darrenm Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 How is everyone with flying? If you're uneasy or scared, how did it start? Can you get on a plane but are uncomfortable? Do you fly lots and none of it scares you or has it stopped you travelling abroad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 (edited) It's never really occurred to me to be "scared" on a plane tbh... i grew up in a family with a plane buff Dad and Granddad (and my dad has a pilots license on small stuff like Cessna's ) so I guess that may have played a major part in my faith in planes ( and pilots ) sure you have some risk on take off mainly with pilot error but that risk is so small your more likely to get killed by your toaster .... no plane has ever been brought down by turbulence so it can rock all it wants at 35,000 feet the only fear you have is someone spilling hot coffee on you as the plane bounces around I've flown Dallo airline and Koyro airlines ...both will raise eyebrows amongst plane buffs for the x-factor they possess in "danger " levels ... But that said they don't fall out the sky either so that reputation is also kinda unwarranted ... The only time I've bottled a flight was in Iran as the fleet they operated were vert very old and sanctions meant they can't have been able to service them properly ( plus I was flying to Ishfahan where the Iranian nuclear project is based and where planes have a reputation for falling out the sky ( unsubstantiated I believe ) )... I went by bus instead and saw upturned buses and lorries on route , much much safer My mate and i always text each other whenever Channel 5 run that show "the 10 most scariest runways " as I think we've done 9 of them and they really aren't scary at all , long as you have faith in planes and pilots Lukla in Nepal is a bit nervey as you take off on the side of the mountain with a straight drop at the end of the runway but they've only had about 3 fatal crashes out of thousands and I like those odds ... Edited September 6, 2016 by tonyh29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tayls Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 I'm nervous when flying. I get that feeling when in the air that I can't swallow properly and have to really think about breathing properly. I can't sleep for shit either because I just wake up in a panic. So instead I tend to just sit there, try to watch a film and keep checking the flight progress thingy. Saying that, I flew to Copenhagen a couple of weeks ago (amazing city btw) and it only took 80 mins (90back). Was a really good flight with Easyjet - didn't panic very much. Probably because it was my seventh and eighth flights this year.... scariest moment was about 5 years ago when travelling back from LA. Hit some horrendous turbulence when flying over Colorado - one person had to have oxygen, another spilt shit everywhere and one girl was crying hysterically and blaming her fella for bringing her onto the plane. At one point the plane dropped and I literally flew out of my seat..... Scary stuff. How about you Darrenm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 I'm fine, I just hate the whole experience if I'm honest, get to the airport 3 hours early, queue, get your bags checked in to through to the hand luggage bit, queue, spend 2 hours eating a horrible expensive breakfast and looking at stuff you're not going to buy, get your gate called, queue, get on the plane, queue, spend 8 hours uncomfortable unable to sleep watching films on a bad screen with a bad sound, eat some shit food (and hopefully have a drink...) land, queue, get to passport control, queue, go to luggage, queue.... bores the **** out of me did sit next to a lad on the way Japan who played football manager on his Mac for the entire 9 hour flight, might have to have a look next time I go long haul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted September 6, 2016 Share Posted September 6, 2016 8 minutes ago, villa4europe said: get to the airport 3 hours early 3 hours !!! there's your first problem 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 7, 2016 Author Share Posted September 7, 2016 7 hours ago, Tayls said: I'm nervous when flying. I get that feeling when in the air that I can't swallow properly and have to really think about breathing properly. I can't sleep for shit either because I just wake up in a panic. So instead I tend to just sit there, try to watch a film and keep checking the flight progress thingy. Saying that, I flew to Copenhagen a couple of weeks ago (amazing city btw) and it only took 80 mins (90back). Was a really good flight with Easyjet - didn't panic very much. Probably because it was my seventh and eighth flights this year.... scariest moment was about 5 years ago when travelling back from LA. Hit some horrendous turbulence when flying over Colorado - one person had to have oxygen, another spilt shit everywhere and one girl was crying hysterically and blaming her fella for bringing her onto the plane. At one point the plane dropped and I literally flew out of my seat..... Scary stuff. How about you Darrenm? Same as Tony with the first bit - I was brought up around being heavily into aviation. Used to go to Birmingham airport every Saturday with my dad and stand in the viewing gallery with radios. Then as soon as I could I started taking flying lessons at Bobbington (Halfpenny Green) and got about 10 hours air time before I had to give it up through lack of funds. Was absolutely fine with flying until one time over the Alps coming back from the Maldives. Standard story, plane bouncing around, crew running to the seats to strap in, people crying and screaming etc. Since then I'm always on edge as soon as the plane starts having a little wobble. I thought I'd start this topic because since I flew back from Florida the other day I decided to try and get over this turbulence fear and have done a lot of reading. I knew most of it before but when properly ingesting the info, it becomes a non-issue. Caught the jetstream on the way back, 650 MPH most of the way on an Airbus most of the time clear smooth air, then every now and again a few wobbles at it got to the edge of the stream. It helped to know what was going on. I wasn't looking forward to turning off it near Ireland though. This was a really good read/listen : http://fearofflyingschool.com/air-turbulence the plane isn't really bouncing about on a rough sea of air, or hitting air pockets or anything like that, it's just being slightly deviated by a few metres which is nothing compared to the distance travelled forward at 600 MPH in that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 