On Saturday, December 19, we departed KPIB in Hattiesburg, Mississippi bound for KMTH in Marathon, Florida for a sunny Christmas break. We flew a Cirrus (SR22T), and with the wind at our back, the trip took about three hours and twenty minutes. Not bad, considering that the drive would have been more than fourteen hours. The Keys are always fun, and flying with my sons only gets more exciting each year.
Still, more than three hours is a lot for a five year old and two year old. Me and other fellow Mommy Pilots have previously recommended packing snacks for longer trips, but to this advice I want to add that mommy and daddy pilots should be choosy with the kinds of snacks they pack. This trip, my two year-old’s Cheerios ended up spread all over the plane, as did the remnants of a granola bar. Sticky or crumbly snacks are almost inevitable for young children, but in my experience, a few snacks make less of a mess than others: vegetables like baby carrots and celery. Also, the way in which you pack a snack makes a big difference. Had I put the Cheerios into a container like the Munchkin Snack Catcher, for example, there may have been less of a mess.
If nature calls when driving, one only needs to pull over at the nearest exit or rest area. It’s not that easy in an airplane at eleven thousand feet. So, for these kinds of trips, we pack disposable urinals called UR-in-NEED (classy, I know). Despite having gone potty before departure for KMTH, our five year old had to use the disposable urinal for the first time about two hours into the trip. He was desperate, but because he wasn’t familiar with this “potty,” he still could not make himself go; it took three attempts before he felt comfortable enough. Having gone through this experience, I recommend a “trial run” on the ground so children feel comfortable and are familiar with how to properly use the single engine facilities, as it were.
I share these stories because, even with minor concerns, there’s always room for improvement when flying with the family. It feels like just when I think I am prepared for flying with children, there something I forget or could have done more efficiently. Of course, these concerns are negligible when compared with the joy and privilege that is flight. I believe that one of the greatest gifts I can give my children is to fly with them consistently and safely. Whether or not they choose to become aviators, I hope they will cherish for a lifetime these memories from the sky.
Happy Flying!