re: Fear of Flying

Xanax, helps a little for me, but not that much. I still absolutely hate it. I wish I could get drugged to the point where I couldn't really tell what was going on and someone had to wheelchair me on and off the plane.

My problem is I go into engineer mode. I start analyzing every sound and movement, is there a problem with it, does it sound correct even though I don't know the first god damn thing about Aviation maintenance.

That and being traumatized by my Dad at a young age by being forced to be his flying buddy in his crappy Cessna 150 in Alaska. We had some scary arse flights in that thing, got to see a lot of crazy cool places and sites that made it worth it, but it scared the f**k out of me when it comes to planes. We had a few close calls including the last flight I took with him where his engine started acting bad mid flight and cut out completely on approach. He sold the plane after that, needed a new engine and he got a 172 later down the road when we moved to Tennessee.

Keep your eye on the flight attendants...if they aren’t concerned during the flight, then neither should you be. This helped me when I first started flying

Ativan. First Class. I also participated in a fear of flying phobia class in Houston that’s run by an FAA examiner and an ex-commercial pilot. Part of the class includes time in a flight simulator that I found immensely helpful. I took the two day seminar a few years ago. I now regularly and comfortably fly in a buddy’s 10 passenger Swearingen twin turbo without batting an eye. It helps that we’re normally headed out on a fishing or football trip but the Ativan is key.

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I wonder how often they think, "What the frick was that? Oh, well. It's my job to keep on smiling! Would you like some pretzels, sir?"

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got news for you baws that get comfort from watching the demeanor of the stews, they don't know jack shite about what's going on with the jet

Read this book: Cockpit Confidential (Amazon Link)

I recommended this book in another thread. The pilot who authors the book walks you through all of the things nervous fliers wonder about and dismantles any worrisome myths. Totally worth the $10 to put your mind at ease. I'm an over-analyzer and prefer to know everything I can about something that makes me nervous. Knowledge is power

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For me it’s really about the lack of control. I’m trusting my life with someone I’ve never met.

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That’s what it is with most passengers I speak to. We always welcome anyone to visit the cockpit....errr, flight deck before departure. There rarely is a flight (international) where we don’t have time to talk to nervous flyers or kids with hot moms.
On domestic flights this can be a little bit harder since the turn times are pretty quick but it never hurts to ask. We don’t judge.

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I've flown plenty in my life, but I'll get little bouts of nervousness here and there.

I always remind myself that the pilot and flight attendants don't want to die either. They do this shite all day everyday.

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Likewise. The turbulence always gets me though

Private pilot here. The plane I learned to fly in was a 1960's piece of junk. I have 100 hours as pilot in command and have 500 or so landings. I still get nervous when I go up.

My nerves are overcome by my knowledge. Knowing exactly what's going on. Planes WANT TO FLY. That is what they are designed to do. It's science. The 1960's trainer I learned in doesn't fall apart because it was so engineered and spec'd out as to overcome even the wear and tear of 50 years of students basically slamming it into the ground. These things aren't engineered to fall apart in flight - there is a big structural buffer there. And even if the engine goes out, it turns into a pretty decent glider. People fly in gliders all the time with no engine at all.

Turbulence as mentioned is exactly like waves in water. Air behaves like fluid, so a little "chop" is normal. Sometimes you hit a bigger chop. But the air will not disappear from around the aircraft. The wings will catch and smooth out. The air molecules will always be there to provide lift.

Statistically, commercial flying is the safest form of transportation you can do. You are safer in those than driving to work in the morning. Turbine engines and flying are amazing feets of engineering and are damn near a guarantee, but you only hear about the extremely rare events.

Good luck!

It isn’t the flying that gets you. My moneys on a runway overrun situation.

Is it a fear of flying, or a fear of crashing...because those are two entirely different things.

Just kidding...I hate heights, but for some reason, being in a plane never bothered me. That being said, I have known people who would take something to read and would try to equate it in their mind like traveling on a bus.