Fear of flying

[yardbird]

My wife was afraid of heights AND afraid of flying. She also got that "closed in" feeling. I flew small planes. The big ones are more like buses to me. No "flying feeling" in them. Just a bus. Once we had the "it's just a bus" discussion she was much more calm. Departing Buffalo we hit a small bounce of turbulence while climbing to cruise. She about put hand grips in my thigh. I looked at her calmly and just said, "Pot hole... no big deal." and she's been fine ever since.

Those big planes can really take a heck of a beating and fly just fine. I was on a flight back from Florida and we hit some really good turbulence over the appalachians. The wing tips were going up and down a good 8 or 10 feet and the plane flexed enough to pop the overhead compartments open at one point. For me, that's more like.... annoying... than it is scary, but I can see where someone with a fear of flying to begin with could have a bit of a moment.

I have a serious suggestion for the OP.  Go take some flying lessons. I'm serious. I've suggested this to people with fear of heights, fear of flying, claustrophobia, and they may not LOVE flying afterward like I do, but they usually get past their fear enough to at least tolerate it well. Even on longer flights. You don't have to complete it and get a pilot's license (unless it turns out you really enjoy it and WANT to!), but 3 to 5 lessons might alleviate your fear.

Also... as to that "my car engine quits and I can pull over" thing....   your car only has 1 engine. And if it quits, you won't roll very far. Airliners fly perfectly well with an engine out. And if you fly over Iceland during a volcanic eruption and manage to have all engines flame out...  from 37,000 feet or so you can glide probably 100 kilometers (or somewhere between 40 and 60 miles) or almost half an hour in the air, during which time you can BET they're working on getting an engine restarted. :)

I've also learned that some fears are not rational. And no amount of rationalizing to someone with a particular fear will make it go away. They have to work it out themselves. I think that's why the flying lessons thing works for so many.

 

[elohel]

You know, I used to have the same fear of flying, and I used to think the same thing (what if the engine goes out at 35k feet?!). Guess what? The engine could completely fail at 35k feet, and you'd be fine. A plane can safely return to the ground on one engine. Trust me, I did a lot of research on this stuff :D Of course, if you're in a single prop plane, then that isn't true.. but I don't think you'll be flying in one of those on a commercial airline :D

If you look at (US) aviation history and accidents, it's very, very uncommon for a plane to go down because of mechanical issues. In the history of commerical airlines, I don't think there have even been 10 planes in the US to ever down and kill its passengers because of mechanical failures. Most often it was a protocol issue that wasn't followed, or needed to be improved upon. Perhaps the take-off was rushed and there was icing on the plane's wings.. stuff like that, that with improved protocols, doesn't happen very often anymore. There is just too much effort that goes into maintenance. For example, I recently (few days ago) flew from NY to MN. One of the passengers accidentally broke off the cover to the lightbulb above his seat while we were taxiing on the ground, and we had to abandon the takeoff and go back to the terminal so a maintenance guy could check it out and clear us. A lightbulb cover!! They have so many millions invested in these plans, not to mention the potential billion $$ lawsuit if one were to go down, that they just aren't going to slack on anything.

 

[elohel]

Also.. look at what these things are designed to take. Turbulence doesn't scare me nearly as much after watching this video! haha

 

[brent31976]

Why are you so afraid to fly.You can get rid of this, be brave.

There's a new company profile on <company> out there.  Looks interesting:

http://www.fastmr.com/prod/281767_canada_power_market_outlook_to_2030_market_trends.aspx

 

[mdboatbum]

I'm glad I don't have to worry about flying for work.  With the deviants in the TSA, I won't fly anywhere until some of our rights are restored.  no way in hell some dirt bag is gonna grope me, or my family.  Period.

