Jake Brodsky wrote in message . ..

We flew with my daughter here and there until she was about 13 months
old. After that, my wife's mobility was getting limited by pregnancy
again, and the logistics of managing a baby on an airfield by one's
self are not nearly easy as it might first seem.

I guess I'm not sure what you mean by that?

We really didn't have any problems. I used the horizontal
stabilizer as a changing table. I can tell you how to clear
out a pilot's lounge full of sedentary older men who won't
give you a seat in a big hurry . People were really nice
about giving us a run into town if we needed more diapers
or something. The smallest things fascinate little kids, so
entertainment is not an issue.

MUCH MUCH harder to handle a baby on a commercial flight, solo.
Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh.

Be interested to know what you found to be concerns?

Our airplane, a Cardinal FG, isn't particularly noisy and
the back seat is far enough away from the engine and propeller that
noise isn't overwhelming.

I gotta say something here.

DH is EH&S among other professions so we borrowed a portable dosimeter
(noise level measure). Taxi in a small plane is about 75 dB, comparable
to a car on the highway.

Takeoff is 98 dB, more than 16x higher. Cruise about 92 in our plane,
16x higher. Objectively, this *is* a level of noise that can cause
hearing damage upon repeated exposure of sufficient duration.

I don't know what you perceive as "not particularly noisy" but
I didn't notice the Cardinal I flew in being particularly any
quieter than other planes.

Personally, our plane will not leave the ground unless our daughter
is wearing hearing protection. We want to preserve her hearing until
she's old enough to go to rock concerts or take up playing the drums
and ruin it on her own. *g*

Let me mention this one bit of caution for later: As with a car, KIDS
BELONG IN THE BACK SEAT. Do not put them in the co-pilot's seat until
you can be SURE they won't do something impulsive or stupid, such as
bring their feet up to push the flight controls.

Concur.

At age 3 1/2, our dd is only just now being allowed to sit in the
front seat for short flights as long as she is having a good day
and can "listen to our words". And, we have another adult in
back who is prepared to drag her into the back seat if she doesn't.
VMC only.

Cheers,
Sydney