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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.

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

Key Takeaways:

  • A private pilot embarked on his first long-distance flight with his two dogs, Mozzie and Mingus, to Maine in his new, smooth-flying Commander 114B "Annie."
  • Despite initial advice for shorter flights, the 337 nm trip included preparations like Mutt Muffs (which the dogs didn't use for long) and cabin padding for potential motion sickness.
  • During the outbound flight, one dog experienced motion sickness due to turbulence, but the pilot found the clean-up manageable, comparing it to traveling with small children.
  • The return journey was uneventful with both dogs sleeping soundly, leading the pilot to conclude that flying with pets offers the joys of family travel with significantly reduced transit times.
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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.

Jonathan Welsh

Jonathan Welsh is Lead Editor of Aviation Consumer and a private pilot who worked as a reporter, editor and columnist with the Wall Street Journal for 21 years, mostly covering the auto industry. His passion for aviation began in childhood with balsa-wood gliders his aunt would buy for him at the corner store. Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanWelsh4

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