Anyone Else Scared Of Flying?

FyxdFyxd Join Date: 2003-08-29 Member: 20355Members
ive flown on planes for most of my life and never actually been at all scared on them but this summer it all changed and now im absolutely terrified of going on or even thinking about flying.

It began a month ago during the heavy thunderstorms over Europe where we had to take off from glasgow airport during the heavy rain. It all seemed great until we were over the perines (spelling :E) mountains in spain where we incounter very heavy turbulance and by heavy i mean almost as bad as dayafter tommorrow style <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> .

We fell quite far then came back up sunddenly and were shaking from side to side very scary stuff and we had an hour of that until we eventually came out of the storm and i was glad to finally reach the ground <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif' /><!--endemo-->
that really shook me up bad :/

and on the flight back i had a panic attack (the first ive ever had) and this wasnt haelped by the fact that landing was hard as it was very windy and the pilot had to make 3 attempts at landing <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

i was just wondering if anyone else has had similar expeiances or is afriad of flying as i am now, or the fact that ive probably developed a complex and need to go to a mental institute

Comments

  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    Whenever I get scared of planes I just think about the numbers. You're more likely to be eaten by a shark and like a zillion times more likely to be killed by a drunk driver. Flying is so much safer than driving that it's not even funny.
  • AldarisAldaris Join Date: 2002-03-25 Member: 351Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Aug 23 2004, 07:22 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Aug 23 2004, 07:22 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Whenever I get scared of planes I just think about the numbers. You're more likely to be eaten by a shark and like a zillion times more likely to be killed by a drunk driver. Flying is so much safer than driving that it's not even funny. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    While plane crashes do occur far less then car crashes, you have a chance of walking away from a car crash. If a plane crash occurs, you can pretty much 100% kiss your **** goodbye.
  • MausMaus Join Date: 2002-11-03 Member: 5599Members
    edited August 2004
    Flying is easy. It's when you suddenly find yourself <i>not</i> flying that you worry. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • Seph_KimaraSeph_Kimara Join Date: 2003-08-10 Member: 19359Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Aldaris+Aug 23 2004, 06:27 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Aldaris @ Aug 23 2004, 06:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Aug 23 2004, 07:22 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Aug 23 2004, 07:22 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Whenever I get scared of planes I just think about the numbers. You're more likely to be eaten by a shark and like a zillion times more likely to be killed by a drunk driver. Flying is so much safer than driving that it's not even funny. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    While plane crashes do occur far less then car crashes, you have a chance of walking away from a car crash. If a plane crash occurs, you can pretty much 100% kiss your **** goodbye. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    But you're still FAR more likely to be in a fatal car crash regardless.
  • GrayDuckGrayDuck Join Date: 2003-05-08 Member: 16134Members, Constellation
    I fly fairly often. A couple times I've gotten scared and thought 'this is it...'. And after feeling that way I became less scared (if that makes sense). I've decided that dieing in a plain crash would be an ok way to go. Quick and relitively painless. It's my second choice of death, right next to in my sleep.

    So I think about it that way, and oddly I'm not as scared anymore.
  • ruffehruffeh Join Date: 2004-08-21 Member: 30766Members
    heh looks like we have some people here that are scared of death
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-ruffeh+Aug 23 2004, 03:44 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ruffeh @ Aug 23 2004, 03:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> heh looks like we have some people here that are scared of death <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    It's the next Freud!
  • ToneeTonee Wub wuB UK Join Date: 2003-10-25 Member: 21926Members, Constellation
    I love flying <!--emo&::nerdy::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/nerd-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='nerd-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> both being a passenger and a pilot of a 2 seater

    Gliding is the best though <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> got myself a glidign scholarship doing it <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo--> my "upto now" life achievements
  • FyxdFyxd Join Date: 2003-08-29 Member: 20355Members
    heh its not that im scared of death, just really the anticipation of it.however this kinda helps me a bit <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You're just as dead
    if you fall from forty feet as you are from four
    thousand fathoms<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    (wheres that from ? <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->)
  • TheWizardTheWizard Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10553Members, Constellation
    edited August 2004
    <img src='http://users.chariot.net.au/~theburfs/images/pippa34_DBK.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

    Fly a Seneca down to Florida while dodging thunderstorms. That will cure what ails ya!



