Fear of flying

[Jolfa]

This is as good a place as any to ask, anyone else hate it? Overcome your fear? Have good coping methods etc? Currently reading a self help book and tried valium last time (which helped). Alcohol helped a lot the previous times, but weeing is quite a challenge when I'm not that keen even getting out of my seat

[*gentlydoesit]

The missus got me a red letter flying lesson... had to pay on top wich was a bit naughty, but the best day ever!

[trialsiain]

wish i could fly!

[Revolver]

If you're using Valium, can we assume you're petrified of flying rather than nervous?

What exactly don't you like about it?

[dngr2self]

What's to be scared of? If the plane crashes you'll die instantly so you won't feel a thing.

[Jolfa]

I have been known to shit a brick and try and run away from an airport (when I was much younger), often can't sleep the night before, throw up with nerves sometimes etc.

What I don't really like much is the fact its a 100ton+ vehicle doing 600mph, 35,000 feet in the air mainly taking off and turbulence sets me off though...

[BradJohnson]

Do some mega drop gaps the day before

[J.KYDD]

My sisters fiancé is the same. He freaks out and hates even when she flies on her own!

They flew to Italy last year for a wedding and I think he took a couple sleeping pills to help him keep calm

[Tony Harrison]

In 2006 I was petrified of flying. I'd worry about it for days beforehand, I wouldn't sleep the night before, would be sick with nerves at the airport and have to take valium.

This year I've flown nearly 40 times in planes ranging from a little twin-engined Bombardier in Bangladesh to a Jumbo and an A380. Since 2006 I've had lightning strikes, several aborted landings, all kinds of turbulence... The fact that I have flights next week, or a 13 hour flight the week after, or an 8 hour trans-Atlantic flight the week after that... I no longer care. In fact, I'm excited every time I board a plane.

The first step is to realise that it's you that needs to change, that you need to recalibrate your threat perception for what is, when you think about it, an unusual and unnatural experience (flying). We are as good as born with a wariness of heights, and being up there at the mercy of several turbojet engines... well put it this way, I don't like it when people call fear of flying 'irrational'. I'd say it's natural to be scared of flying, especially if like me you didn't fly until you were 19.

I actually started writing a fear of flying self-help article based on my own experiences, which I should really finish. In my case I had to get used to it because in 2008 my girlfriend at the time moved back to France, and I lived in northern England, so it was the only way to keep seeing her. Regular flying certainly helps, as does the right attitude. Lots of people just accept that their fears are going to dictate their lives - you can change yourself and your beliefs but you can't change the world, so this is stupid. Some people never fly because of this. So the key really is to remember that there isn't always a direct and linear correlation between risk and your feeling of fear. I am generally more threat-aware, so I remember that if I get worried about something that I'm probably overreacting, and tell my brain to shut the f'ck up. Not so easily done as said, but you've just got to sit up there and remember that if you're going to choose to fly, then you have to accept all possible consequences before take-off.

In February I took off from a tiny short airstrip way up in the mountains in China and the turbulence was out of this world - most of the people were screaming in anguish. I remember us banking hard to get out of the valley and staring out the opposite window across the aisle at this little farm house and just laughing out loud. Sometimes it's really good just to let go. And as it happens, that kind of turbulence there is totally normal. But a bunch of holiday makers not familiar with the conditions there don't have the necessary experience and information with which to truly judge the risks.

Best bet is to find an airline pilot, or ex pilot and ask them.

Also read this... http://www.askthepilot.com/questionanswers/turbulence/

[Mark W]

What's to be scared of? If the plane crashes you'll die instantly so you won't feel a thing.

I'd imagine you'd probably 'feel' quite a lot on the 35,000-0ft trip though...

I have been known to shit a brick and try and run away from an airport (when I was much younger), often can't sleep the night before, throw up with nerves sometimes etc.

What I don't really like much is the fact its a 100ton+ vehicle doing 600mph, 35,000 feet in the air mainly taking off and turbulence sets me off though...

I wasn't really keen on flying, but found watching videos of stuff like take-offs made me know what to expect, to the point where I was pretty much totally fine with. I just laughed the whole way through my first take-off because it's f**king ridiculous when you think about it...

There are plenty of good websites about that try and help people deal with that kind of fear though. I checked out a bunch of the stuff in this website and found it helped a lot. Like Ian says, it's your mindset that needs to change. The guy in that website I linked to makes plenty of valid/good points about that too, even down to adjusting how you phrase things about what scares you/flying in general. It's just making a lot of small changes that end up making a big difference.

[dann2707]

I used to get pretty scared of it, but now I just embrace it, I mean if you die you die and there's nothing you can do about it.

Just love the feeling when you're taking off, feels incredible.

[Joe Papasnap Maher]

Isnt flying the safest form of travel?

[dngr2self]

The feeling of dive bombing would be the best part.

[Jolfa]

Isnt flying the safest form of travel?

