Guys, I need some ideas on what people use for car seats. I have a four year old and soon to be three year old. Both are on the big and taller side. The three year old is just about 40 pounds and is close enough to satisfy the car seats with that limitation. The aircraft is a '64 172 and is 35" between the armrests. I think I will need two booster seats, but would prefer a full car seat with a five point harness if available. Every full size is too wide. I know that side impact isn't a problem, but would prefer to err on the side of caution. Any ideas would be helpful, especially from those that are currently flying with little ones.

Jeff

Jeff: I fly with my boys in our 1956 172 and use the regular car seats(my boys are 3 and 4 and just shy of 40 lbs. each) I believe one is a graco and one is an evenflo. They are in booster seats in the car now so I retired the carseats with the 5 point harnesses to the airplane. No 2 ways around it, they are pain in the ass becuase I have to pull them out to get to the baggage compartment. Room wise, the carseats fit side by side very well in the back. Its a little challenging getting those lap belts through the backs of the car seats, but plenty doable. The hassle is worth it, should anything ever happen. I figure if I nosed it over in a field or something, they would stay in the car seats but not in lap belts.

Also, even if my wife is not with us, the boys both ride in the back. There has been a couple of times that I have let them come up front with me while in cruise so I could let them fly. I'm not sure what it is, but something doesn't feel quite right, having them in the co-pilot seat at this age. When I was a kid, I always rode up front with my grandpa so I dont know why I feel different.

I'm curious to see how other people deal with this. Ill take a picture of my setup, next time I'm at the hangar.

I am also interested in what people do. I fly with my kids although a little younger, twins 10 months.. I use their car seats in the back and it is a pain. One of the 172's I rent seems really small in the back. I have to stack one of the seats on top of a pillow, book, or something to offset them to fit next to each other. I don't really like the way they fit in there, but if something were to happen they are kind of in their own little roll cage in the car seat. They fit fine in the 182 so I try to fly that more often.

Jeredp, I am curious as to what car seat models in particular that you have. All the seats I've pulled the specs for are better than 17" making it a tight fit if not impossible. Also, if you have time, could you measure the narrowest point in the rear seat. The car seats that I have in my truck are much too wide and would never fit in the plane. I feel the same way you do, and don't really care about the cost or the weight of the seat.

propeller26 wrote:Jeredp, I am curious as to what car seat models in particular that you have. All the seats I've pulled the specs for are better than 17" making it a tight fit if not impossible. Also, if you have time, could you measure the narrowest point in the rear seat. The car seats that I have in my truck are much too wide and would never fit in the plane. I feel the same way you do, and don't really care about the cost or the weight of the seat.

I will try to get that info for you tomorrow afternoon when I get to hangar.

Hey guys, we fly a lot with our 3yo son and 11 month old daughter in our '82 172P. They're always in car seats, we use Diono Radian RXT seats (used to be Sunshine Kids Radian RXT) http://us.diono.com/en/car-seats/radian-rxt

These seats are probably the narrowest available and fit the 172 easy, we have one facing rearward for our daughter. Most of all they're very comfortable for the kids and they have room for their headsets

I have a question for all the parents that have chimed in here. I'm about 4 months away from having a kid myself. With all the great videos that have been popping up, like Lainey's first ride, I've been wondering whether I should wait at least 4-5 year before taking my kid on its first ride.

What have your experiences been? How long did you wait before taking them up? Did they have the same sense of awe when you did?

My biggest worry is that if I take it up too early, it won't be special. It'll be like riding in a car, you know?

p.s., sorry for deviating from the topic some...

I took my kids up when they were three months old. But you do make a good point about it not being so exciting when they get older. But they will still have great memories of the places you've been while flying.

Hmmm.. Maybe, but then you miss out on 4 or 5 years of adventures with your family. I guess our kids are too young to realise how special flying is and maybe they'll grow up thinking it's just a normal way to get around but they'll sure have some good stories to tell as they grow up!

Since I've taken several tiny kids on Angel Flights, I bought a Kids Fly Safe CARES harness, and by adding some standard seat belting with appropriate hardware, I put it around the back seat rest (double width) of my P172D. See http://kidsflysafe.com/ Works great, and the cumbersome size of car seats isn't an issue. For a really tiny infant, a car seat would be necessary, but I haven't had that issue.

Cary

Cary wrote:Since I've taken several tiny kids on Angel Flights, I bought a Kids Fly Safe CARES harness, and by adding some standard seat belting with appropriate hardware, I put it around the back seat rest (double width) of my P172D. See http://kidsflysafe.com/ Works great, and the cumbersome size of car seats isn't an issue. For a really tiny infant, a car seat would be necessary, but I haven't had that issue.

Cary

I saw a guy use one of those on a commercial flight a while back. Man, did the flight attendants get their dander up! Eventually the guy convinced them to ask the captain. Apparently he said "does it modify the plane?" When they said "No" he said "it's fine then."

I bought a pair of them for my grandkids, and my kid and his wife had no problem using them on a trip to Disney-world last year. But I'm sure there are those whose "badges" get pretty heavy in the stew business, just like in any business where a little authority is involved--witness all the TSA crappola which occurs. Since the FAA has approved the CARES harness, the stews don't really have anything to say about it, but I'd certainly recommend that any parent using them on commercial flights have the FAA documentation to prove it. In time, the word will get around and that won't be necessary, but progress vs. official arrogance is always a slow road.

Cary

Exactly, the guy had all that stuff printed out. I think that was the deciding factor. Do you have a picture of it in a 172?

Sorry, no pix. Incidentally, I contacted Kids Fly Safe and tried to persuade them to offer a GA version with a longer strap to go around the typical double-width back seat rest, but although I got a favorable response, I haven't seen it being offered yet. I got the hardware and seat belting to extend it from my IA--he was having to replace the belts in a 207 and we just scrounged good bits and pieces from the ones he was removing.

Cary

In the early 172's like mine the rear seat back does not lock in the upright position. How do you keep the seat from folding forward after a sudden stop. I believe that adults wouldn't have as much as a problem as their mass would prevent injury, but a child isn't tall enough. With my job I have been at too many car accidents where kids weren't properly restrained or partially restrained. Both have negative consequences. I have installed two hard points in the baggage to attach a tether strap, but would like to find car seats that fit. I may be over thinking this issue, but my kids safety is paramount.