Relieving in flight

A small hand towel is also nice to clean any spills.

Women pilots....sheesh, adult diapers are likely the easiest because of their "plumbing" and most glass seating positions.

Right.
But that isn't the whole story.

I always laughed when relief continued to be mentioned "every" weekend over almost 20 years. Dealing with new students and new owners, all the options were discussed. Repetitively. I always started by saying - it must be addressed if you want to be a more than 2 hours aloft pilot, cross-country or not. As a physiologic issue, it becomes a safety issue if 'ignored'.

On one of my early planned max-flight time straight outs, I proved that TWO diaper layers were not enough. I was happy to have a change of lower halfs on board. Since my landing was on an airfield seven and a half hours later, it was simple to clean up in the restroom and use fresh clothes.

I had tried the Willliams option of a soft funnel to an external bag and could not make it comfortable in a singleseater. Others might find it okay, depending on cockpit layout (trim location handles, stick boots, seat pan depth), chute straps and belts, and torso lengths.

Finally, when I began doing some long-duration wave flights (23 hours airborne in 36 hours), I found that self catheterization to a leg bag pair of 4 liters capacity was the right combination. I entered the cockpit with hose and shutoff down the interior of my pantsleg. Hookup to bags happened before seatbelts on and cockpit closed. For flights at multi-hours in Flight levels... the bags often froze, but not the leg lines. Towel for disconnect kept the glider clean.

Considering the additional inconvenience of having to have prescriptions for the equipment, per-flight expense,the discomfort, the potential for infection/etc. - I don't have much sympathy for worries of trimming hair, adhesive removal or failure of glue joints. You folks with hoses have it significantly easier.

If a gal wants to talk with me about it all, send her to me.

Cindy B

Thank you Cindy - your post is helpful. I never quite know what to suggest to my female XC students.

Today I use the Hollister brand male external catheter connected to a Bardia 2000ml hospital bag that lays on the floor near my ankle. It has a good anti reflux device built in. But the Bardia inlet tube is very hard plastic so I use a 6" relay of softer surgical tubing between the catheter and the tube that also has a shut off clip in it for extra security. I get about 20-25 flights out of a bag and occasionally rinse water through it. I throw away the bag and keep the surgical tube relay for reuse. A paper clip or twist tie is helpful to seal off the end of the catheter when exiting the glider to prevent leakage when you stand up wearing a catheter that has been used.

For many years I used the device called an "English Ice Bag" which actually works quite well, folds easily into a side pocket and is flexible and waterproof. I still keep one in my airplane flight kit. I have wondered if girls could use it too.

ROY

On Friday, December 22, 2017 at 7:37:56 AM UTC-8, Roy B. wrote:
Thank you Cindy - your post is helpful. I never quite know what to suggest to my female XC students.

Today I use the Hollister brand male external catheter connected to a Bardia 2000ml hospital bag that lays on the floor near my ankle. It has a good anti reflux device built in. But the Bardia inlet tube is very hard plastic so I use a 6" relay of softer surgical tubing between the catheter and the tube that also has a shut off clip in it for extra security. I get about 20-25 flights out of a bag and occasionally rinse water through it. I throw away the bag and keep the surgical tube relay for reuse. A paper clip or twist tie is helpful to seal off the end of the catheter when exiting the glider to prevent leakage when you stand up wearing a catheter that has been used.

For many years I used the device called an "English Ice Bag" which actually works quite well, folds easily into a side pocket and is flexible and waterproof. I still keep one in my airplane flight kit. I have wondered if girls could use it too.

ROY

An English ice bag... Are they legal?
Could be as difficult to find as a Thai bread box.
Jim

Thank you from a female perspective. I only know a few females that do longer flights, Doris Grove, my mother and a few female juniors from HHSC and Valley Soaring, I know there are others, I just don't know them. I never really had good options for any of them, the "adult diapers" was my only suggestion, sorta based on the glider. Sitting sorta upright can be a challenge (2-33 or 1-26), glass can be a real PITA, even for guys.

Lots of complicates solutions... I just use biodegradeble bags, one inside another, and toss them out of the window. No problems since 20+ years, even while flying a ridge.

See this Soaring magazine article for lots of details http://aviation.derosaweb.net/relief...ingMay2010.pdf

On 23/12/2017 05:12, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
Thank you from a female perspective. I only know a few females that do longer flights, Doris Grove, my mother and a few female juniors from HHSC and Valley Soaring, I know there are others, I just don't know them. I never really had good options for any of them, the "adult diapers" was my only suggestion, sorta based on the glider. Sitting sorta upright can be a challenge (2-33 or 1-26), glass can be a real PITA, even for guys.

The deluxe all-singing-and-several-thousand-dollars-dancing variety has
been produced for the US military (your taxes at work) and is called
AMXD - Advanced Mission Extender Device.

http://www.omnimedicalsys.com/index.php?page=products

--
GC

On Saturday, December 23, 2017 at 11:49:07 PM UTC-8, wrote:
On 23/12/2017 05:12, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
Thank you from a female perspective. I only know a few females that do longer flights, Doris Grove, my mother and a few female juniors from HHSC and Valley Soaring, I know there are others, I just don't know them. I never really had good options for any of them, the "adult diapers" was my only suggestion, sorta based on the glider. Sitting sorta upright can be a challenge (2-33 or 1-26), glass can be a real PITA, even for guys.

The deluxe all-singing-and-several-thousand-dollars-dancing variety has
been produced for the US military (your taxes at work) and is called
AMXD - Advanced Mission Extender Device.

http://www.omnimedicalsys.com/index.php?page=products

--
GC

One-stop shopping for all your hydration and relief needs!
Probably cheap, since we already paid for it.
Jim

In my Duo I drilled hole into seat at critical point and straight down through the Hull as well. Installed guide tube about 2cm ID,glassed to the inside of the Hull ending up at Seat level with loose wind closing flap on outside of Hull. Used a small teflon coated aluminium Tube about 50-60cm long to push through the guiding Tube. At the business end of the alu tube,connected piece flexible tube with a quick one way walve connection to the Condom. Also put a stopper (lid) on the guiding tube when not in use.
1. No contamination on glider as evacuation is quite some way away from Hull i.e. 40cm
2. No chance of freezing as tube is kept in the glider
3. Suction is so great that every last drop is removed from Tube ie. no mess
4. Use the Tube only when required, ie do not leave permanently in during flight.

However a word of advice when using this System, the Condom should not be fitted to close to the Tip if you are not circumcised as the Suction could pull your Foreskin and block the outlet on the Condom.

I started with a short section of thin walled plastic tube. Probably 5/8 inside diameter or pretty close to that. Drilled a hole large enough to fit the tube in the glider belly, just behind the stick. Drilled the same side hole in a small wood block, maybe 2x2x1. Push the tube through the hole in the wood block and out the belly, and glue the wood block to the floor (below the seat pan). Drill a hole in the seat pan, and trim the tube so that’s it’s flush with the outside of the glider and maybe 1/4 above the seat pan. Now you have a a sturdy channel to route your “pee tube� through. Make sure your “pee tube�is long enough to extend below the glider about 6 or 8 inches. If you don’t extend the far enough below the glider everything you send out will find its way back in via the wheel well, even with the doors closed.