Fear Of Flying ???

[KTMFactoryRider]

I have found this website that has been a HUGE HUGE help to me, and it's free! There are additional things you can choose to pay for. But this captain explains EVERYTHING, from what planes feel like when they're turning, or landing, and even what the engine change noises are.

 

Check it out here:

 

http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/

 

This is a great web site and it really does help!

[golfer1966]

Is there anyone left with a "Fear Of Flying"??????

 

My Husband booked us on a perfect cruise of the Capitals of Europe. I am so looking forward to expieriencing that with him.

 

I truly have a fear of flying. I spent $39.00 on a "Fear Of Flying Video" that was usless. I certainly won't be afraid of turbulance but that won't get me thru the rest of the flight.

 

I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gotten over the "Fear of Flying". Thank You. Brigitte

 

 

I was flying home from Myrtle Beach with some buddies and the flight home was terrible...bounce, bounce, twist, drop....all the way... I vowed I would not fly again. So about a year later my wife bought us a trip for my birthday to the Bahama's. I was pumped...I can do it I said to myself. Well, at the airport I backed out of the trip. I was terrified. My friends and my wife continued on without me. On the drive home I felt like the biggest baby ever. So, then a year later my best friends asked me to go to Germany for Octoberfest. I quickly agreed and figured once again....I can do it. Well, on the way to the airport I was drinking and taking Xanex...etc I was high as a kite. The plane took off with me on it this time and I was scared and sweating, but after the plane leveled off I was fine. The flight home was ok too, so was I cured....kind of. I started thinking....yes even though the flight from Myrtle was rough, we still made it. Now my wife and I travel allot and Im a frequent flier on several airlines and I personally think I am cured. Sure there is always that anxiety right before take off but I think everyone is a little nervous about flying. I think most peoples problems are all about control, lets face it, you dont have control of the plane...thats what it really is. Not being smart, you need to get this into your head...( as did I ) how many planes take off and land every minute of the day...thousands and millions of people flying all at once. We, as fearful fliers think of the bad, that one plane crash. Could we be on it...sure, but the odds are in your favor that you wont be. You need to focus on the ending of the flight...IM GOING ON VACATION....read a book, have a cocktail try and relax. Once you accept that its ok to be scared and realize you wont see 3/4 of the things in this great world unless you fly, the sooner you will tolerate the flights. I know your scared, but keep your chin up and know there is a 99.99 chance youll arrive safely. Sure there will be turbulance, but that is comon and the planes are built to take it. Secondly, I know allot of people who will not fly since 9/11. Ironically I was on a flight bound for Orlando on 9/11. We just flew over DC and the pilot was like ...if you look out the right side of the planem you can see the Monument....Washinton DC area. One hour later we landed and the 1st plane hit the WTC an dthey were just starting to ground planes. So, now allot of people wont fly becuase of this. Thats why I dont mind when the go through my luggage of question me. It shows me the Security is working and I feel safer. I hope this helps you ....!! Try and relax and have a great cruise.

[nellydean]

on our first trip abroad with the kids to Spain, my son looked out of the window and said Are we going to the moon?

I said: I hope we're not flying that high!

 

He just called me this morning from Malaysia after a 15-hour business trip flight - and I was the one over the moon this time :)

[masonpips]

I first flew when I was 19 years old. Two flights that day: Indy to Nashville (went fine and although I felt like I was in a rocket ship on take-off, going straight up, the rest was easy). 2nd flight that day was Nashville to Houston. After we got up in the air to a cruising altitude, the plane started to descend very rapidly and the oxygen masks came down.

 

That sealed my fate. I have been petrified ever since (they thought we lost cabin pressure, we did not, and no oxygen ever came through the mask, but still....). I nearly threw up later that summer when I got on another plane.

 

Since then I've been in a plane hit by lightening (VERY loud boom but no motion change) and had a HORRIBLE take-off at DFW where the plane bobbled and the pilot bobbled it back the other way and we seriously thought we were going to roll the plane.

 

I've read many books (Fear of Flying is very good), looked at that website, drank myself into dullness, taken valium and I'm still afraid.

