Help Me! I am Afraid of Flying!

[island911]

Originally Posted by Shawn 357

My fears are irrational to say the least. My hobbies are dirt biking, off road trucks, racing, motorcycles, etc. but for some reason planes scare the hell out of me! ....

So, you're a control freak (er. . .'control enthusiast") --someone else is controlling the plane -- deal with it.

[ODDJOB UNO]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I have made a career for myself in a very small niche of the commercial aviation industry, a niche know in the industry as "AOG", or "Aircraft on Ground". What that means in aviation parlance is an airplane that is not flying, because it is not airworthy. I help get them flying again. I design tools and equipment used by the largest OEM in the industry to go out and repair customers' aircraft.

In my years in this profession, I have quite literally "seen it all" as far as specific incident repair, basic maintenance, service bulletins relating to design changes and upgrades, and all sorts of other work that gets us out in the field around the world. I have worked with the best in the industry as far as airlines' engineers and mechanics, engineers and mechanics at MRO's around the world, and our own team (as the biggest OEM in the biz, we are well known as being "the best in the business" at what we do).

In other words, I have spent a lifetime around folks who design, build, maintain, and repair commercial aircraft. I have spent many, many very long days and nights with them everywhere from our own plant to some of the most god forsaken remote hangars around the world. We have worked together, we have drank together, we have spent altogether too much time together. As such, I have gotten to know a good number of these folks intimately, and have a pretty good handle on the kinds of folks who do this sort of work. That's why I can say, without reservation, that flying absolutely scares the shyte out of me.

LMFAO! i WORK at an AEROPUERTO and I AM AFEARED!


class 8 1980's and 1990's champ "scoop" vessels just went down in his twin day after stevens in oregon. accomplished pilot tons of hours. POO happens.

i have seen it all being in aerospace ALL my life from flightlines to mfg. my dad was a pilot. my friends werk for honeywell and grumman.


butttttt...................you can git KILT(killed) on a dirty bike,a racey car, a boat, driving on city streets just as easy.


you can git REDRUMMED(murr-durred).



and the only way around it is THRU IT!



or stay on top of the maint., the weather, other traffic etc.



lets see btwn a AIR-BUSS and BOEING.......................


if it aint BOEING i aint GOING! ya really only got 2 choices nowadays.



me? i stay the hell away from EXPERIMENTALS. being a LAB RAT TEST GUINEA PIG just dont go over too well with me.



theres a reason joe hands out (2) pampers to each pax. the one on the head aint just for holding chunks, it also shuts you the HELL UP so he can concentrate on his biz.



and best of ALL......................I HAVE BEAN IN A PLANE CRASH AND WALKED AWAY!

[Targa Me]

I would say that the reason most people are afraid of flying, is not the plane or flight itself; its the fear of no control of what's going on coupled with the fear of death or crashing.

Think of it this way; if you were somehow "guaranteed" that it was going to be a safe flight you probably would not have a problem. Obviously there are no such guarantees. So it boils down to lack of control and death.

With that in mind, I look at it this way... if its your time to go...you're gonna go; whether your in a plane, car or in your own bed. If its your time, you're going.
So get on that plane and enjoy the ride because if it's not your time you've got nothing to worry about. And if it is your time, it doesn't matter what you're doing.

[Targa Me]

Also, think of this... the guy (or gal) flying the plane doesn't want to crash either. They're gonna do whatever is required to be safe.

[ODDJOB UNO]

im not so much afeared of some of the pilots........................its the moron 1/2 azzed maint crews.


or cheap ass private pilots. and civilian pilots make us porsche owners look tame when it comes to being able to bend a penny 8 ways. ask me how i know.

[Targa Me]

Somewhere on the web there is a site that has the final moments of airline disasters. Here's a link, but this is not the one i was thinking about.

Aviation Troubleshooting: Continental Flight 3407 Transcript - Last Moments

[john70t]

If you crash headfirst while in a car on a 2-laner:
-There is only microseconds to react.
-The impact speeds will be about 120mph
-Thin vehicles will crumple guarenteeing severe injury.

If you crash headfirst into while in a plane:
-There is often minutes for the pilot to glide-slope to a clearing and/or fly on one engine.
-The impact speed will usually be the same 120mph, but the intersection angles will be 1-10 degrees, not 90.
-You'll be surrounded by a huge vehicle.

[Shawn 357]

Originally Posted by john70t

If you crash headfirst while in a car on a 2-laner:
-There is only microseconds to react.
-The impact speeds will be about 120mph
-Thin vehicles will crumple guarenteeing severe injury.

If you crash headfirst into while in a plane:
-There is often minutes for the pilot to glide-slope to a clearing and/or fly on one engine.
-The impact speed will usually be the same 120mph, but the intersection angles will be 1-10 degrees, not 90.
-You'll be surrounded by a huge vehicle.

