Fulham71

I so want to fly but am scared stiff of it !

I have been offered the chance to go to Mexico & so want to go but the 11 hour flight scares me to death !

Is there anything I can do to settle my nerves other than getting blotto for 11 hours ?

I really want to fly so any help would be appreciated !

Thanks

Paul

stevem2k

go to the docs. They will prescribe you something if you ask nicely

Reffro

I'd get someone to talk you through the theory of flight, and how a modern jet airliner works.

They really are incredible, not to mention safe.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Yes mate, there is lots you can do for this common and very treatable fear.

Perhaps the best thing is to go on a BA fear of flying course, especially tailored for people who've never flown, hate flying, or just don't cope very well in the air!

http://www.aviatours.co.uk/venues.html for more info. The course runs from several airports and is very highly regarded.

Do not I repeat, DO NOT get drunk for any flight!!!

What you have to remember is that -as hard as it may be to believe- flying is easily the safest form of transport. Want to know your odds on being involved in an air accident and fancy a little giggle? Go to www.amigoingdown.com they'll calculate you're odds of being involved in an accident. I can tell you that they will be significantly more remote than winning the lottery!!! Though the latter would be significantly more fun!!

All the best and don't let your fears get in the way of your dreams!

NS04

Jonathan Davies

Don't get pissed unless you've taken a few valium already*.



Disclaimer: other advice in this thread may be better than this.

stevem2k

hell of a lot safer than driving around in that plastic pig of yours anyway

KiwiGTI

One word : Ativan

hedgehog

I don't get worried by flying, luckily as I used to do over 100 flights per year minium, but I have noticed that some people are just always going to be worried about it but for others, as has been suggested here, knowing the technical details makes them happy. If you are a computer scientist, or an engineer or similar then find out more about how it works and you will be happy.

Now, this may not apply to you but the Air Accident Investigation Branch publish their monthly investigations. It can make interesting reading and what you will find most interesting is that almost every accident to a large plane happens when the baggage handlers drive their truck into the side of the plane when getting the bags off. Almost all of the rest of the "accidents" to large passenger jets turn out to be minor things like a failed instrument so they had to use the spares or something. I think the last "big" investigation the UK AAIB had was the Knebworth crash which was in the late 80's or early 90's perhaps??

So, if you feel that knowing the truth in technical terms would prevent you from being concerned then take a look at the AAIB site, however if you think it might make you worse then ignore this totally :-)

http://www.aaib.dft.gov.uk/publications/bulletins.cfm

As also mentioned a sympathetic doctor will give you something like diazipam or valium just to get you off the ground so to speak. Worth trying to prevent a fear of flying from ruling your life. Good luck, get out there and enjoy it as it really is an amazing feat of engineering and once you understand what is going on it will hold no fear at all.

Brendan Hughes

How many big airports in the UK can you name? Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Glasgow. Every 4 (?) minutes between 6am and midnight a plane takes off or lands at each one.

Now think of the medium airports - Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds... Maybe every 20 minutes there.

How many planes have taken off or landed since the last fatal accident in the UK?

rr_ww

Yeah, but its all very well saying its unlikely. You'll still be irritated if you are on the one that crashes.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

You could come with me on my first helicopter pilot training flight - kill or cure

Seriously, speak to your doc. I had a friend who was a GP and she was scared of flying so used to prescribe valium for herself and said it worked a treat.

Brendan - Stansted, Luton, Liverpool, Cardiff. Now what do I win?

Brendan Hughes

Sal - as you asked - http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=439107

jasey

I used to tell people of all the near misses I had in various planes and never had a crash in any of them.


For some reason this made their fears worse than when I started.

The story about the seagull entering the engine on final approach to Aberdeen Airport was the worst by far .

When your time's up your times up - I'd rather go on a plane than in an old folks home .

Jonathan Davies

Interesting points. I went out with a girl who was an air accident litigation specialist (for Beaumonts - wheeled in by airlines to contest claims regardless) and she had become a very nervous flyer. We always sat by an emergency exit.