 

I *hate* taking off. Once we're up and cruising, I'm usually ok. I do ok on the descent unless there are storms. I've flown in the jump seat of an Embracer 38 seater (our company uses one as a shuttle and I had a friend in the aviation dept). That did help but nothing is going to "cure" me. It doesn't help that I'm a control freak and obviously you have no control once in a plane.

 

So, I do it and it doesn't limit my life or my job, but I do *not* (and will never) like it.

[TahoeBob]

I still believe that if we were meant to fly God would have given us wings :)

But people go swiming and we don't have gills;)

[PVDCruiser]

My husband always listens to the cock pit channel while on the plane - not sure if all airlines have it, but it is literally a transmission of what the pilot and co-pilot are saying, and their interaction with the ground. This terrifies me, but for those who like to see the stewardesses in action, it is the ultimate confirmation that everything is under control.

 

I think only United has that - channel 9 perhaps?

 

Yes, I'm a geek. :D

[coast2coast]

I am not a good flier either. However, ever since 9/11, strange as it sounds, I'm a better flier than I used to be. Turbulence is what freaks me out the most. And since 9/11, I figure there are worse things than having turbulence on a plane.

I have flown out to CA two times with just my DD. At the ripe old age of 7, she is a much better flier than I am. Nothing about flying seems to bother her. She's a great traveler... and I think it rubs off a little on me.

 

I have found that sometimes reading a book just doesn't do it for me on a plane (although I'm an avid reader on the ground!). I need something that requires a little "brainwork" to keep my mind off flying. For my last few flying trips, I've bought one of those magazines that has all of the different "puzzles" in it (crossword, etc.). For some reason, it seems to make the time pass faster, too.

On our way back from CA last month, we were on a Song Airlines plane from Salt Lake City to Atlanta. It was a great plane, because even in "regular coach", everyone had their own video screen in the back of the seat in front of them. Not only were there movies to watch, but also trivia games and music to listen to. However, my favorite channel was watching the map that shows where the plane is, how fast it's flying, altitude, etc. Don't know why, but it calms me a bit to know where I am during those turbulent times.

As far as turbulence goes, I've found that I'm starting to handle that a bit better. As long as the flight attendants are still walking around, I'm ok. However, on our flight back from Belize in '98, we had a VERY bumpy ride, and there was a time when the pilot ordered the flight attendants to get to their seats. Needless to say, I was just a *little* freaked out!

[medfordgirl]

and here it was, I thought I was the only one with this kind of fear. So much so that in the last 21 years, I have flown only once. My DH made me. One time we had a flight payed for (before we were married) and l was so scared, hyperventilating, you name it, that I cancelled it and I took a greyhound. Dh stayed home. It was my 25 class reuinion. Now my 30th reuinion is coming up and I don't think I can go because no way I can leave dh home and he wouldn't let me take a bus. The problem is that all our cruises are out of Florida (our home) getting a little bored with same ole same ole. Dh wants to try Alaska and new england/canada and europe but I AM THE PROBLEM. That one time I flew with him I took 3 xanax and 3 drinks and was still scared. I will try those websites and is valium stronger than xanax?

[TNT]

My first flight was to Hawaii. I wasn't scared at all, flew probably 50 times after that...THEN...one bad flight and I have been afraid ever since. I take 10-15 mg of valium (depending on length of flight). My doc says Xanax will get me through take off, but not all the way through. I am wide awake, the valium doesn't make me sleepy, but I'm not anxious. It really helps. I know I'm safer in the plane than in the car on the way to the airport etc. Tell it to someone else, just give me my valium.;)

[masonpips]

I know I'm safer in the plane than in the car on the way to the airport etc. Tell it to someone else, just give me my valium.;)

 

See, that is KEY! I know rationally that I am safer in a plane than car/bus, etc. Fear doesn't care. People who don't have this fear don't care. They think the logic and statistics should make your fear disappear. It doesn't work.

 

It is nice to know I'm not alone in this!

[KKeeganS]

I think only United has that - channel 9 perhaps?

 

Yes, I'm a geek. :D

 

Geeks rule! United may have it, but we don't fly United so at least one other airline (maybe American?) must have it as well.

 

 

It is nice to know there are so many others out there who "get it". DH is good about it, but he doesn't feel the moments of sheer terror that I do at times on a plane. Let's just hope we don't all end up on a fight together, freaking each other out ;)

 

Happy, safe travels to all!