I'm going to start thinking about it this way!

[Joeaksa]

I have had three friends killed while parachuting. All three were killed in a car accident while driving to the DZ on the airport.

Driving is 3X as dangerous as flying...

[Jagshund]

Um . . . not sure the best way to allay one's fear is to dredge up the most gruesome incidents involved in the feared realm . . . not a shrink, I'm just sayin' . . .

[Shawn 357]

Originally Posted by 1968Cayman

Um . . . not sure the best way to allay one's fear is to dredge up the most gruesome incidents involved in the feared realm . . . not a shrink, I'm just sayin' . . .

Yeah, I haven't been clicking on those links

[rattlsnak]

I had a good friend of mine in your shoes a few years back. Long story short, I took him up in a 172 (his idea) and let him take the controls and feel it out explaining everything to him. He swears that cured him and although he still gets nervous from time to time, it is nothing like it was before that flight.

[Jeff Alton]

Shawn,

I spend most of my week talking to pilots on the radio who are flying jets and other commercial aircraft, or military aircraft. When I am in my office I am on the phone or exchanging emails with their companies..... You are in good hands flying. Safe way to travel.

Sure, there are some bad accidents and incedents, but per mile travelled, flying is the safest travel method by far.

Now helicopters?? There are two types, those that have crashed, and those that are going to.....

That said, remember people were not built to be up in the sky.... Just funnin ya!

Cheers

[ramonesfreak]

its situations like PSA 182 that get me nervous....stupid human error that happens on every job

[Dottore]

My wife used to be afraid of flying.

Lufthansa runs this program regularly for people like this. It's four days of classroom work with pilots and psychologists etc. Very professional. They try to demystify the whole process of flying by explaining some theory of flight etc.

Then on the 5th day they take the group up in a 737 over Germany and fly at strange attitudes etc., explain all the unusual noises (eg. when flaps are extended or gear goes down etc) and so forth. They take off and land about 6 times, and explain the process while doing it.

This program has an enormous success rate. It costs about $750.- for the five days (hotels and meals extra) but if you have to fly, and have a fear of it, this is apparently the best way to deal with it.

My wife swears by this program. When I married her I had to drag her onto airplanes kicking and screaming. Now there's no issue whatsoever.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by srandallf

its situations like PSA 182 that get me nervous....stupid human error that happens on every job

Then I assume you live in a cellar and do not ever leave the house to stay safe?

When its "your time" then its your time and nothing is going to change this.

[Shawn 357]

Originally Posted by Jeff Alton

Shawn,

I spend most of my week talking to pilots on the radio who are flying jets and other commercial aircraft, or military aircraft. When I am in my office I am on the phone or exchanging emails with their companies..... You are in good hands flying. Safe way to travel.

Sure, there are some bad accidents and incedents, but per mile travelled, flying is the safest travel method by far.

Now helicopters?? There are two types, those that have crashed, and those that are going to.....

That said, remember people were not built to be up in the sky.... Just funnin ya!

Cheers

Jeff,
That's the most frustrating part is the fact that I know it doesn't make much sense that I am scared of flying. I figure when I am flying to Dallas with my friend soon he will be explaining everything to me and I'll be getting a couple hours of flight time myself so I am hoping this will help.
-Shawn

[Seahawk]

I drove from Maryland to Phoenix with my Daughter mostly at the controls the past five days. We stayed off the Interstate 80% of the time after the Mississippi River...drove almost all of NM and every bit of AZ off the slab.

I flew home today.

I now have a fear of driving.

However, there was a bit of an airframe harmonic on decent into Dulles when the pilot pulled power, at least three minutes of frequency pulse. Interesting.

[Joeaksa]

Paul,

Glad you got her setup ok. Whats the problem, you do not like 112 degree heat? Hope she does not get perturbed as its only another three weeks until temps are nice again.

Let us know when you are back in the area and pls give her our contact info "just in case" something happens and she needs a hand.

joe

[Seahawk]

All is well, Joe, thanks. She has your info and Rick's.

Her Mom and I did the hand-off yesterday (she flew in)...the thought of dealing with the move-in, roommates, roommate parents and the whole Kabuki Dance of college would have had me climbing the Texas Bell Tower with malice.

My wife, on the other hand, handles that stuff with an ease and grace that should be bottled.

The drive from Socorro to Phoenix through Show Low, etc. was more stunning than I remember. And Green.

I'll see you soon...parents weekend is near the end of September.

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Paul,

Glad you got her setup ok. Whats the problem, you do not like 112 degree heat? Hope she does not get perturbed as its only another three weeks until temps are nice again.

Let us know when you are back in the area and pls give her our contact info "just in case" something happens and she needs a hand.

joe