Nervous Flyer...

[LACEY2011]

Hi All,

 

I just wondered what all you nervous flyers do to calm your nerves before a flight? I'm not the greatest at flying and find myself getting worked up days before hand without even trying! any tips would be a great help :)

 

Kate.

[cruisebore]

Hi All,

 

I just wondered what all you nervous flyers do to calm your nerves before a flight? I'm not the greatest at flying and find myself getting worked up days before hand without even trying! any tips would be a great help :)

 

Kate.

 

 

Kate

 

If you want something to worry about. Worry about having a bump on the way to the airport and missing your flight

 

This is far far more likely than any problems with your flight

 

Oh and you have more chance of winning the Euro Millions than having a problem flying.

 

Cb

[Rum Rat]

I don't like flying either. So what do I do?

 

Say to myself that there are one hell of a lot of flights every day, what am I worried about?

 

The flight only lasts XXXX hours, so in XXXX+1 it will all be over.

 

I am not the only one on the plane.

 

Captain and crew are airborne ALL the time, I only have one/two flights to do.

 

I am on the South coast and on a Friday and Saturday the sky is full of vapour trails of planes which are 'up there and stay up there'

 

I have 'survived' flights to the Med, Italy, Switzerland, across the pond to Barbados and the really long one, 14 hours Singapore to London.

 

Still don't like flying :rolleyes:

 

But I am still here.

 

Mike

[johnny tallentire]

Wouldnt call it a tip but before my recent flight back from barbados i spent the whole day of the flight sat on the beach going crosseyed on rum punch:p,i told the missus that would be the last flight ill do from now on its sail from and to southampton.

[Vampire Parrot]

This thought always makes me feel safer:

 

"A new 747-400 or 777 costs about a quarter of a billion dollars(!!!) and companies don't like risking that sort of money.. "

 

VP

[alvin moondust]

Heres my favourite tip.

 

Part of the reason you are probably afraid of flying is that you see it as an 'unusual' form of transport, i.e you probably fly maybe once or twice a year, whereas you jump in your car or on a bus every day of the year so think nothing of it despite the fact that it is actually a far more dangerous way to travel. I holidayed with some friends a few years back and the lady was very nervous so I came up with this idea and she felt that it helped her a lot.

 

Go and spend an afternoon at the airport you will be travelling from, pick a good spec and watch the planes arriving and leaving every couple of minutes. After a few hours it helps you realise that flying is not an unusual or high risk event and that thousands of flights take place safely every hour of every day.:) If possible do it several times before you go away to reinforce the idea that it is a 'normal' thing to do.

 

Also try and focus your thoughts on the destination rather than the getting there!:p

 

hope that helps

 

Steve

[jeanlyon]

Simple, I cruise from Southampton - so much more civilized. I was a Stewardess for 16 years, can't be doing with it now at all!

[u2cruiser]

Wow! I thought it was just me that was scared of flying :eek:

 

I have flown thousands and thousands of miles around the World. Many, many times I have said never again, but the explorer in me wins each time and I just put up with it for the golden pot at the end of it.

 

I'm fine when it's a smooth flight, but turbulence turns me into a wreck. I don't like landing either, and feel like we are plummeting to the Earth far too fast. An aborted landing on a Jumbo at Miami didn't help, but we survived and the plane limped back up in the air. Apparently Jumbos are designed to cope with anything. :eek:

 

I absolutely agree with alvin, go and watch planes taking off and landing every minute, safely (not by sheer luck as I always think ;)) and it really helps. We spent a great afternoon at St Maarten watching the big planes landing safely on the smallest and one of the most dangerous runways. I'm as fascinated by air travel as I am frightened.

[u2cruiser]

Simple, I cruise from Southampton - so much more civilized. I was a Stewardess for 16 years, can't be doing with it now at all!

 

jeanlyon, could you put our minds at rest about air travel?

[C at Sea]

I sit doing a crossword puzzle as we take off! I always think thats the worst part. My family know not to speak to me then as I am "concentrating with the pilot!" - So if you are on the Manchester to Barbados flight on Feb 28th thats me with the Puzzler book!!Once I'm up in the air I tend to be a bit more relaxed as there's really nothing you can do about anything once the planes up! My favourite part is coming down to land cos it means the journeys nearly over!

