Sorry, this is wierd but you all seem to have great answers to all my other queries...and I have several flights in the upcoming weeks...

I have a TERRIBLE fear of flying, or maybe flying in commercial airliners to be exact. I had a couple of rough flights with turbulence and smoking engines. (both of which I was lucky enough to have a window seat for!) ( it was so bad that the stewardesses were crying and screaming thinking that we're going down ( That's when you know you're screwed 'cause they see that crap all day every day!) and on the other flight after a steep nose dive that would make the Blue Angels' envious the pilot gets on the cabin comm and says "(PANT, PANT) Well, someone must be praying for us folks!")

So my question is how do I beat this and get over my fear of flying? I used to LOVE it before the mishaps!??? I don't know what's wrong with me!

Thanks for the help, and sorry to sound like a little girl but this is really affecting what I do and where I go! (especially for employment opportunities)

Any Suggestions?

Wow! Those are some really bad experiences.

But I must say, crying, screaming, and stupid comments like the pilot made are really unprofessional. The aircrews on the South African airlines are really calm and professional at all times (yes the service and food sucks, but that's another story).

Fair enough I've never had the horrific experiences you've had... mostly deadly cross winds on landing. The worst I had was a landing gear that wouldn't lock into place - we circled over False Bay in Cape Town for about half an hour in a pitch dark stormy winter night with the undercarriage going up and down until it all 3 locked into place. The cabin crew were kind enough to only tell us what went wrong on disembarking on terra firma.

If I've learnt one thing from making weekly flights for 2 years over SA (thank goodness that's over!), it's that you need to pick your airlines. I'm not a fan of the so called budget airlines. There's normally a reason why they're cheaper... crappy service, poorly maintained aircraft and unprofessional crew.

Advice? Sorry, none except pick your airlines, always complain to the right people about your grievances, and remember that fewer people die as result of airline accidents than do in automobile accidents annually... little comfort I know, but....

As we say in SA 'vas byt'

Rudi

Statistics! Don't you just love them.... More chance of being hit by a meteorite, etc....
A friend of mine flew choppers for years and loved relating the endless amount of things that can fall off / break / or just stop on helicopters.Tales of 'Jesus Bolts',etc.
I was in a Herc' where the load shifted and that made for some interesting flying characteristics and a fun landing.So just know that if your names in the book,your names in the book..........

My friend has his private pilot's license.I fly with him,and he hands off to me frequently.having control of the plane gives you a sense of well being.in one of those aluminum tubes,I feel like so much cattle.
I suggest going up in a small plane with an instructor from a local flightschool..its a lot of fun.

Drugs

THAT'S how I'd deal with it. Of course, that's how I deal with everything. Takes all the wonder out of drunks on planes,eh? I would say most of them were just drinking to get through the flight.
I hate flying too, but, I'll tell ya, if that stuff happened to me on two flights, I'd say the next 50 flights I take are safe as all get out.

Go for it!
Face that fear and squint right back at it!


Cuhail

Well, I certainly wouldn't book again on those two airlines again.

That's unfortunate you had such unprofessional crews on your planes. Usually, the flight crew are VERY professional and are supposed to be trained to handle certain situations.

My last flight had a mishap as well. Preparing to land, the plane took a huge banking turn, so much that I looked out the window and saw nothing but the field beneath us. I'm a fine flier, but this turn made my stomach turn (I was not alone as several others were busy making use of their 'barf bags').
Once we leveled out again, the pilot came on and apologized as someone had authorized a take off and landing on the same runway and would soon be out of a job...

Probably not helping your nerves much, but after spending a few years of flying to and from client sites for work, I found mishaps to be the exception and not the norm. I have been through many turbulent flights, and some interesting landings and take offs, but I usually find them more fascinating than frightening (those wings can really flex!!!). Sappy, but I have faith in the fact that an overwhelming majority of flights go (relatively) smoothly and safe guards are in place to prevent accidents from happening. I know that enough of my flights have been delayed while the plane was checked for whatever reason.

If it is an absolutely overwhelming feeling, you may need to talk to someone. Anti-anxiety meds may be an option.

Jamie

Is the issue the airports you fly into and out of?

My wife and I made the mistake of flying a puddle jumper into a small regional airport in the Northeast US at the holidays, landing in the evening.

We circled a couple of times, no problems.

But at that point out of the pre-9/11 cloth-doored cockpit comes the automated voice "Terrain! Terrain! Pull up!"

There were no rapid jerky movements and the pilot continued to circle. the warning was not repeated and we landed fine.

I thought the biker dude across from me was going to claw his way out of the plane before we even got to the taxiway! The little old lady sitting next to him took it better, even rolling her eyes as if to say, "Wuss!".


Since then, it is worth it to me to drive south and fly out of a larger airport. Other than a lightning strike on a wingtip that killed the cabin lights and air conditioning for 5 long seconds, I've never had another problem.

Have you tried a different airport or different carrier?

Mike

Tears , crying, laughing so hard I broke a rib.... Ouch! Hah, hah! Ouch!

Hi Hellbent

I LOVE flying!

- That's extemely unlikely - but how do I book with that airline?! - they sound fantastic!

All the best

Rowan

@ hellbent11

Well I feel for you and your predicament. In this age of almost instant travel and 'commute-as-fast-as-possible' lifestyle, it can be very inconvenient and restrictive to say the least when flying becomes difficult for you. To help you get over this, one of the first things that might help you is to stop listening to anyone that will tell you about their own flying horror stories.....that surely can't be very helpful.

The second thing I would recommend is that you seek out a support group that works with people who have issues around flying. They really can be very helpful in resolving your difficulties. There are also professionals that will work with you on a more one-to-one basis too if you'd like.

Seek out groups or counsellors in your area, they will be able to help.

