Children and Airplanes

[Becca]

I have never been a fan of having children, but I don't think children and airplane ownership are mutually exclusive (saw this adorable picture recently:http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=85891).  I contend that airplane owners have children at basically the same ratio as the general population.  A certain co-pilot of mine believes having an airplane and children are mutually exclusive unless you are uber rich (not just upper middle class like most of us) or another extreme minority.  Curious, do you all have children?  Did you have both young children and an airplane?  How did you balance your obligations to both?  How did you teach your children to love flying with you?

[mooneyman]

We have two children ages 5 and 18 months. They both flew from 3 months onward. The 5 y/o loves flying and radio jargon is already a second language to him. He flys with me on Pilot N Paws rescues.

We do a lot of weekend trips to fun places that would not be possible by car. The baby usually falls asleep shortly after takeoff and the 5 y/o plays on an IPad. They are usually content for the first couple of hours and we try to plan a stop for trips longer than 3 hours.

They take flying for granted and don't yet realize how lucky they are. 

[201er]

Our airplanes are our children. They cost a fortune, don't always behave as desired, but are super rewarding at the end of it all.

[mooneygirl]

My kids are 26, 25 and 12.  The older ones enjoyed me flying them to college and home.  Gabriel is our Future Mooney Pilot.  He is now sitting right seat more and more and is doing well at holding headings and altitudes, pulling the prop and mixture back and descents. 

One time he asked me what happened if I "fell asleep" or something in the airplane.  That was when he was 10. So I decided to start teaching him the basics.  The other day while he was flying 1 of the 1.5 hour flight what he would need to do if something happened to me and he said "mayday mayday mayday on the radio and he would look at the GPS for location". I also told him to be able to look outside the window too!

The Mooney is our station wagon. Gabriel has never gotten a choice as to whether he goes or not. It is just "get in the plane". Sorry if that sounds harsh but I am never going to get into power struggles with a little kid.  We joke that he will be flying Mitch and I around when we are too old.  He says he likes to fly the E more than the Ovation.  [i have to agree! Sorry Mitch]

 

[MooneyMitch]

"He says he likes to fly the E more than the Ovation.  [i have to agree! Sorry Mitch]"

Hey, watch it! 

[Parker_Woodruff]

Not married, so no kids.  Hopefully the married part happens and she is sure as heck going to have to be ok with flying in my airplane - preferably learn to fly herself.

If marriage leads to kids, I hope to make flying a part of the family.  Super rich required?  I don't think so.  But I keep a really strict budget for myself outside of flying so that I can still save a solid portion of my income.  Assuming my income can grow with experience, I don't see being able to afford aviation and a family to be much of a problem.

I feel that having an airplane of some sort is integral to my career as it keeps me connected within the aviation community.  It would take a lot for me to give it up.

[carusoam]

I got old last year so I have advice to share with those that want everything......

On the topic of Mooneys and kids:

Both are more expensive than you think.  

Don't do the math...it won't help.

Kids are safe and Mooneys are too.

There they are in my picture/icon: Ovation, Boy & Girl.

You may need to get a better paying job to afford each upgrade......

Start sooner rather than later.....

It may take longer than you think.

It will be worth it all when you get most of the details worked out.

Don't forget the spouse and the house may be on the high priority list as well.  

Marry an engineer......teach him / her how to fly.

It's all predictable, sort of....

There are no shortcuts....

Don't forget insurance, you will want it someday.

Best regards,

-a-

[Jeff_S]

My Mooney is the child's college education that I never had to pay for...at least that's the way I look at it. Offspring were apparently not in my fate, and now I'm past the point where I would want to take that on (although my brother had his first child at age 52...egads!).  I have friends who pay twice what my yearly Mooney operational costs are just keeping kids in private school, and they haven't even STARTED paying for college yet. It's definitely all about where you put your priorities.

