Taking my daughter flying for the first time this weekend

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M1tchell

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M1tchell
She's 4 1/2, really wants to go with me every time I go but my wife hates flying and I want to have someone else with us for her first time. My folks will be in town this weekend so as long as the weather is good and the plane is good (us poors have to rent :() we're going to give it a go!
I'm glad that she's being introduced to it early, but at the same time I hope it's not so early that she doesn't realize how special it is.

I hope she loves it, because I really need a flying buddy!
 
good luck, we're all counting on you!
 
That is fantastic....start them early. My wife wouldnt let me take my kids until they turned 5 and honestly...that is about the age where they can pay attention and not go crazy grabbing things. Make sure you take a picture of the event and for each of my kids, I cut their little shirt tails like a real pilot and framed them up with the picture. Made it a special memory for them to keep of their first flight.
 
Few things in life give me more joy than a child's smile. If she really wants to go I have no doubt she'll love it. Post first flight pics.
 
Good luck! I suggest using her car seat in the plane. You’ll know she is secure and it should add some familiar comfort for her.

And head phones. They make little kid ones.

Others, I’m sure will have tips (make it a shorter flight, limit climbs and recents to 4-500FPM, limit the bank in turns and mind what you say - I developed a habit of self critiquing myself out loud and on my first flight with my wife (maybe my 3rd passenger) the commentary wasn’t helpful).

The picture suggestion above is awesome! Enjoy!!!
 
Awesome - hope it goes well and you both have a great time! I've taken mine (3 and 2 yrs old) on many GA trips but always with their mother. The 3 year old is actually almost 4 now and probably could be taken without my wife but at this point, she has hundreds of flying hours and wouldn't really be interested in just randomly going for a flight.

Here is my 2 yr old trying to honk the horn...
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I am amazed how anyone remembers anything from when they were that young. I know that I cannot.
 
SkyDog58 said:
I am amazed how anyone remembers anything from when they were that young. I know that I cannot.
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My earliest memory is when I was 2.5. We moved to a new city. I have memories of the hotel we stayed in for 2-3 days but zero memories of my prior home. I've always thought maybe the trauma/impact of moving somehow etched the memories in my brain.
 
People who research these things say we form our first permanent memories about age three. This is of course a ball park quess-ti-esti-mation (just like the Federal Reserve and Meteorologists use). Our children were doomed, both mom and dad were licensed, they slept through their first rides in a 'Baby Bjorn' chest carrier.
 
Enjoy it. Some of my earliest and fondest memories are flying around with dad. He was strapping my carseat down in the thing from the time I was 6 months old, after that I would sit on books and cowl plugs to see out over the panel. I was so lucky and fortunate to grow up flying. Dad started teaching me when I was tall enough to reach the rudder pedals in a nifty one fifty and the rest is history. So thankful.
 
MICHAEL MAHN said:
My earliest memory is when I was 2.5. We moved to a new city. I have memories of the hotel we stayed in for 2-3 days but zero memories of my prior home. I've always thought maybe the trauma/impact of moving somehow etched the memories in my brain.
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One of my earliest is the day my sister was born. I was 3. Remember walking up the stairs after I woke up and my grandma was there to watch me. "what are you doing here?" Clearly not being able to grasp the situation. Memories are weird. I have no doubt she'll remember this one. It's probably been eating at her knowing her puppy got a ride
 
Arbiter419 said:
Enjoy it. Some of my earliest and fondest memories are flying around with dad. He was strapping my carseat down in the thing from the time I was 6 months old, after that I would sit on books and cowl plugs to see out over the panel. I was so lucky and fortunate to grow up flying. Dad started teaching me when I was tall enough to reach the rudder pedals in a nifty one fifty and the rest is history. So thankful.
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I guess since they are your fondest memories you answered my question... I'm just hope if she grows up doing it she doesn't take it for granted. I always dreamed about aviation when I was a kid. Loved flying commercial jets, got a sightseeing ride in a helicopter once and a Cessna once, but didn't start actually flying until I was 18. I wonder if I would still have the same passion for it if it was a "normal" part of growing up.
 
M1tchell said:
She's 4 1/2, really wants to go with me every time I go but my wife hates flying and I want to have someone else with us for her first time. My folks will be in town this weekend so as long as the weather is good and the plane is good (us poors have to rent :() we're going to give it a go!
I'm glad that she's being introduced to it early, but at the same time I hope it's not so early that she doesn't realize how special it is.

I hope she loves it, because I really need a flying buddy!
Click to expand...
In my extensive (n=2) experience, that's around the age sweet spot. That said, it depends on the kid. My older son needed a minder at that age because he couldn't sit still long enough for me to preflight. On the other hand, I took my younger son flying last summer at 4 1/2 and he was great.
 
Having done orientation flights with CAP and trying to get my own kids into flying, I would recommend that you make the first flight short (20-30minutes max). Keep all your turns shallow, and don't do anything that increases or decreases G-forces rapidly; even if the kid asks for it.

Best case: This gives the kid a taste and leaves them wanting more.

Worst case: turbulence experienced for a short time is less likely to result in vomiting.
 
Very cool. My daughter, now 8, has only flown once with me and the wife and she was 6 months at the time. Just booked the 172 for Monday for the two of us to go up while the wife has to work.

My biggest concern right now is the headset situation, I'll give her the choice of the one crappy over the ear set I have or she can give my Halos a shot.
 
Well I gotta say I knew it would happen...

Got a call yesterday saying someone made a hard landing in the 172 I rent and broke the nose gear. I KNEW something would happen to the plane... I have a 4 day window to make this happen, the first day we had 30-40 mph winds, today was windy but not as bad, planned on tomorrow for the perfect weather. Such is life for us poors without our own airplanes.

