My Cross Country In Flight Dining Strategy

[201er]

Just thought I'd share my in-flight dining strategy as I do a lot of non-stop cross country flying in excess of 5 hours (9 being the most so far). It's difficult to eat while flying. I'm usually too focused, too busy, and the whole altitude/turbulence thing does a thing to appetite. Still, I'll get hungry and need the energy to stay awake and focused so it's more like forcing myself to eat. I try to get some fresh bagels of different kinds without anything on them (so they don't run or get messy). I can eat them a little at a time without much mess. They are quite filling. I'll also get a bag of pistachio nuts and just keep munching on those, keeps me busy. I bring a big bottle of sweetened iced tea and drink a little at a time. But I limit myself to one bottle of that and drink water the rest of the time. Gets me through those 7-9 hours flights in my extended range 201

 

Anyone else have some ideas to share? Anybody serve up a gourmet 3 course meal to their passengers? Tips and tricks about eating without shoving it in your mic every time?

[fantom]

Mike, you're slipping. No poll?

[201er]

You really wanna vote on how gourmet is your cockpit?

[bnicolette]

Split in the back seats makes a perfect bottle holder and then snack bars.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Marauder]

Mike, you're slipping. No poll?

 

Not only is there no poll but he also them out of order. It's food, then MHC, then bathroom. What is he thinking?!

[Jeff_S]

The thought of spending more than 4 hours in my cockpit without a break is not appealing, or appetizing. I do take along some PB&Honey sandwiches to eat at ground stops, though.

[1964-M20E]

Well my flight attendant usually take care of inflight snack and beverages

fresh homemade cookies

[fantom]

Not only is there no poll but he also them out of order. It's food, then MHC, then bathroom. What is he thinking?!

 

I'm not talking to you after your insulting my already long suffering  wife

[N201MKTurbo]

Peanut M&Ms beef jerky and Pringles. Bananas are always good.

[Hank]

I generally hit the drive through window on the way to the airport. My wife also packs a great travel bag whenever we're traveling together. Water bottles stand up between the seats. Just don't take anything messy, drippy or that requires shelling. (Pistachios? Really??)

Peanut butter crackers work well, eaten one at a time. A full mouth guarantees a radio call, too.

[201er]

(Pistachios? Really??)

I fly 5-8 hour xcountrys solo. What else is there to do? It keeps me fed and keeps me busy. I keep the bag of nuts inside a plastic bag and discard the shells right in there. It's hard to have big/heavy food while flying. Even a proper sandwich is a bit much to handle. Just your luck ATC calls when your mouth is full

[Marauder]

Not only is there no poll but he also them out of order. It's food, then MHC, then bathroom. What is he thinking?! I'm not talking to you after your insulting my already long suffering wife

She seemed happy when I was with her You interested in mine? Mine said she likes the way you post and asked me to a send a picture of her for you. I think she likes you!

[PilotKen]

Trail mix is good for normal flights. But on some 10 hour flight days, when you don't have time to drive off airport at an intermediate stop something more is required. A ferry pilot gave me a tip about some of the hormell heat-n-serve meals (basically a civilian MRE). Just put it near the heater duct, crank it on high for a few minutes and instant fuel! Calling it food is questionable... Of course an autopilot is pretty handy.

[yvesg]

Don't forget to clean-up after. When others were flying. the Mooney, kids dropping crumbles attracted families of mice into the airplane when parked!

[Jamie]

How can you guys sit that long?? I want to fly to Orlando later this year... it's only 3ish hours, and I'm planning a stop on the way.

 

That said, the autopilot is the best thing since sliced bread. It's like putting the video game on pause. Turbulence is the only limit to what you can reasonably eat.

 

This is kind of a cross over between this and a certain other thread, but all I'll say in this one is that I really, really need to quit caffeine again. Then I could eat and drink a lot more than I'm willing to now.

[fantom]

You interested in mine? ImageUploadedByTapatalk1370915076.727909.jpg

 

No thanks, but it's good to see you're raising your standards  .

[1964-M20E]

How can you guys sit that long?? I want to fly to Orlando later this year... it's only 3ish hours, and I'm planning a stop on the way.

 

That said, the autopilot is the best thing since sliced bread. It's like putting the video game on pause. Turbulence is the only limit to what you can reasonably eat.

 

This is kind of a cross over between this and a certain other thread, but all I'll say in this one is that I really, really need to quit caffeine again. Then I could eat and drink a lot more than I'm willing to now.