[kerry]

I wish my family enjoyed flying.  They do like a destination faster, but they would just rather go in the car instead.  If I go one on one with one of my kids in the co-pilot seat and I'm interactive with them they really seem to enjoy it.  Las Vegas approach use to know my tail # by heart.  I would have my daughters do my radio work.  I found it funny when the controller would responed "say again" because their kid voice would throw them off.  To this day sometimes the controller with ask if my co-pilot is with me.  My dad was pilot and I must admit when I was a kid I didn't enjoy flying.  I'd would rather have been at the lake waterskiing.  I didn't catch the flying bug until I was older and out of college.  I hope my kids catch the bug in the future.

[Becca]

Quote: Parker_Woodruff

Not married, so no kids.  Hopefully the married part happens and she is sure as heck going to have to be ok with flying in my airplane - preferably learn to fly herself

[Hank]

My wife says that I am the child . . .

She enjoys flying wherever I take her in the plane, but swears that she is not interesting in getting her PPL. ["I already have a private pilot. Why do I need a license?"] We keep talking about teaching her to land but never seem to get an appointment made with a CFI. She is hellbent on learning to land OUR plane; I would much rather she learn to land a rental, then make a few in the Mooney when she is less likely to prang something up.

I do enjoy taking people to ride, but don't make as many Young Eagles events as I would like. So far, only one complaint--my nephew was slightly airsick on a hot, bumpy day when he got bored and stopped looking out the window, but sometimes 8-year-old boys don't listen to advice. BTDT myself.

I've had the flying bug my whole life, but never thought it was an option after failing the USN flight physical for my eyes. Fifteen years later I found out the truth. So getting them hooked early may not matter as much as letting them know that normal people can fly airplanes, not just military and airline pilots. Spread the word, it will stick to a few.

[bnicolette]

Funny, I initially purchased the airplane so I could spend more time at home with my family.  I was using it to commute from Pittsburgh to Wilmington, DE and it was much nicer than a four hour drive.  I am flying for a local flight department now so we don't need the Mooney anymore, but nobody wants to get rid of it, especially my wife.  

We live in a country setting so there is really no place for the kids to ride bicycles, roller blades, etc, just their dirt bikes and quads.  So the airplane is more than transportation/joy ride for us.  We spend a lot of time at the hangar barbecuing and there is a lot of flat area obviously that we use for roller blading bicycling, etc..  I suppose we are all "airport bums" and love spending time there.

My father was a "for fun" pilot and one of the best memories of my childhood is the annual airshow at the same airport we're based at now.   Every year dad had a huge hangar party for the whole weekend.  That all ended in the early 80's and our airport ceased the airshow and Dad was out of flying.  Last year was the first year our airport had an airshow again and it was just awesome having a hangar there and doing the same thing my dad used to do.  Thankfullly he is still with us and I got to share that with him and my kids.  The airport is continuing the airshows again and growing them to what they used to be.  This year the Blue Angles will be there as well.  I can't wait!!!

Got off track there I guess.  Sorry.  Yes we have young kids and an airplane.   My wife is a stay at home mom.  No debt is our secret.......oh and cars that are 10+ years old.    I am just a lowly corporate pilot.

[Gone]

Neither of my two grown sons are really keen on flying.  That's OK.  My best friend (their mother) loves it and we fly our Mooney for pleasure and business whenever we can. 

But, while I was a pilot at heart since I was 12, I only got to own an aircraft when I turned 49 and a Mooney when I turned 52.  By that time both boys were grown and gone (not far but no longer at home).

 

[MooneyMitch]

Quote: Bnicolette

Funny, I initially purchased the airplane so I could spend more time at home with my family.  I was using it to commute from Pittsburgh to Wilmington, DE and it was much nicer than a four hour drive.  I am flying for a local flight department now so we don't need the Mooney anymore, but nobody wants to get rid of it, especially my wife.  

We live in a country setting so there is really no place for the kids to ride bicycles, roller blades, etc, just their dirt bikes and quads.  So the airplane is more than transportation/joy ride for us.  We spend a lot of time at the hangar barbecuing and there is a lot of flat area obviously that we use for roller blading bicycling, etc..  I suppose we are all "airport bums" and love spending time there.