So I'm renting a warrior 2 from another airport. I don't like the planes as much as the one I planned on using, and I hate this airport, but they have like 6 or 7 pipers I'm checked out in, so I've never had trouble getting one.

So it's not the situation I hoped for, but I'm still on for tomorrow and really excited! Thanks for all the advice and stories. Will update with first flight pics tomorrow.
 
Racerx said:
One of my earliest is the day my sister was born. I was 3. Remember walking up the stairs after I woke up and my grandma was there to watch me. "what are you doing here?" Clearly not being able to grasp the situation. Memories are weird. I have no doubt she'll remember this one. It's probably been eating at her knowing her puppy got a ride
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I was 4 when my little sister was born, and I remember dad taking me to the hospital and I remember asking mom how the baby got out of her tummy, is there a scar? They must have cut you open. She fudged and said the scar wasn’t visible. I remember being confused because by then I knew there should have been a scar if you got cut. I suspected they were holding back some information.
 
Rushie said:
I suspected they were holding back some information.
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Fortunately-- or unfortunately depending upon ones point of view-- I was a little older and my grandmother had given me a copy of 'Harriet the Spy' by Louise Fitzhugh (ISBN 978-0-440-41679-1). Mysteries did not remain mysterious for long. :)
 
My kid likes to fly with me... if we have a reason to go somewhere. Dog flights are a good excuse - she loves dogs so doing pilots n' paws flights are fun for her. She gets to help get the dogs in the plane and she likes the fact that we are helping save these pups...
dog_flight_1.jpg

She's a good flying companion... until she falls asleep right after we depart... which almost always happens :D

dog_flight_2.jpg
 
M1tchell said:
Well I gotta say I knew it would happen...

Got a call yesterday saying someone made a hard landing in the 172 I rent and broke the nose gear. I KNEW something would happen to the plane... I have a 4 day window to make this happen, the first day we had 30-40 mph winds, today was windy but not as bad, planned on tomorrow for the perfect weather. Such is life for us poors without our own airplanes.

So I'm renting a warrior 2 from another airport. I don't like the planes as much as the one I planned on using, and I hate this airport, but they have like 6 or 7 pipers I'm checked out in, so I've never had trouble getting one.

So it's not the situation I hoped for, but I'm still on for tomorrow and really excited! Thanks for all the advice and stories. Will update with first flight pics tomorrow.
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That sucks, hope you guys got in the air today. We did, and she loved it! (or she just didn't want to hurt daddy's feelings)
 
After one bad experience about thirty years ago ( I did learn how to remove the seats ) I now have a new "standard operating procedure" I explain to the youngster in the rear seat that he or she is part of the crew and has a job to do. I point out a screw in the roof and explain that if we go through a cloud we may get some water dripping from the screw. Their job is to take the supplied Tupperware bowl and catch the water. Works like a dream.

Life is a barrel of fun.

Ken
 
It was a success!

I'll spare you the long story about how the plane we were supposed to fly today was broken too, so we ended up going with the one I flew yesterday and had problems with the radio not transmitting (flew yesterday to brush up, it had been 2.5 months since I flew that type and from that airport, which is a notoriously confusing Class D).


All smiles the whole time
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Well, almost the whole time...
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That's better
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Smile was even bigger after than it was before
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She loved it, and didn't even get motion sick!
 
ksandrew said:
After one bad experience about thirty years ago ( I did learn how to remove the seats ) I now have a new "standard operating procedure" I explain to the youngster in the rear seat that he or she is part of the crew and has a job to do. I point out a screw in the roof and explain that if we go through a cloud we may get some water dripping from the screw. Their job is to take the supplied Tupperware bowl and catch the water. Works like a dream.

Life is a barrel of fun.

Ken
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:lol:
 
M1tchell said:
It was a success!

I'll spare you the long story about how the plane we were supposed to fly today was broken too, so we ended up going with the one I flew yesterday and had problems with the radio not transmitting (flew yesterday to brush up, it had been 2.5 months since I flew that type and from that airport, which is a notoriously confusing Class D).


All smiles the whole time


She loved it, and didn't even get motion sick!
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If success is measured in the small steps we take forward...then I think you rocked that one. The smile is precious. The memory will last a lifetime (for both of you...)

Congrats!
 
MICHAEL MAHN said:
My earliest memory is when I was 2.5. We moved to a new city. I have memories of the hotel we stayed in for 2-3 days but zero memories of my prior home. I've always thought maybe the trauma/impact of moving somehow etched the memories in my brain.
Click to expand...

My earliest memory is going to school for the first time at 5 years old. I am thinking I may have been a little traumatized by it?
 
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CalPilot said:
Would love to take my 6 year son with me soon but, as a freshly minted pilot, will probably use wife as a guinea pig first.
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lol MY wife held out on going for a while when I first got my PPL. MY late buddy was my guinea pig and my first passenger.
I think my wife is pretty smart...lol
 
M1tchell said:
It was a success!

I'll spare you the long story about how the plane we were supposed to fly today was broken too, so we ended up going with the one I flew yesterday and had problems with the radio not transmitting (flew yesterday to brush up, it had been 2.5 months since I flew that type and from that airport, which is a notoriously confusing Class D).


All smiles the whole time
View attachment 103823

View attachment 103824

View attachment 103827

Well, almost the whole time...
View attachment 103825

That's better
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View attachment 103831

Smile was even bigger after than it was before
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She loved it, and didn't even get motion sick!
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Thank you for putting a smile on my face this morning. Enjoy your new flying buddy!
 
Well done…!
 
This is awesome, I hope just the beginning of many more great memories!
 
Thanks for all the encouragement everyone.

Got her up again the other day, this time in the front seat. She did so well the first time I felt confident with just me and her, and she did great. I think I have the flying buddy I have been wanting!

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