Using a MA on a plane..how do you install it?

[HIU8]

Sorry if this sounds stupid. The last time I fllew with DS's MA it was installed RF. How do you install a MA FF on a plane? Does the lap belt go through just like the lap portion when doing a seatbelt install in a car? If so, will I need to ask for the seatbelt extender to do the install? We are most likely flying USAir.

[o_mom]

Yep, the belt just goes through the FF belt path. Double check, but I think for a lap-only belt you route it under the LATCH bars.

If you don't do anything with the buckle, it will end up in the belt path with the lifting part facing the front of the seat. It can be hard to open it far enough to release the buckle when it is positioned that way. You can do one of two things for the buckle. You can flip the female end one half turn so that the part you lift will lift toward the back of the airplane seat. Or, you can get an extender, which gives you an additional release point.

[wencit]

Here are nice, detailed instructions from Karen (stillplayswithbarbies) from the Car Seat 101 thread. I bookmarked it for future reference. :)


Forward facing, if you are right handed, it is easier to do if you are on the left side of the plane as you are walking back, so when you book your flight ask for seats on that side. Here is how I do it:

1. ask for a seatbelt extender as soon as you walk on the plane. Without it, it will be hard to install and even harder to undo later. Raise the armrest all the way up.

2. hook the seatbelt extender to the male end of the buckle which is on the window side.

3. turn the carseat almost sideways on the seat so you can see where to thread the seatbelt through and thread it. As you thread it through, rotate the carseat into place.

4. you want the buckle part of the extender to be behind the carseat, and you need to twist it so the part you lift to open it is facing the back. Otherwise, it will keep catching on something and opening up as you try to tighten the seat.

5. thread the male end of the seatbelt extender through the path and hook it to the female end of the seatbelt, which is next to the middle seat

6. find the end of the strap from the seatbelt extender and smooth it out. You are going to pull on that to tighten everything up

7. tighten the real seatbelt first. You want the buckle from that to end up beside the seat, not behind it, so you want to tighten it up a lot. (but not all the way, you are going to use that last inch to so to get it real tight later)

8. pull on the end of the strap from the seatbelt extender until you take up all the slack behind the seat. You need to be pulling straight out to the side, not at an angle up or down. Put your weight on the carseat while you pull and bounce a little to get it to go tight. If it starts pulling the other buckle into the path to go behind the seat, stop and tighten the other buckle enough so that doesn't happen.

9. finish up by bouncing in the carseat and pulling straight down on the strap of the real seatbelt. This is where the strength of your right hand is important and why you sit on the left side. I would never be able to do this with my left hand. I sometimes put my knee on the strap and use my weight to get it tight while pushing down on the carseat with my hand

10. stand up and wipe the sweat from your brow. It's a workout.