The First Flight of ToddlerAir

BOEING 737-800 REPLICA COCKPIT AND CABIN FEATURED AND SHARED ON:

Michael and his daughter planespotting in NJ, Summer 2014

Michael and his Father after his first flight at the controls in 1995.

My 2 year old daughter took a recent interest the Microsoft Flight Simulator. As one thing leads to another with toddlers, It only seemed fitting that I built her a scaled replica 737-800 in our living room. There was no limit to her imagination. Our passengers were mainly stuffed animals. The first Flight of 'ToddlerAir' is available on YouTube

Just to be clear, I don't current hold a commercial or even private pilot's license. My background in design and branding. Most the visuals in the Toddler Flight Simulator stem from my interest in aviation and short film making background. The 'aircraft' seen is most made of foam board, an skill one would only gain in art school. I logged a brief few hours in 2006 towards my private pilot's license training from Linden Airport with Pegasus Flight School.

My motivation for creating the role-playing game and "flight simulator" happened during moment of inspiration over the recent Thanksgiving weekend. I had the plan to fly my flight simulator when I quickly had the idea of involving my daughter by quickly arranging her small chairs in front of the simulator. She enthusiastically joined in brought her stuffed animals and dolls to "sit" in the chairs and took special care to buckle everyone in. This combination of my interests in aviation created an arena for my daughter's growing imagination.

Initial build of the 737-800 Exterior and Cockpit

I also want to credit my father in the times we would go plane spotting at our local airports, and especially the hours we logged in the Microsoft Flight Simulator (editions 1995-1998). Thats there we continued logging our time in the viral cockpit.

I've also shared flight recently over the summer. We took to a regional airport that offered dinning directly adjacent to the taxi way and airport. If you're in the area or need a quick fly in, go for Lincoln Park AIrport in NJ. The close up view gave my daughter the chance to watch various Cessnas come and go and student helicopter train.

In closing the film and simulator setup became a unique combination of my film, storytelling and aviation interests that crossed into parenthood. The piece is equally a early parenthood story as much as it is flight. Especially how my daughter enjoy the acting out of the process of airliner travel. (Of which she is yet to even do) Perhaps this experience will prepare her for that journey soon.

I also want to personal thank, Mary Kirby of The Runway Network for first sharing our piece with the aviation community in December 2014, You can read her original piece here.