Big day last weekend for me. Mom has become adequately convinced that my plane is not going to explode shortly after take off to let my little girls (almost 6 and almost 3) go on a short jaunt around the pattern after we washed lots of Dewey Moore mud off the plane.

My older daughter Mackenzie is a girly-girl. It's all ballet, barbie, and pink. She get's scared on pretty tame disney rides, so it was her I was more worried about. She LOVED it.

My younger, Chloe, is the boy. Wants to be outside, climbing, following the cows, etc. She's more of a daredevil. But she was a bit spooked at take off, I think mainly because she couldn't see out too well, and wasn't quite sure what was happening. On downwind she yelled "cars daddy!" from the road nearby. After parking I asked her "did you like it?" "yes", she replied. "Do you want to go again?" "no."

Babysteps.

Some pics and Video below. I've been waiting/hoping to use that pink headset for 2 years!!! Video is boring, forgot to turn the cam back on for Mack's flight after run up. My landing was horrific. Bounced.
https://picasaweb.google.com/emmetw/KidsFirstAirplaneRide?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKyqmqDzptS1bg&feat=directlink





Love Macks curly hair flipped up


Plane washers:


Vid - boring...but plenty of shots of my BCP hat

Awesome! Looking to get my girls, 3 and 1, up sometime this summer!

That was pretty neat. I keep looking at that Rans and think I need to get one and rig it up so I could spray my crops.

Those girls are adorable. Good on ya, man.

Very cool! Took mine for her firstride as well the other day. Cannot wait for her to be able to actually apprecitiate it! She is just 1 now.

Good times!~

Way to go!

Brings back memories. 7 years and many awesome flying trips ago...



Flying with kids is awesome! My daughter (now 10) and I are heading out to Idaho in the morning for our annual father-daughter trip.

Outstanding!! It is likely to be my boy (2) first flight this weekend along with the wife and the to be daughter in November!!! she (wife) cant fly airliners so I told her I'd take her on something 100 times more fun than airliners!!

Oregon - can't wait for the day to take my girl fly camping!

Marty - a guy in AZ has built several Rans S6 set up for spraying!

Awesome Emflys. Your little girls are just too cute!

My Girls are 4 and 8, they both went up in the float plane at 4 and both enjoy it. My youngest is asking weekly to go again. I wish their mother was into it like they are, that would allow me to buy my own plane much sooner.

Way Way Cool!!!!!
How about a booster seat?


My Daughters 22 and 18! 22 year old has her PPL, 18 year old thinks it fun and all, but would rather swim and party with the boys.
My Son 15 thinks its cool and all, but he gets motion sickness....

Keep them flying

If anyone cares to watch - this is the swimmer - and it shows how fast they grow up - about this speed.

My girls never knew it was any kind of big deal. Riding in the airplane was like riding in the car and just how one got around. Good sticks both of them, and now a grandson or two chomping at the bit to get in that left seat.





Gump

Wish i was better at remembering the camera when i fly.

My kids have been used to flying since they were 2 and 3, only way to get around. My son (now 10) has always had a thing with airsickness, but my last few runs to Nome, he has actually asked to go, and asked to fly the plane, which has been a big step for him. He asks questions about the instruments and flight controls and how to keep the plane headed in the right direction and actually seems interested; Dad thinks that's way cool

Chris

My kids have been flying around with me for over a year now -- I can hardly keep them awake any more! They are 4 and 2.

Awesome everyone. Maybe we need a dedicated kids of BCP thread.

This makes me feel a lot better about taking my 1 year old.

A little about me and my very mixed emotions on it:

I got my license last year. I got it because there is too much of this world that I want to see to not have my own plane. I want my kid to have a better life than I have had, and get to explore that from the beginning. My kid has gone with me every time I know the weather is good. She LOVES it, from rotate to landing I swear she knows the difference. Solstice at Quartz Creek was a blast:



And the wife loves the plane and flying as a family:



On the other hand, there is the Birchwood crash from earlier this year and the Lake Amber crash last week. Lotsa kids... totally depressing. If we could start a thread that would be good for my worried self, make me not feel so concerned about me being the only one that does it.

Hey 907 pilot,
Nice family and plane! Your concerns are valid, but you are headed in the right direction. I work harder at being safe for my families sake. As you are already finding out there are some great adventures out there, but you will not get there without some risk.
Chris

907,

I went through the same thought process as you. In fact, I still go through it today. Flying has been such a big part of my life for so long, I just couldn't imagine a life without it. As far as my family goes, as long as they still enjoy it I will continue to take them up.

You're not alone. We just need to be a little more careful each and every time. Don't let anything ever rush you into making a bad decision. Always be ready to spend another night.

Mark

Novices! Adam at 1 month, Sadie at 2 months (due to weather).

Seriously though, good for you Ems. I remember you talking about getting them up.

907, I'll echo what others have said. There is additional risk, and unlike my wife, Adam, Sadie, and our boy due in October, can't choose to be in the plane with us. So, I feel I have to do all I can to mitigate the additional risk. In the end, that is all we can do.

June 2011