Who's deathly afraid of flying?

[Rick Lee]

This sounds crazy coming from a well-traveled soul like me, but I could almost cry like a baby during turbulence. Yes, I really am that scared. During take-off, when there's a slight sinking feeling after a huge lift, I get so scared. When I was last in Hong Kong, it stormed so hard that the plane shook on the ground before take-off. I was positive we would die all the way until we crossed over Hokkaido.

On the flip side, I've been up with friends in tiny Cessnas, doing near acrobatics and even had a door come open on me at 5k ft. and it didn't phase me in the least. During the few car accidents I've had, I don't think my pulse went up at all. The last near miss I had on my motorcycle didn't make me wince at all either.

Of all the things I do on a daily basis which are exponentially more likely to visit a horrible death on me than is flying, nothing in the world scares me more than flying.....except maybe a creaky elevator cable. How does one overcome this? BTW, I LOVE rollercoasters.

[Jims5543]

My wifes cousin just freaked out 2 weeks ago and walked out of the airport. He ended up taking a greyhound bus all the way to Windsor Canada while his girlfriend flew.

I would freak out more from being stuck on a Greyhound bus for 32 hours when I could have gotten it over with in 4 hours of flying.


I personally do not like flying all too much. I endure it becuase sometimes its the only option. We were flying back from Nassau Bahamas to Miami and we hit one hell of a storm the plane free fell for what seemed like forever. Stuff flying everywhere people screaming. I thought for sure we were dead. We were not supposed to be on that flight to begin with so that made me kabookie out even more.

I feel your pian.

[stomachmonkey]

Used to love it. Am now petrified.

Had a couple of experiences that cut a bit to close to home that made me face the cold hard reality that, yes, you can die.

That and the fact that you have no control. I hate it when others drive.

[Rick Lee]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro


I would freak out more from being stuck on a Greyhound bus for 32 hours when I could have gotten it over with in 4 hours of flying.

But the ironic reality is that you are sooooo much more likely to die a firey death in that bus than in the plane.

[Sonic dB]

I used to be a little afraid to fly...but only because I felt like the experience was outside of my control...
As an airline passenger, I had to relinquish the control to the pilot, a person whom I didnt know and had to trust.

But, I am completely over that and now,
I find flying to be quite an exhillarating experience,
save the stiff cramped seats in coach.

[Sonic dB]

We were flying back from Nassau Bahamas to Miami and we hit one hell of a storm the plane free fell for what seemed like forever. Stuff flying everywhere people screaming

Jim, could you elaborate on this experience...when you say that the plane "free fell" do you mean that it went into a Dive?
And if so...to what degree of steepness and for how long?
What type of plane?

Im very curious...thanks

[Rick Lee]

I've been in plenty of air pocket drops before, but never a dive.

[Joeaksa]

I am sick. I fly the things AND parachute for fun.

Now you guys know why you are scared???

[Rick Lee]

I would love to sky dive and have bungie jumper before. Still can't deal with turbulence.

[on-ramp]

one time flying from San Fran to Boston, long flight, ready to touch down in Logan (the last 10 seconds before touchdown are the best because you see the runaway).

about 100 ft off the runaway, the engines increased power and instead of final touchdown we started up again...
that was NOT normal, and I started to panick.

turns out there was **** (debris) on the runaway and we couldn't land, we had to circle again...

when something happens from the norm, you think the worst. .

a friend of mine used to travel for work - on one flight out of Logan, 10 min. into the flight, the left engine caught fire. they had to shut it down and return to the airport. I can't imagine looking out the window and seeing flames out the engine.

i highly respect the pilots that fly those commercial airliners...in fact, i am convinced they are all crazy.

[Jeff Higgins]

I am terrified of flying on commercial airliners. I know too many of the guys that design and build them.

[Joeaksa]

Here is what we do with people who complain!



You guys do realize that you are 3 times more likely to be injured or die while DRIVING to the airport than on the flight ???

[on-ramp]

Originally posted by Joeaksa

You guys do realize that you are 3 times more likely to be injured or die while DRIVING to the airport than on the flight ???

only 3 ??? damn, that's not very reassuring..

[Super_Dave_D]

I was deathly afraid to fly until I was about 23 and was offered a chance to fly with the Red Baron stunt team in the early 90’s. A few of my work buddies also went so I had to man up to the pear pressure. The Red Baron stunt team fly’s WWII vintage Stearmans. I was doing OK until when I was getting in the plane (front seat) and my pilot straps me into a parachute and proceeds to give me directions to the tune of “OK here is the pull cord and if I yell bail 3 times do not look for me as I will be gone and by they way, try to jump as far as possible because you don’t want the tail to hit you!!!” Well that was just about enough for me but I persevered (partly due to my girlfriend in the plane taking off on our wingtip – I had to man up). I had previously told the pilot this was my first flight and I think he sensed my nervousness.