Statistically of course, but I might walk away from a car crash, or at least be buoyant long enough to be saved if a boat sunk... I can't fly

I'll have a read of those links when I get on a computer, very helpful so far though lads

[dann2707]

Dreadlocks float, you'll be fine if you crash into water sorry

[stirlingpowers]

You cut buy yourself a parachute, and take it with you onboard. Most airlines allow this.

In the case of a foreseeable mid-air breakup, you then would have a chance to survive.

Fully pressurized crashes won't give you a chance for escape, however, as you won't

be able to open the emergency doors.

On the other hand, you could try to smuggle an elephant-grade shotgun onboard, to open

an escape hatch for yourself Willis-style. While I would not recommend that, I ask you to

film the check-in inspection and post your results on the forum, in case you choose to go

for the latter.

[LukasMcNeal]

I cant say I know how it feels to be scared of flying mainly because I love it, which would explain why I'm working towards being a pilot haha! But many people I know are very scared of flying and have told me talking to the pilot and looking around the flight deck reassured them a little. I can also tell you that aircraft maintenance is extremely strict from my brief time working on aircraft. There is lots of things that need to be followed, every job has to be inspected by a licensed inspector. Some jobs require two separate inspectors to inspect a job just to be extra safe. Engine work on certain aircraft is even stricter sometimes with opposite engines having to be worked on by different mechanics.

Sam Nichols on here also works on aircraft and could tell you about this too.

Is there anything you're particularly scared of? Planes are my specialist subject

[Jolfa]

wish i could fly!

You can!

Anyway, both links are great, reading Mark's link is identifying what I'm scared of more than anything, so it's lack of control, changes in altitude (taking off and turbulence as said), changes in engine noise (as I'm forever listening for problems with my cars engines), the "hanging there" thing, so just a general lack of understanding of how shit works I guess. Then, a load of "what if" scenarios, and a couple of slightly rough flights in the past that I've massively exaggerated in my head and allowed myself to stew and get worked up about nothing.

According to that site's test to see how scared I am though, I am apparently top end of normal, bottom end of fearful, which is about what I expected to be honest, I do talk it up a lot and convince myself it's all worse than it is, dismissing the other couple of dozen perfect flights I've been on. Time to think different!

Kinda just thinking out loud with that lot, interested to hear other people with similar thought patterns and how they deal/dealt with it

Edited November 6, 2013 by Jolfa

[JT!]

Isnt flying the safest form of travel?

Yes, and it helps knowing that. Also being an airline pilot is one of the safest jobs in the world.

One thing I remember is that the staff on the plane love turbulence, as it means they get to sit down, not do any work and giggle inside at the passengers pissing themselves.

I first flew when I was 20 and I was ok with it at first but became increasingly anxious about flying the more I flew.

You cut buy yourself a parachute, and take it with you onboard. Most airlines allow this.

In the case of a foreseeable mid-air breakup, you then would have a chance to survive.

Fully pressurized crashes won't give you a chance for escape, however, as you won't

be able to open the emergency doors.

You're an idiot.

[Jolfa]

First flight would have been when I was 11 or 12? Was fine for a few years until a load of turbulence, lights out, asking if there was a doctor on board then got worse and worse and ended up avoiding flying altogether for 6 or so years... Then that flight was fine (but forced into it in bad circumstances which I may have associated with the flight?), half a dozen flights since have been fine, thinking out loud again

[stirlingpowers]

You're an idiot.

You would be surprised seeing the figures about how many people actually carry parachutes with them on normal passenger flights.

The shotgun technique is debatable in a hysterical post-911 world, of course, but I personally know a few people who reduced their fear

buying expensive parachutes (I admit this could be a bias resulting from being an idiot, who socialises with idiots, naturally).,

Statistical knowledge does not work well on primordial impulses for most people. Simple fantasies do, however.

[monkeyseemonkeydo]

I love it when they say in the safety briefing 'in the event of a landing on water'. Commercial aircraft do not land on water, they plummet and disintegrate into a billion teeny tiny little pieces.

Also, I don't think I would be surprised by the figures about how many people carry parachutes with them on normal passenger flights. My guess would be approximately none and to be fair I would hope that security would stop anyone from flying who was carrying one because in my mind that would mean that f**ker is planning on leaving the plane mid-flight for some reason...

[JT!]

I love it when they say in the safety briefing 'in the event of a landing on water'. Commercial aircraft do not land on water, they plummet and disintegrate into a billion teeny tiny little pieces.

[Joe Papasnap Maher]

I was just about to reply referring to the crash on the Hudson!

Good work JT!

[Revolver]

It depends on how scared you are, but learning to listen to your thoughts and changing the topic when you find yourself thinking negatively about flying is a good technique.

It takes some practice though. It works much better if you can notice right away and stop it before it sets in.

You could push your attention towards relaxed breathing, which has a calming effect.