Flying...

[Jordan P.]

I know I sound like a weirdo but I have some flights coming up an I am slightly nervous! I know a fair amount about planes but I still get nervous. I fly a lot! I have 2 8 hr flights then a 4 hr flight then a 1hr flight and I am kinda nervous. I am not super scared just slightly nervous! I am only usually nervous before I get on the plane and when we are taking off and landing! But in this case our last flight is a Bombardier Q500 and I hate turbo props! I am not nervous when I am in the cockpit but this is completely different! I also don't want to tell my parents because it is embarrassing so if there is a free way to help my problem please help!

[chris k]

Use a Flight Simulator.?

[Jordan P.]

I do... But I still can't get over the fact that I may be the one that dies!

[ryancz]

I got really scared when coming back from Denver (MD80 series) and was in the center seat. I couldn't see anything, and felt insecure.

I've flown at night, landed with a 10kt 90 x-wind, and had an alternator failure at night, but felt more comfortable. (All real flying)

[Jordan P.]

How did you get over your fear?

[ryancz]

On that flight, I didn't. I usually sit by the window and have a view of what's happening.

Maybe ask to sit by the window, and think of what the pilot's are doing at that moment. Watch what the plane is doing, using what view you have, and think about how that's what it should be doing. For instance, on approach to Denver, I had a window seat. I could tell exactly when the pilot took over for the autopilot, just from watching how the wing was rolling and pitching more now than a minute before. Another thing I did was print approach, arrival, and departure charts, and take a watch to time how long each segment was.

[steven winslow]

I'm not saying drugs are the answer, but try taking some Benedryl or something else to make you drowsy.  I've slept through some fairly long flights and it makes them a lot shorter.  

 

Now, about that fear.  I find if you can take your mind off of the fact that you are being propelled through the air in a large tube, it's a lot easier to take.  I've never had overwhelming fear of flying, but I have inadvertently freaked myself out a couple of times.  That's when I closed my eyes, breathed deeply and slowly and thought about something else, like women playing basketball in high heels.....seriously.  So, make sure you have some sort of mental picture to take you away from your fear....not necessarily the one I use, but something pleasant to take your mind off the flight.

 

I really like Ryan's idea of taking approach and departure plates along.  Might be fun to figure out which one the pilots are flying and trying to follow along.

[Jordan P.]

Okay thanks yu guys I will try it out because I am not necasarily super scared just worried and nervous. :-)