Once we got to the assigned staging zone, the pilot comes on the intercom and says, “Now Dave I know this is your first flight so I wont do anything you don’t want me to”. Well that was a complete lie because before I could press the button to talk to him he nosed down and went into a vertical dive!! We then proceed to do about every stunt they perform – full smoke and all!! I had the time of my life!

Little did I know at the time that it would be one of the greatest experiences I have had or will ever have in my lifetime! My favorite maneuver was the aileron stall (flying gods forgive me if I’m wrong on the term) its when you go vertical until you stall and then the pilot kicks it over to the left or right as the plane falls backwards and then dives back to earth.

Oh ya – I was cured of my fear of flying!!!


http://www.redbaron.com/squadron.htm

[jriera]

Worse than an aborted landing (somewhat common) is an aborted takeoff. Last one was about 18 months ago, I was going somewhere up North (Chicago, Minneapolis, don't really remember) sit down on my first class seat,, roll to the runway, somewhere between V1 and V2 in milliseconds the cabin fills with smoke, brakes at full (amazing how a 767 can break, must have big reds!), fire department comes to see, roll back to the gate .... no real explanations where given but we did not fly that day.

I was talking about the all flying thing with Richard on Saturday, I have way over 5 million miles and two emergency landings under my belt. No, I'm not afraid a bit, worst case .... I will be in the news!!!

[fingpilot]

I always tell my pasengers that have trouble with turbulence that the airframe is streesed for (typically) 15 to 20 G. The interior structures are typically stressed to 9G. Human body is designed for 1G.

Worst turbulence on record is 4 to 5 G. Worst. Typical uncomfortable is 2 to 3G.

So, outside of being uncomfortable, there is no danger to structures.

Only danger is to unbelted designed-for-1G cargo. You.

Keep the belt on no matter what the sign says.

[VincentVega]

I fly so much I take it for granted. Being diverted this fall because of some smoke on board was a little strange though. Even stranger was being the biggest plane at a regional airport and watching the guys in silver suits come aboard.

Turbulence is never fun, but as long as I dont spill my drink it's no so bad.

[slodave]

Originally posted by Super_Dave_D
My favorite maneuver was the aileron stall (flying gods forgive me if I’m wrong on the term) its when you go vertical until you stall and then the pilot kicks it over to the left or right as the plane falls backwards and then dives back to earth.

That would be a Hammerhead stall. That's the one I talk about most. From the ground, the plane looks like it goes over with a smooth motion, but in the plane, it feels like it's going to fall apart. Aerobatic flying took all the fun out of roller coasters.

Dave

[fastpat]

While I prefer to be in the front of the aircraft, close to the controls, flying has never been a frightening experience for me, well, with the possible exception on a couple of night flights under night vision, but that's different.

For me, it's the misery generated by the check in procedures today for commercial air carriers. That has taken virtually all of the enjoyment out of flying, to the extent that I don't fly unless absolutely necessary.

[Sonic dB]

An example of an incident that stimulates the greatest fear in flying...is what happened to Alaskan Airlines Flight 261, which due to a failure in the horizontal stabilizer of the MD-80 Class jet, took 2 dives and plunged into the Pacific, just West of Oxnard, killing all on board...a few years back.
This was blamed on a maintanance problem, where apparently a jack screw mechanism was not oiled properly or at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Airlines_Flight_261

http://www.ntsb.gov/Events/2000/Aka261/jackscrew.htm

I flew Alaskan up the coast from LA to Seattle and back a few times in the past couple of months, on the MD80... and this was a bit unnerving wondering if the horizontal stabilizer had been oiled...lol... I also wonder how the MD class can get off the ground with the Jet Engines located so far back in the rear and not on the wings like the 747s are.

MDs came from the DC class...anyone remember the crash at OHaire in 79 when the DC10 lost an engine and banked hard left into a trailer park?

Ive read that 83% of airline accidents occur on either the takeoff or landing, so you are pretty much safer in the air, once you get there...and mid air failures are rare...but what happened to flight 261 must have been absolutely terrifying to the people on board.

TWA800, and the conspiracy surrounding it makes for some interesting reading. The official explanation was something about an igniting inside the center fuel tank which lead to an explosion...however the conspiracy theorists, and 1 military helicopter pilot who was flying in the vicinty... claim that it was shot down by surface to air missiles. Either way, accident or not, it must have been terrifying to be a passenger in the rear section of that plane, which actually flew on for 30 seconds after the cockpit had been blown off in mid air.

Enough terrifying examples lol...they are rare, but make for interesting reading and listening to cockpit tapes on the web. This has become a cottage hobby of mine, which i do occasionally.. cause the understanding of the situations comfort me the next time I fly, in an odd way. I have had many dreams in my life of being on a plane that has crashed, or have looked up in the sky to see planes crashing... dream analysis supposedly says that this is symbolic of "lost hope" or "lost dreams"...I dont buy that cause I never die in the dream.