    It did have a kick **** navigation system. <i>EDIT: I can't remember the manufacturer at the moment. </i> No weather radar, but once we dodged the storms it was clear down the coast.



    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->and on the flight back i had a panic attack (the first ive ever had) and this wasnt haelped by the fact that landing was hard as it was very windy and the pilot had to make 3 attempts at landing
    <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    On the way back from Florida, one of the passengers had to make an 'emergency' pit stop. Normally we would just say too f'ing bad. Hold it. However, this was a 6 seat aircraft and we didn't really want to deal with any kind of bodily fluids for the next 3 hours in 80 degree temps.

    The passenger said the clock was ticking.

    We started an attempt at a field in SC. You cannot think of a more podunk strip than this one. The fog was so bad we couldn't see more than 50 feet. As we did our approach, we still couldn't see the ground. We got down to 50 feet and we knew we were above the strip but still couldn't see it.

    Not trusting the landing at an unfamiliar uncontrolled airfield we told the passenger she would just have to bite the bullet and aborted the approach.

    We told the controller that the airfield was completely obscured and requested to be diverted to a secondary. The controller sent us north to Pines Field near Myrtle Beach. Thankfully the conditions were better here and we landed without a problem. However my friend gave the passenger (his girlfriend) quite a talking to. We burned about $50 in gas and fees on those two approaches. Before we left Pines, we gave her a coffee can we got from the airfield's break room. Filed a new flight plan and headed back to Wings field in Philly.
  • That_Annoying_KidThat_Annoying_Kid Sire of Titles Join Date: 2003-03-01 Member: 14175Members, Constellation
    I used to be scared a bit of flying then I realized that more people die per year from being killed by goats then from flying...

    seriously the odds of something happening to you while flying are very very very small...



    If you still have fear of flying seek a licenced psychotherapist and they can help you work with the issues
  • Jim_has_SkillzJim_has_Skillz Join Date: 2003-01-19 Member: 12475Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-wizard@psu+Aug 23 2004, 12:16 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (wizard@psu @ Aug 23 2004, 12:16 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <img src='http://users.chariot.net.au/~theburfs/images/pippa34_DBK.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

    Fly a Seneca down to Florida while dodging thunderstorms. That will cure what ails ya!



    It did have a kick **** navigation system. <i>EDIT: I can't remember the manufacturer at the moment. </i> No weather radar, but once we dodged the storms it was clear down the coast.



    <!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->and on the flight back i had a panic attack (the first ive ever had) and this wasnt haelped by the fact that landing was hard as it was very windy and the pilot had to make 3 attempts at landing
    <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    On the way back from Florida, one of the passengers had to make an 'emergency' pit stop. Normally we would just say too f'ing bad. Hold it. However, this was a 6 seat aircraft and we didn't really want to deal with any kind of bodily fluids for the next 3 hours in 80 degree temps.

    The passenger said the clock was ticking.

    We started an attempt at a field in SC. You cannot think of a more podunk strip than this one. The fog was so bad we couldn't see more than 50 feet. As we did our approach, we still couldn't see the ground. We got down to 50 feet and we knew we were above the strip but still couldn't see it.

    Not trusting the landing at an unfamiliar uncontrolled airfield we told the passenger she would just have to bite the bullet and aborted the approach.

