Taking the Dogs on Vacation in Your Ideal Aircraft

Flying with canine companions can be fun as long as they have a comfortable place to sleep.

Jonathan Welsh

Monday, June 05, 2023 at 02:43 PM ET

Verified

Mozzie, our Australian cattle dog mix, enjoys his window seat. [Credit: Alexa Kemeny]

Key Takeaways:

A pilot successfully took his two dogs, Mozzie and Mingus, on their first long-distance flight to Maine in his new, smoother aircraft, "Annie," after years of anticipation and preparation.
Despite advice for short initial flights and one instance of motion sickness during turbulence, the dogs generally adapted well to flying, often sleeping during the journey.
The author found the experience, including handling a minor mess, to be manageable and enjoyable, highlighting the benefits of faster air travel compared to long car trips.

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After passing my check ride to become a certificated private pilot, I made a point of practicing solo flight for several months before taking my wife and sons aloft as passengers. Now that nearly a decade has passed since then, I have finally flown with our two dogs.

To be fair, we did not have Mozzie and Mingus back when I got my ticket, but still, for years I have wanted to take them on a trip. It seemed a little risky in the flying club’s Cessna 172, given the possibility of motion sickness. But now that we have “Annie,” our Commander 114B, which is very smooth in flight, we figured it was time. Besides, we could line the interior with protective padding to absorb any potential messes.