My father was a "for fun" pilot and one of the best memories of my childhood is the annual airshow at the same airport we're based at now.   Every year dad had a huge hangar party for the whole weekend.  That all ended in the early 80's and our airport ceased the airshow and Dad was out of flying.  Last year was the first year our airport had an airshow again and it was just awesome having a hangar there and doing the same thing my dad used to do.  Thankfullly he is still with us and I got to share that with him and my kids.  The airport is continuing the airshows again and growing them to what they used to be.  This year the Blue Angles will be there as well.  I can't wait!!!

Got off track there I guess.  Sorry.  Yes we have young kids and an airplane.   My wife is a stay at home mom.  No debt is our secret.......oh and cars that are 10+ years old.    I am just a lowly corporate pilot.

[Hank]

Brett--

Please let everyone know when your small local airshow will be going on--it's not nice to tease addicts like that! I've seen the Blue Angels several times, and would really like to see them again. I'll be attending my first Thunderbirds event in Indianapolis in June, and nice guy that he is, Jim E. has arranged preferential parking at the event if not preferential seating. Guess I'll find out.

Pittsburgh isn't far from Huntington. We all use New Philly for avionics, and I took the wife to the chophouse at Arnold Palmer a couple of Valentines ago.

[Lionudakis]

I've got an 8 yo and a 10 mo, My wife hated the previous 66 150 (the tin can) I used to co-own but loves the Mooney,especially flying to dinner in Brenham TX. We haven't got to do much family flying since the youngest was born last June, and I started the paint project soon after which is almost over with. Like Bnicolette said, we have very little debt, 8 and 10 year old paid off cars, and I work a lot of side jobs, and I have a plane partner, keeps it practical and affordable. We are planning a DisneyWorld trip in June, and my new united flight benefits suck, so the Mooney is our chariot to Orlando, my 8yo and I are flying it to oshkosh this year.

Best memory of my life, taking my (then) 2 year old up for the first time in our 150. 

[Lionudakis]

My little guy used to go to the airport with me every morning (before he started school) for side jobs, and an occasional flight to breakfast. Airports/hangars are great places to hang out with the family. 

[bnicolette]

Great thread Becca!!  I wish more of you guys were based at our airport!!!  A lot of times we're the only ones at the rows of T-hangars and their all occupied, just no one is ever there.

[jnisley]

My wife and I have six children (ages 25-10) and two grandchildren. All of our children enjoy flying (our oldest son is also a pilot but family and finances have kept him grounded the last several years.) My wife flies when it's needed but doesn't enjoy it. Most of my flying is business related or Angel Flight missions. I have a 50% owner in the plane and hanger which makes it possible for me to do what I do.

[kris_adams]

My wife only likes to fly when we are going somewhere like the beach.  Not much interested other then that.  Sure wish I could break the code on that.  I grew up flying in N9135V (also a '69 F).  Probably came off the line the same time as yours.  I've been waiting for it to show up on the board.

[sbethune]

Our first family flight was to Disneyland.  I never had difficulty convincing the family that an airplane is a good thing after that.

[fantom]

I would hate to think of a life without either my Mooney or my children....both of which conspire to keep me from ever being "uber rich", by any measure.

[lahso]

I love the pics of you all with family. My wife and I have no kids, but two, small, four-legged ones. Our neices and nephews love to fly with us, but get tired after 30min or so.

[scottfromiowa]

Quote: Mitch

Great story!

 

[Vref]

I bought my first aircraft when my two sons where 3 and 1,5 years old. My father was a military helicopter pilot. I am the youngest of four and the only one who got into aviation 

...Now my kids are 8 and 6 .... I am not going to push them anyway into aviation. The oldest loves to fly with me..maybe a third generation...who knows? My wife understands my passion..though sometimes she calls it an obsession.....It.s a very important factor that she understands and we are all OK with it .....

One of the reasons I changed from my two seat super motorglider to a mooney is that I can take more people and we can go with all the family..I stay prudent as with less tehn 100 Hrs on my J I concider myself a beginner.

In summer I am fedex when the family is abroad and I bring the cargo along...;-).We all love the Mooney in the family.. The bird stays as long as I will be able to afford it.....It's fantastic

Luc