ran out, then you should be able to perform all the required stuff smooth as glass. However, if you are getting a FR after significant time of not flying and you are rusty as hell, I suggest you go do a hard core FR then take your daughter up after you knocked off the rust.
 
After I got my ppl, first thing wanted to take my 8yo daughter flying. Everyone so excited...took off, over the departure end, I look over at her, she is fighting to stay awake. She didn't wake back up until we were taxing back to ramp, one hour later. She told everyone how much fun she had...which part, I wanted to ask...great take-off cause that is all she could remember.
 
Henning said:
Does your kid like roller coasters? Is your daughter a rough and tumble adventurous girl, or a reserved cautious girl?

If she is anything but a crash and burn hellion, I would not make her first ride in a GA plane your rusty pilot FR. There is a good chance that you will review stalls, steep turns, and do other not so gentle, and if you are rusty, uncoordinated maneuvers all right back to back. Also remember she will be in the back seat where any U coordination effects are multiplied.

This makes for a very poor introductory experience to GA for anybody with reservations about it. The law of primacy affects passengers as well. Her first flight should be all about her. Put her in the right seat (left if you are comfortable doing so), jack that sucker all the way up, nod spend at least the first 15-20 minutes flying it like you were flying an airliner. At that point you can judge her reaction to flying. If she still has trepidation, keep it airliner all the way to parking. If she is seeming more adventurous, then you can start adding in some maneuvers. Before you do that, it's important that you first establish that base sense of, "Ok, I feel safe" in her.
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I TOTALY agree!! She is an adventurous girl but she has never been on a roller coaster but in the convert car she always saying FASTER FASTER!! LOL

I think I will wait on taking her up when it is just her and I. That way she can "take" the controls and get the feeling that "shes" flying the plane. And her and I can do some sight seeing and maybe do a quick 100 hamburger hop
 
charris911 said:
After I got my ppl, first thing wanted to take my 8yo daughter flying. Everyone so excited...took off, over the departure end, I look over at her, she is fighting to stay awake. She didn't wake back up until we were taxing back to ramp, one hour later. She told everyone how much fun she had...which part, I wanted to ask...great take-off cause that is all she could remember.
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Take it as a blessing, sleeping beats the hell out of "Are we there yet?":lol:
 
Take her for a flight over her school or some other place she's familiar with. Schools are real easy to spot from the air, due to athletic fields.

Listen to her about what she wants. She's 10 and can tell you.

My son always wants to do stalls and canyon turns. My niece wants airline flights.
 
I am rusty, the last time I flew was 3 months ago but stopped because I wasn't sure I would get my med back. Before that first flight it has been a few years.
 
Brief her on what to expect. My granddaughter was asking for her first plane ride and then freaked from the noise of going to full power for take off. I think that, if it hadn't have been a surprise she would have been OK.

We landed immediately and I just let it ride until she was begging for a plane ride again. The next time, she was totally thrilled. I've always wished that I had a tape of her comments on that flight.
 
I took my then-14 y.o. son with to the airport to begin my flight review after a 20 yr layoff. I warned him that he would not be going on the flight because we would be doing airwork. But the instructor said bring him along. We did that twice, but no stalls. After the 2nd flight, the instructor said ok, we need to do some stalls, but I'd rather not have anyone in the back seat for those, so leave the kid at home next time, which I did.

If you do take her, make sure you have an extra headset and the plane has an intercom. Watch when and what she eats prior.
 
If your taking a CFI with you it may or be a great experience for your daughter. After you get fully checked out then take her for a simple smooth ride. Ask her what she would like to see or do on the flight. The 100 dollar Hamburg works good for me.
 
superdad said:
I am rusty, the last time I flew was 3 months ago but stopped because I wasn't sure I would get my med back. Before that first flight it has been a few years.
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Do the FR, then take her flying, unless of course she's game for that stuff, then have fun. Just don't let a bad first experience taint what could be a fun future.
 
Van Johnston said:
I took my then-14 y.o. son with to the airport to begin my flight review after a 20 yr layoff. I warned him that he would not be going on the flight because we would be doing airwork. But the instructor said bring him along. We did that twice, but no stalls. After the 2nd flight, the instructor said ok, we need to do some stalls, but I'd rather not have anyone in the back seat for those, so leave the kid at home next time, which I did.

If you do take her, make sure you have an extra headset and the plane has an intercom. Watch when and what she eats prior.
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Think bananas.
 
I agree with those who tell you to leave your daughter on the ground until after the flight review. I made the mistake of putting my son in the back seat during an instructional flight and he has stayed away from small planes ever since that experience.