I do the route from NEW to ORL regularly with no stops not too much further than for you. The first time we went I did make one stop in CTY for cheaper fuel and bathroom break. Since then we have done it ion one shot 3.5 to 4 hours with only one exception when we were bucking a hellacious headwind. The bathroom and fuel stop adds to your ETA.

[Marauder]

You interested in mine? ImageUploadedByTapatalk1370915076.727909.jpg No thanks, but it's good to see you're raising your standards .

Are you sure? Missing a great lady, even if she has tobacco breath.

[NotarPilot]

I find that protein bars work pretty well for flights of several hours and they're not messy.

[Seth]

Chewy Granola Bars, Gummy Bears (love me some gummy bears - so not good for you and I find I only eat them as a treat when flying now), and sometimes other assorted snacks. 

 

I only drink liquid once I'm about 1.5 hours from landing, and only really drink more than sip or two once 45 minutes out if I'm not having any bladder issues.

 

A good trick to help you be less thirsty when you still have more than 1.5 hours left on your flight is to sip a very small amount of water and swish it all over your mouth.  Then gargle it, continue to swish, and then swallow.  It makes you much less thirsty.  Also, if I'm not flying for the remainder of the day, once I do land, I down a full bottle of water and rehydrate as I know from both not drinking too much before the flight and not drinking during the flight, I'm dehydrated even if I don't feel it.  If you seem thirsty anytime, it already means you are dehydrated.

 

-Seth

[teethdoc]

I find that protein bars work pretty well for flights of several hours and they're not messy.

Protien bars lead to the need for a pit stop for me.  5hr without a break sounds excrutiating to me.

[kmyfm20s]

Subway foot long for me, they generally dont put to much meat on them and the bread and vegies settle well for long flights. Protien bars can really kick start the GI tract so I usually stay away from the heavy protiens with exception of beef jerky. Crackers, trail mix are great and sunflowers seeds keep me busy and awake for the long hauls.

[David Mazer]

Chewy Granola Bars, Gummy Bears (love me some gummy bears - so not good for you and I find I only eat them as a treat when flying now), and sometimes other assorted snacks. 

 

I only drink liquid once I'm about 1.5 hours from landing, and only really drink more than sip or two once 45 minutes out if I'm not having any bladder issues.

 

A good trick to help you be less thirsty when you still have more than 1.5 hours left on your flight is to sip a very small amount of water and swish it all over your mouth.  Then gargle it, continue to swish, and then swallow.  It makes you much less thirsty.  Also, if I'm not flying for the remainder of the day, once I do land, I down a full bottle of water and rehydrate as I know from both not drinking too much before the flight and not drinking during the flight, I'm dehydrated even if I don't feel it.  If you seem thirsty anytime, it already means you are dehydrated.

 

-Seth

Without trying to be too critical of Seth, his strategy is a great recipe for dehydration and diminished capacity.  Unfortunately, we don't have bladders like frogs since they can reabsorb water if they get dehydrated from their bladders.  In addition, we need to produce urine regardless of our fluid intake.  A further loss of fluids, called insensible loss, occurs from breathing and through the skin (think sweat).  The best way to keep hydrated and extend your range and maintain your faculties at your highest level is to drink small amounts on a regular basis trying to just replace the amount of urine being produced and replacing insensible loss.  A few sips of water every 10 -15 min is likely to produce the best results.  Slugging down water is fine to replete after dehydration  but will likely over-shoot and cause your body to create urine faster which, since we aren't the aforementioned frogs, is unrecoverable and, worse, forces other needs contrary to the stated goal of greater duration.  Not drinking anything will extend your range but diminish your ability to fly well, a primary concern IMHO, and may cause other problems like a urinary tract infection or kidney damage.  Kidney damage is rare and very unlikely under these conditions unless one has underlying kidney disease already and not know it.

 

Considering the ubiquitous autopilot, urine bags work great with the appropriate company on board.  That solves the range and potential dehydration issue all at the same time.  Just knowing the bag is available is often enough to eliminate the psychologically generated need to go and extends your range.  They are cheap, small, work well considering the other facilities available (not), and readily available.

 

Sorry, I just felt I had to chime in about this because of the potential damage dehydration can cause in flight and after.

David

[GaryP1007]

Man I am getting old.  My sciatica is screaming at the 2.5 hour mark.  I can go till 3 but after that I would need to jump out of the plane.

[Joe Zuffoletto]

I often do 3 to 4 hour legs, usually wearing an O2 mask (cannulas dry out my nostrils and give me nosebleeds). Anything with onions or spices is out because I don't like to rebreathe smelly burps. Granola bars, Pringles and water are what I usually take. I sip water continuously throughout the flight.