Good luck.....



Bob

Never have had any trouble when flying at all except for the time we landed at Winnipeg Airport and it felt like we were almost landing sideways the crosswinds were so strong. It was windy and raining, with quite a bit of sleet coming down too! IT WAS A REAL BLAST!

Hope this helps
I work on commercial jets for a living. Both the airframe and the systems. So; Aircraft with two engines are designed to fly to in an emergency on one engine, a four engine jet can fly on as few as two. The wings are tested to the breaking point before they're allowed to fly and I've seen em almost touch wing tips before breaking;[in a test ]... The hydraulic systems have back up systems. The landing gear can be hand cranked down, They even have a back up generator for the electrical system.
As for maintenance; I now that what we do to every aircraft we work on is checked and double checked. And that no aircraft is ever let out unless it's one hundred percent. That's what I remember when I fly.I know for a fact that any plane I fly in is 100 times safer than any car I drive in. Aircraft are checked and worked on after a certain number of hours and if these hours are exceded the plane is grounded.
So when you fly just try and think about how safe the plane is you're in.
helps me.
Jerry

LMAO Actually, the stewardesses usually only get to see that once! Dude, are you an actor for the new movie "Final Destination 4" or somethig??? What the heck!?!?! I was on a plane once where the engine cought fire. it was a Boeing 727 going from Newark NJ to Miami Florida. The flight was a complete nightmare that took 12 hours between mishaps (should have only been 2 hours). I swore Id never fly again after that. Then I did. No problems. Then we had Sept 11th, and I swore I would never fly again. Then, reluctantly (and out of necessity) I did. no problems. I just recently flew to Bozeman Montana a month ago, and the only problems I had were delays. The point I am trying to make is that the odds of something actually happening to your flight are slim to none. And you have already experienced 2 problems, so the odds are, you will have smooth flights from here on in. but if we dont hear from you for a while, we'll send flowers! LOL

Here are a couple of tips for you that make me relax on a plane now.
1) wear comfortable clothes
2) Bring something to keep you occupied the whole flight. bring some magazines, your laptop, PlayStation Portable, etc. But keep your mind going. To bad there isnt enough room to build a model on a plane! LOL
3) dramamine never hurts to have or any other sort of motion sickness medicine.
4) dont drink coffee unless you feel like being crammed into that little bathroom.
5) if you smoke, go get yourself some nicotine patches or nicotine gum if its a long flight.
6) And I know this sounds crazy but I do this for the "what if" scenario. I always wear a heavy belt and bring a sharp metal pen with me. In the event of a hijacking where everyone decides to fight back, you can use your belt to tie someone up with or choke someone, and the pen is always good to stab a would be hijacker with. Just aim for his left eye. Instant Labotomy if he survives. Pens are allowed on a plane, and so are belts, but you will have to take it off for the metal detector. I thik the terrorists have given up on hijacking planes, but if it makes you feel safe, and prepared, go for it.

Well, thats my .02 Have a safe flight!

Gary

I hear ya Hellbent! I hate flying now; I used to love it, but a trip to Houston with my wife (then fiancee) found me hypervenilating between charlotte and Atlanta. That was BEFORE 9/11! I've flown once since then, and to be honest, I said an entire 5 decades of the rosary during pre-flight and take off. That seemed to do me right. Of course, if you aren't Catholic (or religious) that wont help you out much, But honestly, I suggest talking to the "Big Guy" before the trip. It helped me a great deal.

I still had it in my head that if anyone stood up and screamed "Allah akbar" I was going to beat him in the head until he was dead.

I took my first flight in 72,to australia dont get much longer than that, and me terrified of heights,the week previous a plane had crashed at heathrow and we took off over the wreck,when we got to Bancock I nearly got arrested for looking at some war birds on the apron, then we flew through the Monsoon oh was that fun.Now Im a seasoned flyer but still terrified of heights,so last week in france we drove through the black mountains in a underpowered hirer car my wife was driving and was not familiar with left hand drive and the gear change being on the wrong side.well it was err alright driving up but then we had to go down and as we cleared the summit the whole world was spead out before me "oh what a lovely view" the wife says I couldnt see it because Im down on the floor preying to anyone who would help me Scared I tell you Id rather have a Tarantula chewing on me privates than have to do that again.

Heres a better idea. Have some fun with the guy sitting next to you, pretend to be arabic and bring a copy of the Koran with you. Then, start reading, praying, and open your laptop and play this......... LOL http://www.thecleverest.com/countdown.swf

Gary

Thanks all! I'm actually leaving TODAY! I just keep telling myself some of the things you've mentioned. I'm doing pretty good and I think that I'll be fine.

The airlines were Southwest and Delta. I Flew out of San Diego, Kansas City, and Denver. The nose dive was when there were all the wildfires around Denver a few years ago. The way it was explained to us is that the heated air from all the fires was causing the plane to rise and then we hit a pocket of cool air and it disrupted the airflow along the wings. In order to get airflow restored under the wings the pilot had to put it into the nose dive and throttle up. It was scary but he did get us on the ground and i'm sitting here typing this today!

Thanks for all the kind comments and advice. Yes, I am a good friend of the Man Upstairs and you're right, when it's your time it's your time. ... I just don't want it to be someone else's time!!!!!

As far as the terrorist pukes, I got an easy way to solve that. There should be a pork plane. In order to board the plane you have to eat a pork-chop or sausage. That way you only have to worry if your on the vegetarian flight.

Thanks again for all the help everyone! I'll Keep you posted!

I'm Alive! I made it just fine. Thanks for all the kind words and advice. It really helped out. I just faced my fear and it's not so bad anymore so thanks all!

It's simple really - fly Qantas - the've never had a (fatal) crash!!