Flying Age | FerrariChat

Flying Age

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by AV8RWannaB, Apr 5, 2007.

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  1. AV8RWannaB

    AV8RWannaB Rookie

    Jan 24, 2007
    23
    My son is 17 months old. I would like to take him up soon in a Cessna 172. He has flown with us in Jumbo's to Europe a few times already with no issues of course. Is this a good age or should we wait? I want to expose him to aviation as early as possible as I plan on getting a plane by EOY.
     
  2. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
    Staff Member Admin Miami 2018 Owner Social Subscribed

    Dec 1, 2000
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    Southlake, TX
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    I think depends on kid by kid. There are some great pilots at 14 and can't you get your private pilot at 16?

    Regardless if kid is ready to fly solo and be private pilot, I'm sure they will have fun and see how far they want to go starting lessons.

    However, don't do what my parents did and get me all excited at 14 with a few lessons then say now you are on your own. How in the heck could I continue on making $1.50 an hour!?! A little irresponsible to get my hopes up for something that wasn't feasible in first place.

    The other thing I hear is kids that are able to make it through and get their license, but then can't/don't maintain through all the busy distracting late high school and college years. Wouldn't it be better just to get license after college in that case?

    However, taking a few lessons will answer many questions. If your kid wants to fly as a profession, then it might be better to wait a year and have them do an undergrad program. After 4 years you will have college degree, private pilot/instrument/commercial/CFI/multi and over 200 hours to kick your career off.
     
  3. JasonMiller

    JasonMiller F1 Rookie
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    Jul 16, 2004
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    Co Springs/ Texas
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    Jason Miller

    Wow Rob, your wanting to get him started young! I dont think he could fly very well out of a car seat.... J/K he said 17 months... :)
     
  4. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    Doh!!! :D
     
  5. AV8RWannaB

    AV8RWannaB Rookie

    Jan 24, 2007
    23
    That's right. The boy is 17 months. I will be up in the air a bit this summer and with the aqcuisition of a plane, we may spend a lot of time there as a family. I'm hoping that he catches the bug too.
     
  6. Markb5900

    Markb5900 Rookie

    Feb 19, 2007
    16
    Don't have any personal experience really. But KNOW there is a thread somewhere in "medical matters" over on the AOPA board that Doc Bruce wrote about young children and flying.
    If I remember correctly it was basically up to the parents if they thought they could handle it. No real health issues to worry about.

    Edit: Found the post here is what he wrote:

    Keep the vertical speed down, less than 500 fpm up or down. She used to get a "sick in tummy" at 14,000 and one day my wife, who is REALLY FAST, turned around and got cannulas on her (she would always take them off) and her "sick in tummy" went away. She's worn 'em ever since.

    If she starts to look irritated on the way down (usual happens around 5K), stop the descent. Even to holds if you must. You want them to fly again; you want MOM to want to do this, too. NO UPSET MOMS.

    Here is a link to another thread on it also, rather long but does have some good ideas also.

    http://forums.aopa.org/showthread.php?t=8140&highlight=children
     
  7. AV8RWannaB

    AV8RWannaB Rookie

    Jan 24, 2007
    23
    Great info. I appreciate that.
     
  8. sparky p-51

    sparky p-51 Formula 3

    Aug 8, 2004
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    klamath falls, Or.
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    #8 sparky p-51, Apr 6, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Pix of my then 10 year old son climbing out at 110mph to 3000ft then level off and take us to Steve Johnsons ranch over in the Napa Valley, about a 15 min flt at 150mph. I would take control, dive down for a few lo passes then give control back to the kid....climb out and take us back to the Nut Tree Airport. He did everything except take off, lo passes and land. Pretty good for someone who couldnt reach the rudder pedals. Never to young to get the feel of the airplane. Now he knocks around in the 51, Pitts S-2 and Cessna 10. Lucky dog.
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  9. SWITCHESOFF

    SWITCHESOFF Formula Junior

    Nov 9, 2005
    582
    My kid, Dana, had a similar start as did your son but he never went on to fly. He used to get in the back of our airplane and fly it home from the airshows when he was ten or eleven. Of course, we would land it when he woke us up.
    As far as flying with infants one must consider that their little lungs aren't fully developed for much high altitude stuff and that would be anything over 5k. If they do have tummy troubles or ear troubles, how are they going to tell you. I don't like the ide myself.
     
  10. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 5, 2002
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    I used to take my son flying when he was very young. Noise was my biggest concern. They really don't make (or at least I couldn't find) decent noise cancelling or attenuating headsets for babies or really small kids.

    I think we put cotton in his ears.
     

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