Flying with 3-4 year old in RV-4

Indy · #1 11-02-2019, 09:07 AM

Any recommendations on how to best seat a preschooler in an RV-4? I just got my RV-4 back after 2 years overseas. My 3 year old daughter loves airplanes and LOVES pretending to fly in the -4. I'm eager to take her for her first small airplane ride but struggling with how to strap her in. I tried her car seat but the headrest obstructs the rear canopy bar. I want her to sit high enough that she can actually see out over the canopy skirt but ensure her safety first and foremost.

Dean Pichon · #2 11-02-2019, 11:26 AM

I used a booster seat rather than a car seat. I had to remove the stick but you?d probably want to do that anyway. Here?s a short clip of my son from 2 years ago. He was 5 at the time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Fu...&feature=share

Good luck

Dean

Saber25 · #3 11-02-2019, 11:28 AM

I've given rides from 14-78 year old but would hesitate to take a child that young in an RV4. Should something go wrong would she be able to extricate herself in the worst case scenario ?

airguy · #4 11-02-2019, 02:43 PM

My little boy starting flying with me in my 9A at about 3 1/2 years old. A booster seat with the stick removed will work well, or a stack of about 5 towels in the seat for a boost.

D Weisgerber · #5 11-02-2019, 02:50 PM

I started flying with my daughter when she was 6, I used a booster seat and bought her a headset for kids. She used the headset for quite a while.

Lan Vinh Do · #6 11-03-2019, 12:10 PM

I used a full car seat ( in my rv-10). I bought a seat belt triangular fitting to fix the upeer car seat and used the seat belt for lower.

https://m.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/...arhardware.php

I also used a booster from acs but my kids were older at that time.

https://m.aircraftspruce.ca/catalog/...clickkey=17811

I also used a child restrain
http://kidsflysafe.com/cares-overview/

But you need to find a way to have the back rest fix as it rely on the back rest.

I fly with 3 kids in the rv-10. Now 10-7 and 4 years old. So one baby car seat, one car booster seat and one acs booster seat.

The younger had problem putting the headset back if it fall during the flight until this year

patterson · #7 11-03-2019, 03:38 PM

Not to throw a blanket on her love of airplanes, but I'm with Saber on this one. As you know its very loud in there and that alone could frighten her. Also being tied in by seatbelts behind daddy with no way to get his reassurance when she gets scared is just too iffy I think.
Rent a Cessna maybe? Borrow a 7 or a 9?.
Ron

Dave S · #8 11-03-2019, 05:39 PM

I'll add my recommendation for a booster seat. IF you can leave the controls, if she can reach she'll love touching the controls, and if you dare even flying a little (best part is she won't be able to see your hand on the controls up front).

As far as the kids headset, the advice I got years ago when I looked into them, is buy a quality (adult headset) and then put a kids headband it in. You'll get a much better headset.

SJordan · #9 11-03-2019, 07:21 PM

My son who just turned 6 has been riding in the back of my -4 for years now. I have two blocks of dense foam that a booster seat sits on. Then a soft piece of foam on the back to bring everything forward to keep his head away from the canopy cross bar. All the Hooker seat belts work great and hold him in tight and safe. I found a Bose A20 to be the best for kids. Just teach them how to put it back on! I forgot he was back there one day and pulled up the G's and knocked his headset off and it was not good, no way to reach back there and get it back on. If you want pic's send me your phone number and I will send some over.

Rallylancer122 · #10 11-03-2019, 07:27 PM

I started flying with my kids when my daughter was 2 (oldest) and my son was a few months. I held off on my daughter precisely because I only had a tandem airplane up until then and was waiting for something different. In this case it was a C170. The wait was worth it.

Based on my kids (which are not your kids), I would not fly with kids under 4 in a tandem. They were always yanking the headset off or needing some other kind of attention. In fact they ideal is a 4 seater, because then someone can sit with them and you can concentrate on flying.

If/when you do fly with young kids, a few things to keep in mind:

1. They are 3. They can't remember what they did yesterday. They aren't going to remember this forever. Keep in mind who the flight is for (hint: it's not them.)
2. Most will react they same way they react in a car. After a few minutes the novelty wears off, they get bored, hungry, fall asleep, etc....
3. A good headset is must. Most "kids" headsets are just adult headsets with a smaller mic and/or headband. Most aren't that great. I spent a good part of my childhood riding around with my dad in loud airplanes with crappy or no headset. I wouldn't trade a second of it because it was time with my Dad, but at 43 I have hearing problems. If they kids can't keep the headset on, we don't fly.
4. Know where that "pilot isolate" switch is on the intercom. In a pinch you can also pull their mic jack. This is essential when they start singing Frozen songs at the top of their lungs while you are trying to hear ATC. (And they will!)

You said were having trouble getting the car seat in. Would you jury-rig a car seat or use some cushions to make a homebrew booster in your minivan for the ride to the airport? So why would you do this in your airplane?

I'm not saying don't fly with your kids. Etched in my brain is my then 3 year old daughter repeating my radio calls. "Six tree cha-wie, conto!" (Six three Charlie, landing Oconto) I'm saying understand why you are doing it, and take the time to do it right. It's not a race.

DEM

Ps. If it is race, you already lost. My parents had the world's only 5 place Aeronca Champ. Dad flew, mom in the backseat, sister 1 on her lap, sister 2 in the baggage sling, and pregnant with me.