[jeanlyon]

Well, hmmmm, have to be careful here. First of all I flew for 16 years from 1970 to 1986 with British Caledonian. Aircraft are much more sophisticated now although in some ways, I preferred it when the Flight Engineer could actually pop down to the electronics bay and hit something with a hammer.

 

For me, flying was ruined by 9/11. I had two bomb scares when I was flying, but both were hoaxes and actually they nearly always were. Then 9/11 was real and I could just imagine those girls sitting at the back of the cabin unable to go to see how their guys at the front were doing. It's a stupid response. Aircraft takes off every minute from Heathrow and do not fall to earth.

 

In general airliners are very safe and don't forget the crew actually do want to live!!

 

Your fears are fairly groundless. I have been in turbulence over the Andes in South America like you would not believe. We all surivived - it lasted about 3 minutes, felt like half an hour. The aircraft had a check when it landed and all was absolutely fine. I never worried about turbulence.

 

My fear is terrorism and that alone. you're hardly going to get that on a Thompson or Thomas Cook charter.

 

On top of that, I have just had it with airports. Can;'t be bothered with it.

 

Don't be fearful. The Captain and First Officer know what they are doing. Their training is second to none.

 

Jean

[meggawatt]

In my first career I was an aircraft engineer and I have been a qualified pilot since 1983 so I feel reasonably qualified to contribute something here :)

 

Firstly: I don't like heights

Secondly: I hate being a passenger in a commercial airliner

 

 

 

 

 

These are mitigated though by:

• My backside is in contact with the seat or my feet in contact with the floor so the height thing isn't an issue unless they sit me on the wing.
  
• It really isn't the most natural thing in the World to be packaged together with a few hundred other people in a long noisy tube with limited view of the outside World and having no control whatsoever so I don't beat myself up about it.
  

However let's look at a few fundamentals ...

1. Aircraft are over-engineered by a significant factor. For example, an aircraft which is perfectly capable of flying with one engine will typically have 2, 3 or 4 ... ALL aircraft can glide and be landed with no engines at all, even a 747 is a glider!
   
2. An aircraft only requires a single computer connection between the pilot and the aircraft control systems ... There will typically be three or more totally independant and redundant systems routed in different parts of the airframe.
   
3. Aircraft are maintained very differently to other forms of transport. Maintenance is carried out on a preventative basis i.e. BEFORE things go wrong. Perfectly good engines will be removed from an aircraft for servicing simply because they have been running for a set number of hours, not because there is anything wrong with them ... This philosophy is what makes flying by far the safest form of transport.
   
4. Turbulence is uncomfortable for people but it is of no consequence or danger whatsoever to the aircraft so try and stop worrying about engines/wings falling off, sit back, think of the holiday and enjoy the ride ... Same thing goes for lightning, no danger even if struck so enjoy the fireworks.
   
5. Finally ... Commercial pilots are exceptionally well trained and skilled professionals with a vested interest in keeping the aircraft in the air ... They tend to go where the aircraft goes ;)
   

As I think someone has already pointed out, you have far more chance of being wiped out in the courtesy bus to the aircraft than from the flight itself.

 

We all have one phobia or another, they are not rational but they affect us nonetheless. All I would say to nervous fliers is try to keep your mind occupied on something else ... In flight movies are useful :)

 

Have a good flight and holiday.

 

MW

[u2cruiser]

Thank you very much for that. It really does help to hear first hand from someone who has flown for a job. I flew all the way to New Zealand by myself so I'm not outwardly a dithering wreck, nor am I normally an irrational thinker, but no matter how many miles I fly, I remain absolutely terrified and churning inside.

 

Flying Royal Brunei to Borneo was a nightmare as they said a prayer before each flight :eek: and worse, there was no alcohol!!

 

I spend the majority of my flights watching the faces of the crew. If they are carrying on with the job I think all must be ok :o.

 

Cruising P&O from Southampton certainly does have its advantages.

LACEY2011, apologies if I'm making matters worse.

[u2cruiser]

In my first career I was an aircraft engineer and I have been a qualified pilot since 1983 so I feel reasonably qualified to contribute something here :)

 

Firstly: I don't like heights

Secondly: I hate being a passenger in a commercial airliner

 

 

 

 

 

These are mitigated though by:

• My backside is in contact with the seat or my feet in contact with the floor so the height thing isn't an issue unless they sit me on the wing.
  
