Flying with Kids

Pia Bergqvist

Thursday, August 30, 2012 at 02:16 AM ET

Verified

George Kounis

Key Takeaways:

The author successfully introduced her three-year-old son to flying using the FAA-approved CARES child restraint system, which improved headset comfort but required a pillow to enhance his view.
Key safety considerations for flying with young children include preventing access to flight controls during critical phases, ensuring pilot communication can be isolated, and planning for additional supervision on longer flights.
Overall, the experience was positive, and the author recommends flying with children, emphasizing the importance of implementing appropriate safety measures and making necessary adjustments for their comfort and security.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Last weekend, I placed my three-year-old son Benjamin in the co-pilot’s seat of a Piper Archer for the first time. We were going to visit my friends George and John Kounis at an airport nearby and meet their new puppy, Radar. I was really excited to take Benjamin up for a flight and, while I made some mistakes, I wasn’t disappointed.

This was also the first time I tried out the FAA-approved CARES child restraint system, which straps onto the backrest of the seat. Previously I have moved Benjamin’s car seat into the airplane and, in addition to it being a hassle to move the big, clunky car seat, its headrests crunched Benjamin’s headsets uncomfortably around his head, so he would promptly remove them. But now there were no space restrictions and Benjamin kept his headset on.