Young co-pilot

[wadeg]

Last week, my wife and I greeted our first child into the world. We are in awe of how wonderful it is to have a little girl.

Who out there has flown with young children?

I hope to introduce her to flight soon in the S7. Does anyone have experience with infants and flight? I would love to hear about them.

I am open to opinions regarding:

1. Baby seat crammed somehow into passenger seat or have them snuggled in the chest harness thingy? (Being new to fatherhood, "chest harnest thingy" is the best term I could come up with.)

2. Anyone know any tricks to help their eustacian tubes? Should I stick to low altitudes for a while?

3. How to I communicate to her at this age that long before she wears a naval flight suit and gets her carrier qualification, she has to master a taildragger?

In all seriousness, I look forward to sharing with my daughter the world that I was blessed to see from childhood...the world from up 'there'.

[Dorsal]

Congratulations! I can't comment on flying with infants but the whole fatherhood thing is fantastic. Do make sure to protect her ears, enjoy and all the best.

[HighWing]

Congratulations on the little princess. I was between flying gigs when my kids were little, but have taken toddler grand kids up. It was for a turn around the pattern, though. Find a frequent flyer with children and check on their techniques with ear isues. My only thought in that area is that you will be pretty busy flying the airplane and by necessity, the little Princess will pretty much be on her own.
Lowell

[akflyer]

I have flown my kids around since they were born. Never had any issues with them that I recall. It was about like putting them in the car till they were about 4 then they would stay awake long enough to enjoy the flight a bit. Till then, they were pretty much all asleep before I got to the runway! Good luck finding any type of "youth" ear muffs that will do much to protect thier hearing though.

Once they hit 3 or 4 they were wearing headsets and thought they were the coolest kids on earth!

[Monocock]

My son takes me flying regularly in our Kitfox. He's 5 now but has been flying for 3 years. He can hold a heading and pick a climb rate/power setting. His wall is covered in aircraft pics and a shot of him next to our Mk5 is above his bed!!

[Woodennickle]

My son flew with me since about one year old. He would fall to sleep while taxiing to runway and then wake up after landing and want to go flying again. If I was in a two place plane he would have a fit if I took anyone but him. My daughter would not get in a plane no matter what, until we went to Mt. Rushmore and she saw the helicopters. She begged me to let her go up in one. I always thought my son would be a pilot, he loved flying so much, but he isn't. My daughter got her license then went on to teach at Western Michigan University College of Aviation. She now flys Lears and Falcons. You never know what they will do when they grow up, but they are a blessing no matter what they decide to do.

[mr bill]

I flew with my kids when they were as young as 9 months, now with my grandkids. I do not know what the effects on the ears would be on a newborn, so I would not fly very high at all. Newborn skulls have open spots, is that something to be concerned about? Maybe first check with baby's doctor.