[CruiseCrAzieS]

I think only United has that - channel 9 perhaps?

 

Yes, I'm a geek.

 

That is one reason I love to fly United because YES indeed e do, they have that sweet sweet channel that lets you hear air traffic control!!!!!! :D I absolutely HATE flying and have panic attacks before I even get to the airport, :o I felt SO much better being able to hear air traffic control on our United flights, I would know ahead of time when our plane was going to turn right or left, drop or gain altitude and so on, it made me feel very informed! I have flown on many other airlines but United is the only one that we have flown that had this option! It is crazy but I always feel like the "nut job" on the plane in a panic while everyone else on the plane is snoozing before the plane even takes off!!!! :eek: HOW DO THEY DO THAT???? Some one would have to seriously knock me out to get me to sleep on a plane.....I don't want to miss my spiraling, flaming hurl towords earth ya know!!! :o

[Daghis]

As far as I'm aware, only United (and Ted) have the ATC channel. You can't hear what's being said between the Captain and the First Officer, but you can hear whatever's going between them and ATC, as well as the communications between ATC and other aircraft in the area.

 

I'm lucky to be a Private Pilot myself. I think it's a great experience for someone to be able to fly a little plane and get an understanding of just how these things work.

 

An acquaintance of mine came visiting to Pittsburgh and wanted to meet me. I offered to take her up for an aerial tour of downtown and then head down to a nice diner in West Virginia. The only problem was that she was afraid of flying. She had said that her anxiety was so high that she was holding the plane up by sheer force of the grip of her hands on the armrests.

 

She decided that it was too good of an opportunity to pass up, so she was going to try to put her fear aside and see how it went.

 

I gave her a rather thorough overview of my preflight process, explaining what the different components did and how they helped the plane fly. I showed her the instruments, especially the radios since she'd be able to hear the ATC communication and, in the unlikely event of an emergency, they'd be able to help her. I was very deliberate in all of my actions, trying to exude confidence.

 

It worked. She was a little nervous in the beginning, but sitting up front where you get to watch everything that happens and listening to the pilot talking with ATC so that she understood why I might be turning the plane or getting ready to descend to an airport really helped her feel more of a part of the process, not just someone who is out of control in the backseat.

 

She did get a little curious when we arrived at our destination (untowered) airport. I spoke a lot on the radio to tell anyone listening where I was (as is good practice, to self-announce one's position regularly to help other planes find you) and she wondered why no one was listening. She was amused to find that I was making these same position announcements regardless of whether anyone was listening... just in case another aircraft in the area was.

 

Anyway, after that trip, she reported that her flights back to California were completely uneventful and calm. This one experience with me had "cured" her fear of flying.

 

While I won't take all the credit for her being willing to go through her own psychological transformation, I'm very glad that I was able to be a catalyst for it.

[PVDCruiser]

As far as I'm aware, only United (and Ted) have the ATC channel. You can't hear what's being said between the Captain and the First Officer, but you can hear whatever's going between them and ATC, as well as the communications between ATC and other aircraft in the area.

 

I'm lucky to be a Private Pilot myself. I think it's a great experience for someone to be able to fly a little plane and get an understanding of just how these things work.

 

An acquaintance of mine came visiting to Pittsburgh and wanted to meet me. I offered to take her up for an aerial tour of downtown and then head down to a nice diner in West Virginia. The only problem was that she was afraid of flying. She had said that her anxiety was so high that she was holding the plane up by sheer force of the grip of her hands on the armrests.

 

She decided that it was too good of an opportunity to pass up, so she was going to try to put her fear aside and see how it went.

 

I gave her a rather thorough overview of my preflight process, explaining what the different components did and how they helped the plane fly. I showed her the instruments, especially the radios since she'd be able to hear the ATC communication and, in the unlikely event of an emergency, they'd be able to help her. I was very deliberate in all of my actions, trying to exude confidence.

 

It worked. She was a little nervous in the beginning, but sitting up front where you get to watch everything that happens and listening to the pilot talking with ATC so that she understood why I might be turning the plane or getting ready to descend to an airport really helped her feel more of a part of the process, not just someone who is out of control in the backseat.