• It really isn't the most natural thing in the World to be packaged together with a few hundred other people in a long noisy tube with limited view of the outside World and having no control whatsoever so I don't beat myself up about it.
  

However let's look at a few fundamentals ...

1. Aircraft are over-engineered by a significant factor. For example, an aircraft which is perfectly capable of flying with one engine will typically have 2, 3 or 4 ... ALL aircraft can glide and be landed with no engines at all, even a 747 is a glider!
   
2. An aircraft only requires a single computer connection between the pilot and the aircraft control systems ... There will typically be three or more totally independant and redundant systems routed in different parts of the airframe.
   
3. Aircraft are maintained very differently to other forms of transport. Maintenance is carried out on a preventative basis i.e. BEFORE things go wrong. Perfectly good engines will be removed from an aircraft for servicing simply because they have been running for a set number of hours, not because there is anything wrong with them ... This philosophy is what makes flying by far the safest form of transport.
   
4. Turbulence is uncomfortable for people but it is of no consequence or danger whatsoever to the aircraft so try and stop worrying about engines/wings falling off, sit back, think of the holiday and enjoy the ride ... Same thing goes for lightning, no danger even if struck so enjoy the fireworks.
   
5. Finally ... Commercial pilots are exceptionally well trained and skilled professionals with a vested interest in keeping the aircraft in the air ... They tend to go where the aircraft goes ;)
   

As I think someone has already pointed out, you have far more chance of being wiped out in the courtesy bus to the aircraft than from the flight itself.

 

We all have one phobia or another, they are not rational but they affect us nonetheless. All I would say to nervous fliers is try to keep your mind occupied on something else ... In flight movies are useful :)

 

Have a good flight and holiday.

 

MW

 

Thank you very much for taking the time with such a reassuring post. I can't tell you how helpful it is. I am going to print it and put it in my airport bag. :)

[jeanlyon]

Meggawatt - LOL to you. I agree with all that. Was also married to a pilot for 16 years!

[Thejuggler]

I can recommend a book called 'Is it on Autopilot?' which explains in laymans terms how 400 tonnes of aluminium gets off the ground, stays in the air and arrives at its destination.

 

My wife hates me when we fly as I can simply get into the seat and drop off - flying is boring and being asleep means I don't get bored watching the moving map.

 

On a flight from Chicago to Manchester I fell asleep as soon as the wheels left the ground, I woke up as we flew over the west of Scotland! I missed the three hours of turbulence.

 

On a flight to Malaysia I fell asleep over Amsterdam and woke up as we crossed the Himalayas.

 

Did you know about 50% of the parts on an aircraft are there to hold the other 50% together?!

[dreamweaver767]

To add and agree with Meggawatt,

Flying was my biggest hatred; Spain would be my limit, 2 hours and all over. A friend who I worked with around 7 years ago was a commercial pilot and he just laughed at me as I have a very keen interest in aviation.

One day he took me up in a piper 4 seat light aircraft, I was all shaky and felt ill but as he explained if I don’t like it we can come straight back” unlike you holiday flight you have to go once on board”. As the time passed I settled and had a quick go and before I knew it the fear went. It was proper seat of your pants flying. Well I got the bug and many hours or training was well worth it.

Now last year was my first long haul flight to Barbados for our cruise, no sweaty hands bouncing heat beat, just walled on board and boy did it feel good.

Again my issue was knowing too much what goes on and I do believe it was a control issue. As Meggawatt explained modern day airliners are so over built and the test they have to go through before passengers are allowed are quite remarkable, wings bending so they are nearly vertical before they snap engines which are so abused to destruction and so on. Turbulence is a concern of most but basically flying through the air at 500mph+ the air is dense and is very much the same as water; think of speed boat hitting the waves and it principley the same.

Dot worry if them up front are sat there all is well.

Regards

Andy

[cruiseanywhere2]

I hated flying,like the OP nervous, shaking etc. We then decided to follow Liverpool FC around europe (ok it was a while ago) doing "day trips" well, after a few times of getting on a flight in the morning, spending a few hours sightseeing, watching a match then getting back on the aeroplane to fly home I saw flying as just another form of transport.