    We told the controller that the airfield was completely obscured and requested to be diverted to a secondary. The controller sent us north to Pines Field near Myrtle Beach. Thankfully the conditions were better here and we landed without a problem. However my friend gave the passenger (his girlfriend) quite a talking to. We burned about $50 in gas and fees on those two approaches. Before we left Pines, we gave her a coffee can we got from the airfield's break room. Filed a new flight plan and headed back to Wings field in Philly. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Wow that looks really similar to my dad's seneca piper.
  • TheWizardTheWizard Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10553Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-That Annoying Kid+Aug 23 2004, 03:29 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (That Annoying Kid @ Aug 23 2004, 03:29 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I used to be scared a bit of flying then I realized that more people die per year from being killed by goats then from flying...

    seriously the odds of something happening to you while flying are very very very small...



    If you still have fear of flying seek a licenced psychotherapist and they can help you work with the issues <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Talk to a USAF recruiter and see if you can organize a 'field trip' on a KC-135 training mission. Those things will put your trust back into how much an aircraft can actually take.

    If you don't get motion sickness it's the greatest roller coaster ride there is.
  • TheWizardTheWizard Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10553Members, Constellation
    edited August 2004
    <!--QuoteBegin-Jim has Skillz+Aug 23 2004, 03:32 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Jim has Skillz @ Aug 23 2004, 03:32 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->
    Wow that looks really similar to my dad's seneca piper. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Does he want to let us borrow it sometime <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> ?


    A good friend of my uncle's owns the airport near me. He owned a P-51, a navy corsair, and a T-6. He sold the p-51 and corsair for an f-86 sabre jet. Must be nice to have that kind of dough lying about.



    I am going to miss that p-51. Those things rock.




    edit: rather than post again: I love and hate flying with my friend. I am a very conservative flyer and he is an flight instructor. Therefore I like to do everything nice and easy and by the book. He knows exactly what he can get away with, and what the max loads of the plane are. Therefore it is quite nerve racking to fly with him.
  • HibameHibame Join Date: 2003-11-16 Member: 22974Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    The thought corsses though my head that I might not land, then I go back to reading and forget about it, if I die, I die. If im in tube of steal (or whatever they are amde out of today) falling from 10k+ feet above the ground theres not much of a chance of living so why bother to worry
  • BlueNovemberBlueNovember hax Join Date: 2003-02-28 Member: 14137Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-TychoCelchuuu+Aug 23 2004, 01:46 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (TychoCelchuuu @ Aug 23 2004, 01:46 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-ruffeh+Aug 23 2004, 03:44 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (ruffeh @ Aug 23 2004, 03:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> heh looks like we have some people here that are scared of death <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    It's the next Freud! <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    ^^
    <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->


    Death is simple. There's no responsibilities, you can live out your wildest dreams, and, best of all, no lawyers.

    Ahem.
    (No, I do not have a vendetta against those in the legal profession, I just think it's a bloody waste of life to make someone else's life a missery, even if you do defend the innocent at times.)

    Mooooooving back on topic,
    Flying is easy, it's falling that's the difficult bit. Crashing tops it all of course.
    Just look out the window a lot, talk, bring a book to read, and sleep if you can.

    If it's bad weather, dont look out window. In times of turbulence, close your eyes and picture yourself in an energetic Jacousi.
    (sp?)

    <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • TheWizardTheWizard Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10553Members, Constellation
    <!--QuoteBegin-BlueNovember+Aug 23 2004, 03:53 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (BlueNovember @ Aug 23 2004, 03:53 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->

    If it's bad weather, dont look out window. In times of turbulence, close your eyes and picture yourself in an energetic Jacousi.
    (sp?)

    <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I also think that a great deal of anxiety could be removed from flying if any passenger that starts screaming or getting hysterical is fitted with a muzzle or gag.

    Seriously, what is the point of screaming? Do you really think it will help?

    /* Had a rough trip with some crazy women on a turbulent flight. Boy did they scream. Long and loud. I really wanted to smack them in the head with a pillow.
  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    I haven't flown in an aeroplane before, although I've had a few helicopter rides. Not many things do scare me, except rats and mice grrr but thats another story. Although I hear if your afraid of heights your afraid to fly, I'm not afraid of heights so I'll take that as a good sign <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • BlueNovemberBlueNovember hax Join Date: 2003-02-28 Member: 14137Members, Constellation
    lol Wizzard.