7, 2016 Author Share Posted September 7, 2016 7 hours ago, tonyh29 said: 3 hours !!! there's your first problem That goes pretty quick I find. Get to the airport 3 hours before, queuing at check-in / bag-drop for 20 mins, go through security 20 mins, have some breakfast / meal, wander to the gate ready for boarding 1 hour before take-off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StefanAVFC Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 I grew up flying twice a year from the age of one so never had a problem. Then as an nine year old, 9/11 happened and really shook me for a good amount of years and even though I was regularly flying, I was scared every time. Now, it's linked any anxiety. Earlier this year I was suffering quite badly with it and flying sucked. Living abroad I'm flying 8-10 times a year so I need to get over it really. Worst was flying with Ryanair to Gran Canaria from Warsaw. Ryanair is bad enough at the best of times but six and a half hours on a flight with them was hell in the sky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 7, 2016 Moderator Share Posted September 7, 2016 I love flying. I love turbulence and bouncy landings too. I call it getting my moneys worth. If I get a simply take off, get there, land, then that's boring. The only time I've ever had a moment of doubt was an internal Spanish flight in a rickety DC8 where it came to what felt like a complete stall while doing a U-turn in Barcelona bay while our window faced the water. It felt like the next part would be ... y'know, the whole gravity thing. But that was about 3 seconds worth. I've also had some mental turbulence over the Alps and over the Atlantic and that was all good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wainy316 Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Hate flying but I'd never let it stop me doing anything. I just take it as a few hours of personal hell that is outweighed by the reward. That said I do think it's amazing and one of the greatest things humans have accomplished. Worst I've had was having to do a go-around (aborted landing) at Gatwick. A very weird sensation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 7, 2016 Author Share Posted September 7, 2016 I didn't realise Funchal airport in Madeira was in the scariest landings list. I remember taking off and the atlantic wind grabbing the plane as it appeared around the mountain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 God I hate flying, I use to love it until about 8-10 years ago on a flight back from Florida when all of a sudden our plan dropped and all the food carts fell everywhere and people screaming and praying. It was horrendous and scary as f*** turns out we caught a tail of a hurricane. Since then I have hated flying. I take a diazpan to relax me! I know I am right coward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 7, 2016 Moderator Share Posted September 7, 2016 @Demitri_C. I don't mean to belittle your fears but I do wonder, why can't you think about that experience rationally and say 'that was specifically because of X [a hurricane]' which won't always happen. Maybe look up satellite images before flying in order to reassure yourself of clear skies ahead. I know it's easier said than done but I do find it hard to comprehend how one bad experience because of one very specific scenario can basically ruin flying for you forever. In a way it's a shame for you that it has done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 1 hour ago, Demitri_C said: God I hate flying, I use to love it until about 8-10 years ago on a flight back from Florida when all of a sudden our plan dropped and all the food carts fell everywhere and people screaming and praying. It was horrendous and scary as f*** turns out we caught a tail of a hurricane. Since then I have hated flying. I take a diazpan to relax me! I know I am right coward how many died during that experience ? For me that would just reaffirm how safe planes are rather than making me scared to fly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Your both right of course @BOF and @tonyh29 i dont know what it is its more of a psychological thing in my head. Really a little bit of shaking on a plane is normal but I dont know what it is but just makes me nervous. i am not afraid of many things but that experience scarred me. However I wont let it beat me hence the 13hr flight to Thailand earlier in March 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoelVilla Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 When I was younger I had a small problem with not being in control when in an airplane, which is weird because it's much better if the pilot are in control of the plane than I am Don't have any problems anymore and rarely think about it. Only time in the last years was when a Ryanair plane was late(when aren't they?) and we were going on the plane almost as the other passengers left. Then I thought; they are not skipping the security check are they? They probably didn't. Never had any incidents. One time flying to Barcelona the other passengers were clapping when we landed. I didn't think it was anything, just some wind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted September 7, 2016 Moderator Share Posted September 7, 2016 38 minutes ago, NoelVilla said: One time flying to Barcelona the other passengers were clapping when we landed. I didn't think it was anything, just some wind. Well you would, we all like our own brand. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoelVilla Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 1 minute ago, BOF said: Well you would, we all like our own brand. Good one BOF 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 My worst experience in a plane is actually on a run way, a bloke had to be taken off cos he was seriously ill, lazily say something like a heart attack....a real 90 minute reminder of why I hate people....it was at gatwick and the bloke sat next to me spent an hour shouting "oi girl, what's garb on, if he's sick get him off" at the air hostess and he wasn't the only one, the poor bloke, his family, the crew, the medics were getting dogs abuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LakotaDakota Posted September 7, 2016 Share Posted September 7, 2016 Big planes don't bother me in the slightest although i have to confess i am not a huge fan of the window next to the propeller on a turboprop aircraft. Put me in a single engine cessna or something though and it's vomit comet & brown trousers time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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