Bob Gardner
 
I would have her wait in the FBO while your out doing the maneuvers with the CFI. After your checked out and ready to fly as PIC, then I would take her. I would just do a sightseeing flight, especially if its just her first flight, nothing crazy.
 
bobmrg said:
I agree with those who tell you to leave your daughter on the ground until after the flight review. I made the mistake of putting my son in the back seat during an instructional flight and he has stayed away from small planes ever since that experience.

Bob Gardner
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It really isn't a pleasant experience. You have to remember you are further from the pitch and yaw fulcrums, so any motion on those axis is amplified.
 
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superdad said:
Now that I have my medical back I booked the plane with a CFI to get my BFR finished. So I decided to take my 10 year old daughter with me.

Anyone have any tips to make this first flight enjoyable? I think I will bring a puke bag in case she gets sick. It's going to be 60 and clam winds this afternoon.

I all ready did stalls, turn around a point and half a dozen landings. I am thinking slow flight would be fun.
Click to expand...

Don't tell her about the barf bags, just plants the seed.

"Hey, this compartment right here, feel free to put anything in here you like, don't worry about breaking anything in there, it's just a couple pens some barf bags and some paper"

Aside from that have fun.

When I took my fiancé up the first time we did stalls and a few wing overs. Just depends on the person.

I'd leave her at HOME and not mention the flight review, to a outsider it'll look like you're getting a flying lesson, I mean why else would someone go up with a "instructor". Just get your BFR done, then bring her down to the airport.
 
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Gentle turns, no abrupt power changes, and be very smooth. Enjoy the flight!
 
Graueradler said:
Brief her on what to expect. My granddaughter was asking for her first plane ride and then freaked from the noise of going to full power for take off. I think that, if it hadn't have been a surprise she would have been OK.
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I always warn first time px during runup and before takeoff to expect that noise. And I always advance the throttle a bit slower for them. Anything to ease the tension. It does help.
 
I took my sixteen year old daughter for her first flight on my first flight with a passenger. I am so glad I did because it was the most fun I have had since I first started flying. I record the vast majority of my flights and I am so glad I got this one. We had a blast and it was a very enjoyable trip for both of us and I will remember it for a long time.
http://youtu.be/WDMHsfTrefg

Eric
 
What if I fart? :rofl: Looks like you had a great flight. That's the plane I rent out of LZU too.
 
SuperDad,
I'm sure it depends on the kid, my 8 year old daughter would prefer to be upside down I think, and probably a bit underwhelmed by smooth 'airline' style flying. She has fun taking pictures though, have her bring a camera to keep her busy.
 
My daughter liked to do "Bucket of cheese."
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translaton, negative "Gs"
 
wilzup said:
I took my sixteen year old daughter for her first flight on my first flight with a passenger. I am so glad I did because it was the most fun I have had since I first started flying. I record the vast majority of my flights and I am so glad I got this one. We had a blast and it was a very enjoyable trip for both of us and I will remember it for a long time.
http://youtu.be/WDMHsfTrefg

Eric
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Cool video, thanks!
I liked it when she said, here's our house, stop! :wink2:
 
wilzup said:
I took my sixteen year old daughter for her first flight on my first flight with a passenger. I am so glad I did because it was the most fun I have had since I first started flying. I record the vast majority of my flights and I am so glad I got this one. We had a blast and it was a very enjoyable trip for both of us and I will remember it for a long time.
http://youtu.be/WDMHsfTrefg

Eric
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I agree with her. Cones :rofl:
 
wilzup said:
I took my sixteen year old daughter for her first flight on my first flight with a passenger. I am so glad I did because it was the most fun I have had since I first started flying. I record the vast majority of my flights and I am so glad I got this one. We had a blast and it was a very enjoyable trip for both of us and I will remember it for a long time.
http://youtu.be/WDMHsfTrefg

Eric
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I like how that ended. It reminds me of the end of nearly every "first ride" experience:
Passenger: "That was a bad landing?"
Pilot: "No, that was a good landing!"
 
ollopa said:
I like how that ended. It reminds me of the end of nearly every "first ride" experience:
Passenger: "That was a bad landing?"
Pilot: "No, that was a good landing!"
Click to expand...

My very first time taking my then-6-year old kid, we took a cross country to Salinas in a 172, made a thumpy landing in moderate gusty winds.

And he goes and tells everyone around that "Daddy made a hard landing."

So, I had to explain what a hard landing really meant.
 
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