    What was the name of that film where the guy flicks a nut down the old ladys throat to stop her natering? (On a plane.)

    Not a bad idea.

    I spose it could be worse. I had a foreign person (not German-, not Russian-, not English-speaking, and I gave up after that,) sit next to me. He conversed with me animately. I did not understand a word of it.

    5 hour flight.

    :\
  • NecrosisNecrosis The Loquacious Sage Join Date: 2003-08-03 Member: 18828Members, Constellation
    Meh, on a local flight we were powering up the runway when a light went on in the cockpit and the emergency brakes got slammed on.

    Their "slight technical hitch" took an hour to fix.


    I'm not fond of flying, but if you're in the plane then the time for worrying is over.
  • EpidemicEpidemic Dark Force Gorge Join Date: 2003-06-29 Member: 17781Members
    Even better, try to tell yourself you have god mode.. eventually your fear will take off (phun). Just think positive and try to relax! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • BigMadSteveBigMadSteve Join Date: 2003-02-12 Member: 13472Members
    edited August 2004
    Nice topic to crop up just after I watch "Executive Decision" (I sh** you not, it finished like 10 minutes ago). Good movie, quite a lot of famous people.

    On-topic...

    I've only flew about 4 times in my life and I absolutely love it. My worst experience would have to be waiting at the airport for 11 hours. We've never had turbulence or the like so my opinion of flying could change on the next flight. I actually flew a light plane once for a few minutes. I can understand how some people might be scared of flying despite the figures. <span style='color:purple'>You are in a fast moving, shaking, pressurised metal tube with a million different [moving] parts on it several thousand feet above the earth.</span>
  • DragonMechDragonMech Join Date: 2003-09-19 Member: 21023Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin-Fyxd+Aug 23 2004, 12:09 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Fyxd @ Aug 23 2004, 12:09 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> i was just wondering if anyone else has had similar expeiances or is afriad of flying as i am now, or the fact that ive probably developed a complex and need to go to a mental institute <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I used to love flying as a small child. Going across the Atlantic? 48 hours of nonstop flights and layovers? Those wings looking a little flimsy? 40,000 feet? NO PROBLEM!

    Now however, any turbulence spooks me. I don't mind a smooth flight, but the smallest shudder of the plane has me grabbing the armrests like my life depends on it.
  • BaconTheoryBaconTheory Join Date: 2003-09-06 Member: 20615Members
    Yeah, flying is actually one of the safest ways to travel. I readsome statistic somewhere that the average person would have to fly about 3 million times before they would be in a plane crash. You're worse off driving. And with the gas prices...
  • NuketheplaceNuketheplace Join Date: 2002-09-02 Member: 1266Members
    When you get scared of flying, just remember. Flying is the art of falling at the ground and missing.
  • MantridMantrid Lockpick Join Date: 2003-12-07 Member: 24109Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Nuketheplace+Aug 23 2004, 06:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Nuketheplace @ Aug 23 2004, 06:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> When you get scared of flying, just remember. Flying is the art of falling at the ground and missing. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Which is easy to do if you're suddenly distracted by a great pair of legs, or tentacles, depending on your prefrences.
  • DragonMechDragonMech Join Date: 2003-09-19 Member: 21023Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin-Mantrid+Aug 23 2004, 11:05 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mantrid @ Aug 23 2004, 11:05 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin-Nuketheplace+Aug 23 2004, 06:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Nuketheplace @ Aug 23 2004, 06:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> When you get scared of flying, just remember.  Flying is the art of falling at the ground and missing. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Which is easy to do if you're suddenly distracted by a great pair of legs, or tentacles, depending on your prefrences. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Bombs & explosions also work.
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