Preparing for a XC : Bathroom Breaks

On Thu, 25 Jan 2007 17:07:06 -0500, in
, john smith wrote:
The least expensive, resuable relief bottle I have found is a Rubbermaid
2-liter decanter with screw on lid. It has the largest opening of any
container short of a paint can.

I prefer the 3-liter plastic Coke bottles or the 64-oz Gatorade bottles...
The Gatorade bottles at least have an acceptable size opening... The
3-liter Coke bottles require a bit more concentration... The 2-liter
bottles should only be used with a funnel or condom type catheter...

On Wed, 24 Jan 2007 20:15:26 -0500, in
, TF wrote:

snip

http://www.aopa.org/asf/publications...m?article=4985

Paul kgyy wrote:
And remember not to key the mike when you ask your copilot to pass the bag.

LOL - also note that if you're IFR, use of the device will
automatically trigger a course change request from ATC.

"We have a new route for you, ready to copy" ATC shorthand for "spill
the bottle".

Gel Pacs rule. In tight cockpits, external catheters rule the rule.

Peter R. wrote:
One tip, though: Don't bother hooking up a funnel and hose to the jug. This
will result in a most undesirable backflow.

This is what Usenet is all about: learning from other people's mistakes.

.... Alan
--
Alan Gerber
PP-ASEL
gerber AT panix DOT com

Grumman-581 wrote:
I remember bitching about my expresso maker when it claimed that it made 6
cups... It made 2 at best and I'm not even sure they were a full 8 ounces...

Well, espresso is served in those tiny little "cups", right? That's
probably what they meant.

I've got a four-cup coffee pot that makes two mugs of coffee. It's
theoretically four six-ounce cups, but it's actually closer to five ounces
each. I tried pouring water in from a measuring cup instead of using the
pot one time, and it went all over the counter.

.... Alan
--
Alan Gerber
PP-ASEL
gerber AT panix DOT com

I spent a few months living in a rainforest. We slept in hammocks, and
it was a significant hassle to get up in the night and relieve oneself.
At the end of each day we were typically a little dehydrated from the
day's exertions. The method I used to get hydrated but not need to go
for the 8 hours of night was as follows:

Drink A LOT of water between around 4pm and 5pm - more than I wanted
to. Then sip very small amounts for the next 4 hours. I found I needed
to relieve myself quite a few times for the first 2-3 hours, then less
and less so. Then go to bed. I reliably did not need to get up in the
night. No doubt the physiology is different for night vs day, but I'm
betting the same method would work for flying (although I haven't tried
it).

As some people have said, you need to avoid diuretics like caffeine.

Tom


On Jan 25, 7:41 pm, Alan Gerber wrote:
Grumman-581 wrote:
I remember bitching about my expresso maker when it claimed that it made 6
cups... It made 2 at best and I'm not even sure they were a full 8 ounces...Well, espresso is served in those tiny little "cups", right? That's
probably what they meant.

I've got a four-cup coffee pot that makes two mugs of coffee. It's
theoretically four six-ounce cups, but it's actually closer to five ounces
each. I tried pouring water in from a measuring cup instead of using the
pot one time, and it went all over the counter.

... Alan
--
Alan Gerber
PP-ASEL
gerber AT panix DOT com

"Alan Gerber" wrote

This is what Usenet is all about: learning from other people's mistakes.

How true.

If you were to use a small vent tube in addition to the flow tube, that
would eliminate the backup problem. It is just another point of leakage, so
to speak.
--
Jim in NC

On Fri, 26 Jan 2007 00:41:57 +0000, in ,
Alan Gerber wrote:
Well, espresso is served in those tiny little "cups", right? That's
probably what they meant.

OK, this got me a bit curious, so I did a bit of measuring... My normal
coffee "cup" is basically cylinder shaped with approximately a 2-7/8"
inside diameter and a 3-7/8" height... Leaving about 3/4" from being full
so that I have room to add sugar and cream to it in addition to not
spilling it while walking, I get 10 oz of coffee in it... The little wimpy
"cup" that Grace uses turns out to give exactly 8 oz with the same basic
space left at the top... Of course, if I'm seriously caffeine deprived, I
have mugs that are considerably larger... They'll probably take the entire
expresso pot and have quite a bit of room left over...

I've got a four-cup coffee pot that makes two mugs of coffee. It's
theoretically four six-ounce cups, but it's actually closer to five
ounces each. I tried pouring water in from a measuring cup instead of
using the pot one time, and it went all over the counter.

Been there, done that... These damn companies need to learn that if they
are going to use the word "cup", it means 8 oz... These little 2-3 oz
espresso containers are not "cups"...

On Thu, 25 Jan 2007 22:40:23 -0500, in ,
Morgans wrote:
If you were to use a small vent tube in addition to the flow tube, that
would eliminate the backup problem. It is just another point of
leakage, so to speak.

Of course, some of have aircraft with canopies, so theoretically, all we
need to do is slow to an acceptable speed, slide back the canopy, and pee
off the side... grin

Come to think of it, drilling a hole in the floor and running a tube
through there for a relief tube is starting to sound a lot better...

writes:

Drink A LOT of water between around 4pm and 5pm - more than I wanted
to. Then sip very small amounts for the next 4 hours. I found I needed
to relieve myself quite a few times for the first 2-3 hours, then less
and less so. Then go to bed. I reliably did not need to get up in the
night. No doubt the physiology is different for night vs day, but I'm
betting the same method would work for flying (although I haven't tried
it).

Renal activity does indeed slow during sleep, so you produce less
urine during the night than you do during the day, all else being
equal. Urine production steps up again as you approach the morning
and your usual time for waking up.

However, the procedure you describe is entirely reasonable and will
help avoid nighttime trips to the toilet. If you drink more water
than you need, your kidneys will usually remove it in 2-3 hours at
most. After that, you will simply be fully hydrated, and you won't
produce an excess of urine unless other factors (like caffeine or
cold) intervene.

A consequence of this is that sleeping in the cockpit would allow you
to go longer without a full bladder, but unfortunately this has other
undesirable effects.

--
Transpose mxsmanic and gmail to reach me by e-mail.