 

She did get a little curious when we arrived at our destination (untowered) airport. I spoke a lot on the radio to tell anyone listening where I was (as is good practice, to self-announce one's position regularly to help other planes find you) and she wondered why no one was listening. She was amused to find that I was making these same position announcements regardless of whether anyone was listening... just in case another aircraft in the area was.

 

Anyway, after that trip, she reported that her flights back to California were completely uneventful and calm. This one experience with me had "cured" her fear of flying.

 

While I won't take all the credit for her being willing to go through her own psychological transformation, I'm very glad that I was able to be a catalyst for it.

 

I gotta get started on lessons one day...

[brigittetom]

Again, Thank you all for your responses and stories. This is truly helping me. Unfortunately we don't fly until September so I probably should have waited until then to start this thread.

I had a wonderful expieirence way back when I was flying back from Germany with my mom. Young children were invited to view the cockpit. I wanted to see also. I was 18, not one of the ones invited but was allowed to go. The Captain put me in the copilate seat and I was allowed to actually put my hands on the controls. He then told me to turn to the left, a little more to the left. I was, in my mind, flying the plane. Well, it took me years to figure out that obviously I was not flying the plane. But what a great expierince.

Thank you all for sharing your expierineces. It truly is helping me getting ready to fly agin. And It's also nice to know that I'm not alone. Brigitte

[Grumm]

Is there anyone left with a "Fear Of Flying"??????

 

My Husband booked us on a perfect cruise of the Capitals of Europe. I am so looking forward to expieriencing that with him.

 

I truly have a fear of flying. I spent $39.00 on a "Fear Of Flying Video" that was usless. I certainly won't be afraid of turbulance but that won't get me thru the rest of the flight.

 

I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has gotten over the "Fear of Flying". Thank You. Brigitte

 

Brigitte

 

I was afflicted with a terror of flying for many years and then I spoke to my cousin who was a fighter pilot in Desert Storm and now works for a commercial airline. His simple advice was "Watch the cabin crew. If they're going about their normal business, there is no problem". The best flying advice I ever received! Hope this helps.

 

Alan

[brigittetom]

Grumm, That's exactly what I do. I did have one flight where the attendants did not exibit calm. It was a horrible flight thru a thunderstorm. One of the attendants announced loudly for all of us to hear that she was going to be sick which she proceeded to do. Granted, that was an unusual flight. That was the flight that gave me the Fear of Flying.

Your advice is right on and that's exactly what I do, watch the flight attendants. I just wish in the meantime I could be more entertained or go to sleep. Thank you. Brigitte

[Grumm]

Grumm, That's exactly what I do. I did have one flight where the attendants did not exibit calm. It was a horrible flight thru a thunderstorm. One of the attendants announced loudly for all of us to hear that she was going to be sick which she proceeded to do. Granted, that was an unusual flight. That was the flight that gave me the Fear of Flying.

 

Your advice is right on and that's exactly what I do, watch the flight attendants. I just wish in the meantime I could be more entertained or go to sleep. Thank you. Brigitte

 

Brigitte

 

That was a bad experience and pretty unprofessional of the cabin attendant. Maybe it's worthwhile comparing all the times when you have been perilously close to disaster on the roads, as opposed to one bad flight experience?

 

I wish you well with future flights....just keep your eyes on the crew. One swallow doth not a Summer make!

 

Alan

[KKeeganS]

BTW, you guys were right - it is United that has the ATC channel. Not one of the airlines I'm "comfortable" with (based on nothing but my own superstitions so don't fear), so I guess I blocked that out. Ah, the power of the mind.

[carwvu80]

I agree, it is so nice to know that you are not alone in your fear. I thought I was the only one that looked to the stewardess's to see how they reacted in order go gauge whether I should be fearful or not. I visited, and completed, www.fearofflying.com - and it was pretty informative. While I still got nervous listening to the sounds of the plane taking off, and in the air, it helped me to know that the feelings I have when on the plane do not mean the plane is preparing to shut down and fall to the earth. I also found out that a plane will not just drop out of the air, pretty much impossible. In fact, it showed a clip of an old prop plane flying with only 1 engine - I was amazed. I plan to re-take the class, and learn as much as I can before my September flight. Then, I fly in October for my cruise...and then the real test, in April when I have to fly to Vegas...