Flown lately? It's not nearly as bad as the chicken littles of the world would have you believe. In fact, my last experience was more streamlined and efficient than I remember from the years prior to the attacks. The biggest problem is the people who have some overinflated sense of personal space and raise a stink about the measures being taken to keep us all a little safer. Refusal to "go with the flow" simply makes the experience worse for everyone. Isolated cases of abuses by TSA agents notwithstanding, I think they've done a commendable job of keeping us safer while managing to keep people moving around the country.

As for the OP's fears, maybe you can get a refund on the ticket and take the train? Or drive? I can completely identify with your fears. I HATE flying and do it as little as possible, but sometimes it can't be avoided. The thing that helped most of all was going up in a light plane with a friend. He explained everything that was happening and why, so I was familiar with the process. Since that might not be practical, I'd suggest looking for a book on flying, or maybe some youtube vids on small plane flying. Good luck!!

 

[chef jimmyj]

I think the TSA is doing a great job!...If they stopped checking Kids...Terrorists would have their kids wear Bombs on Planes...Fanatics will find a way...Check everybody and to hell with Political Correctness...So how did you make out?...JJ

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Man up and get on the Plane. Things are better since all the drops.(sorry LOL).

You'll be O.K.

Just have fun and...

 

[jirodriguez]

I used to work for Northrop, Boeing, Douglas and some contractor work for Lockheed

Always sit forward of the wings.

   not sure if that was the re-assurance he was looking for! LOL

Just call your family doc. and tell him whats going on, he/she should be able to get you 4 or so valium for the flight there and back. Alchohol can sometimes back fire if your stomach gets queasy or anything.

 

[pops6927]

My oldest son has a fear of flying, he's 37.  But as his company's CEO, he has to overcome it to go to different offices he has.  Also, he went back to college and took a 2 year Executive MBA Business program that included a flight to China and back to examine their business culture and structure, starting with a 22 hour flight for starters, then a series of flights, including one in a local plane that not only one of the engines stopped working... it fell off, too!  Oh yes, he freaked out!  But, they landed, on schedule, perfectly safely!  Fortunately for most of the trips he was hung over enough (I recall a story about how they set a local bar on fire in Shanghai or someplace....) he dispersed his fear of flying by puking consistently, lol, but finally realizing his fears about flying were groundless.  On a trip back from a Florida cruise he did consume a large no. of beers and got a heck of a hangover (or so he thought) until they rushed him to the hospital once he landed with viral meningitis; he was sicker than a pup on his last days, believe me.... don't worry about the flight, it's what you get when you arrive that's dangerous!

 

[custom99]

I agree with downing a few shots. I have a major problem with flying. I do it only because it gets me there so much faster than driving or the train. I do a few shots of Crown Royal at the airport bar and put turn the ipod on. I don't trust myself to take any kind of pill. Afraid of looking at TSA or saying something stupid to them and getting thrown out.

 

[alblancher]

You know i don't worry about dying on a plane.  It all those people crammed in such a small space that gets to me.  I can't get up and get a breath of fresh air, it's that old recirculated stuff.  It's the guy sitting next to me snoring or the lady in front of me with the horrid perfume or the kid behind me beating on the back of my chair or the tall guy constantly pushing on my seat or the confused old lady walking up and down the aisle or the crying baby or the bump right after take off when your stomach goes in your throat or the mad rush to get out of the plane or the sitting in a darn airport between flights or the sick old man coughing up a lung next to me.   Well you get the idea,

I don't like flying because of me, and people like me.  If I can schedule a flight that is not over crowded then I am fine.   The other thing that chaps my butt is that many airlines will not allow you to change seats, or at least let you move to the front part of the plane if the flight isn't crowded.  I guess they don't want someone paying more to sit "in front of the wings" to be bothered by us cheap seat passengers.

I guess I need to find an airline that charges a bit more for a flight and gives you more room.  The higher cost of the flight will probably result in a less crowded flight.   Sorry I can't afford first class, those tickets are 3xs the cost of cattle car. 

i promise this is my last rant of the day.

Al