Flying with Children
From: Mikki Barry (ooblick@intercon.com)
Subject: Re: Baby in the plane--tips?
View: Complete Thread (28 articles)
Original Format
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.piloting
Date: 1995/11/17
In article <48gfbq$4sk@nntp.Stanford.EDU>, acuff@camis.stanford.edu (Richard
Acuff) writes:
> I think Phaedra's concern about having a screaming baby in the back
> during an approach isn't well founded--headsets keep out more than
> engine noise!
Unfortunately, even my Sennheiser ANR's did not stop a 2 year old passenger's
incessant screaming in an Arrow a few weeks back. Phaedra's concern,
unfortunately, is quite well founded. Small children can be horribly
distracting, especially if their parents make no attempt whatsoever to quiet
them. This particular child wanted candy "right now." I wouldn't allow candy
in our airplane. When I called Baltimore for flight following, they heard the
screaming brat, and bent over backwards to offer me any assistance they could.
It got so bad, that entering the pattern, I turned to the mother and yelled
over the din for her to please shut the little monster up so I could land the
airplane without crashing. It succeeded for a very short time, then he
started screaming again on final. The unicom asked if I needed assistance.
I think here, it was more a function of the little monster in question than
anything else. I have a 4 year old who makes a wonderful passenger. She's
been flying since she was 3 weeks old (mostly airlines though until she was
3). The only difficulties I've ever had with her included having to
disconnect her mike cable when she decided she wanted to sing our way from DC
to Manchester, NH (she doesn't drop off to sleep as much anymore in the plane)
and the one unscheduled landing we had to make for a "squirming child." ATC
quickly obliged our diversion and gave us nice vectors to the ILS.
You do have to be careful that the little one doesn't have ear problems or
congestion before taking them up. I've had to cancel a number of flights due
to ear instability of the kid
Mikki Barry PP-ASMEL-IA-EIEIO
Proud Co-Mommy N1707H
http://www.access.digex.net/~ooblick/cyberflight.html