 

Just remember you are going to have a fabulous holiday. I still don't like flyingg but now it's the hassle of driving to the airport and the boredom of a long flight.

 

GOOD LUCK!!!

[capasamari]

Our son-in-law is an RAF Typhoon (Eurofighter) pilot....now THAT'S scary flying :eek: !!!

 

To him, it's a routine day at work. It's all in the training.

 

We are all frightened of what we don't understand and can't control.

 

Carol x

[LACEY2011]

Thank you all so much for that and Meggawatt you have really helped, well you all have! I have been to St Maarten and watched the planes come in, on the day we were there the rain was very bad and one particular AA plane came into land and then decided not to bother, I couldn't tell you how happy I was that I was on the ground ha ha.

 

I think my fear comes from a rather unpleasant flight to Cuba once, we got nearly half way there and had to come back as the weather radar had broken, they didn't explain what that was at all so I spent 4 hours thinking we were going to drop out of the sky! I also concentrate on the air stewardess faces, and I look around as we take off to see how many people look terrified, that always makes me feel better ;)

 

I know its stupid and I hate how it makes me feel, so this time around I will be thinking about all that has been put and keep my fingers crossed it helps and my brain doesn't take over!! whats 10 hours of your life hey :rolleyes:

 

Thank you all once again x

[u2cruiser]

Thank you all so much for that and Meggawatt you have really helped, well you all have! I have been to St Maarten and watched the planes come in, on the day we were there the rain was very bad and one particular AA plane came into land and then decided not to bother, I couldn't tell you how happy I was that I was on the ground ha ha.

 

I think my fear comes from a rather unpleasant flight to Cuba once, we got nearly half way there and had to come back as the weather radar had broken, they didn't explain what that was at all so I spent 4 hours thinking we were going to drop out of the sky! I also concentrate on the air stewardess faces, and I look around as we take off to see how many people look terrified, that always makes me feel better ;)

 

I know its stupid and I hate how it makes me feel, so this time around I will be thinking about all that has been put and keep my fingers crossed it helps and my brain doesn't take over!! whats 10 hours of your life hey :rolleyes:

 

Thank you all once again x

 

Did the AA plane circle and try again? I'm GLAD I didn't see that! Those mountains are very close to the runway! :eek: Apparently, they haven't had any serious incidents there.

 

If pilots would explain such incidents as your Cuba experience as it is happening (or at least once they've dealt with the technicalities) it would make nervous fliers feel safer and you wouldn't have to suffer the feelings of impending doom until you land.

 

My husband insists on talking to me on take off and landing, to take my mind off it (!) and it just make me worse! Doesn't he know I'm concentrating getting that plane off the ground?! ;)

 

Safe and happy travels LACEY and have a great cruise. :)

[cruiseanywhere2]

Lacey2001, I'm so pleased you feel better about flying now, and no fear is stupid, however irrational, I am afraid of moths and butterflies !! :o Have a great trip.

[LACEY2011]

The plane nearly touched the runway and then just went back up again! it was very bad weather, raining and lightning :eek: it came back round about half an hour later and landed fine!

 

I wish I could sleep on a plane, but I'm always the only one awake. We went with friends to New York once and the turbulance was horrendous on the way home but hubby and friends slept the whole way and I was left nearly crying on my own! I try and concentrate on the kids now, at least their moaning of "I'm bored" takes my mind off it a bit :D

 

This time I'm really going to try NOT to worry!

[jeanlyon]

That's called a go-around. It means that for some reason, when they touched down, either there was something on the runway, or something else happened, maybe they were too far down the runway. They practice go-arounds, or touch and go's, all the time.

 

As for telling you about the problem when it's happening, sorry, but there is so much to do in a situation, there is no way they can tell you for half an hour or more.

[meggawatt]

Aircraft will generally go around for another circuit (before they've actually touched down) for all manner of reasons such as excessive crosswind, poor visibility or simply because ATC have told them to because there isn't sufficient separation from either an aircraft which landed ahead or an aircraft still on the runway lined up for takeoff.

 

This is nothing abnormal and just a normal aspect of approach flying ... Just feels strange to passengers who are used to gradual descents followed by smooth touchdowns.

 

Pilots don't generally notify crew or passengers simply because its a busy phase of flight, they have a lot to think about and there's really no need to.

 

Try not to worry in these situations.

 

MW