One thing that stayed with me - I always read the saftey brochure carefully and know where the exits are. Even though it's pointless once you're over water...

mart360

check out the Ba fear of flying course, all they do is look at the worst that can happen and make fun of it..

i was scared of bieng airsick for years, and avoided flying.. until i had to go to a christening abroad....


scared as f*** as we taxied to the end of the runway.....

engines wound up... and


wahayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

incredible acceleration and then this mammoth climb into the air..... a wicked bank ( it was a small jet)


still gives me a buzz to this day as the power kicks in for take off

do it, you wont regret it


Mart

Julz1983

I hate flying aswell even the thought of it makes me nervous, like others have said, go and ask your doctor and see what they can prescribe or give you advice on, when I have flown anywhere I have used Bach Rescue Remedy, alot of people don't believe in any of this but it helped my nerves a hell of alot before getting on a plane and while I was on it, take a look here to find out more

http://www.bachshop.com/customer/pro...d=43&cat=&page=

You can buy this in Pharmacy's or in most health shops.

chris's scooby

I never had a fear of flying although i would sometimes wonder and worry a little about strange noises whilst in the air.

Last year a friend let me fly his light aircraft, brilliant fun and in doing so i picked up a great understanding of the workings of a plane as he explained it all to me.

Now when i fly i don't bat an eye lid if anything happens.

Get down to your local airfield, they'll sort you out!!!

SWRTWannabe

"Knebworth" was where the concert was, Kegworth was where the air crash was

As has been said, you have more chance of something happening on the way to the plane, than on the plane itself.

Planes are flown by people who have a lot of training and retraining. Where the planes fly is generally strictly controlled. Contrast that with the roads, where you pass one test and you can drive anywhere, then you're probably better off being afraid of driving!!

Hope you do manage to overcome your fears - the acceleration of the plane on the runway is something that any car driver could only dream of ( Ok, most car drivers )

super_si

you cant live for ever. Get a grip, if times up times up.

S

GU5

Don't drink on a flight

DVT's a lot more realistic than a plane accident

mad_dr

Your fear is completely irrational...

Did anyone else see Air Crash Investigation last night!?! Wow - amazing or what?!

BOB.T

What is there to worry about?





I've loved planes all my life but didn't actually fly till I was 25, I was a tad nervous before the flight but as soon as you get going down the runway it's fantastic! Then you get the boring middle bit, you may aswell be on a coach! Then it all starts again when you land!

Why don't you book a Ryanair flight to Paris or Amerstdam, do it in advance and it'll cost peanuts plus you don't lose out on X quids worth of holiday if you bottle it!

Hol

iTrader: (1)

Make sure that you warm up properly first


Otherwise your arms will really ache, after 11 hours

suprabeast

flying is cool and very safe.. i have flown over 10 different planes and never had issues and have even flown solo.

Passenger planes are backwards and forward every day, just sit back and enjoy the ride!

jasey

You can always ask the pilot not to get too close (No Zoom used on this shot )

Drunken Bungle Whore

I used to be absolutely phobic about flying. I needed pills and booze to even think about getting on a plane. I'd have nightmares for weeks before a flight, and could never relax and enjoy a holiday because of the dread fear of the flight home.


I couldn't even contemplate one of the BA courses because they give you theory in the morning and a flight in the afternoon (this may have changed) and I knew I'd take nothing in during the morning as I'd be so fixated on the afternoon flight.

I once boarded a 9 hour flight to the states and the people I was with said I couldn't panic for 9 hours straight. I think it's safe to say I proved them wrong!! However much people quoted safety statistics too me it made no difference!

I wish I could suggest a magic cure. The thing that helped me most can't happen now. I asked if I could see the cockpit during a long haul flight. Not only did they let me go up and speak to the captain but they also invited me back in for landing. I sat directly behind the pilot in a 747 from 33,000ft all the way down into Toronto airport - what an experience!! (Amazing how much I remeber considering the ammount of sleeping pills and vodka I had swilling around my system!)

These days I make loads of short haul flights - London to Belfast and Glasgow. I can't say I look forward to flying, but it's certainly not the trauma it was - I find looking out of the window and trying to figure out where I am helps. I can now track my path into Heathrow all the way from Oxford! (Although one time we flew a different path and went over a giant chalk lion carved into a hillside somewhere north of London - any ideas...?)

If I'm feeling particuarly nervous I imagine myself on the ground watching the plane go over. I like watching planes and I've never watched on crash so it helps me.

Would suggest doc as first port of call - and then maybe find someone who can explain what's happening during a flight.

You have my every sympathies - I know how awful the fear can be - and good luck in getting over it!

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

DBW, the lion is cut into the chalk hills of the Dunstable Downs below Whipsnade Zoo near Luton

Drunken Bungle Whore

Thank you!