irrational fear of flying

[Badonkadonk]

Here I sit in moderate to heavy chop in this crap can A320 with its European flight control software navigating us around thundercells 39000 feet above Maryland on my way to JFK.
In the good old days, pre 9/11, my family and I would probably have been on a nice Boeing 757 that would broadcast cockpit chatter so I could hear how mellow the pilots are. Instead I'm posting this and making sure on Flight aware that some other folks have flown through this and lived already.
Screw this goddamned means of conveyance that is against god's will. If I can give Terra firma a kiss this evening I swear tomorrow I'll do hill repeats.

[mg2ride]

Xanax is your friend. Just ask you family doctor for some to cover flying.

[Badonkadonk]

Yes, have tried with mixed results. I really should see a doctor again.

Would prefer non-freezing pitot tubes and more aluminum, less composite. But then I ride a Gaulzetti.

[mjbabcock]

Dude!
using your phone on the flight could bring the whole thing down...turn it off!

What?

Not funny at the moment I'm guessing. Would drink a Clamato be a better response?

I strap the seatbelt down so freaking hard in those situations I can't feel my toes. Sometimes I close my eyes and ask if I'd be concerned were I in the back of a pickup with the same bumping.

[rowdyhillrambler]

Feel ya' bro. I have flown two times. And, I actually cried one of those times. Seems so fucking unnatural barreling thru the air. I know, I know. But, I used to not drink.

[rowdyhillrambler]

I flew with my wife to New Orleans last year. On the return flight I sat next to a pilot, he explained most all of the movements of the wings and processes. It was relaxing, as a half ass mechanic I like hearing about the mechanicality of it.

[rowdyhillrambler]

However, upon descent. He looked me square in the face and said, "we are going down...." I said, "what!!" "In a controlled fashion." Thanks, really thanks

[SteveP]

Sometime watch them fly one of those things through a hurricane for weather purposes.
Holy mackerel those things can suffer a lot without breaking.

I take my shoes off when it takes off... 10 feet off the ground is the same as 39,000 really.

[Badonkadonk]

and here we are at jfk
that was, uh, really something
saving grace was being between my two boys the whole way down, one challenging me to serial thumb wrestling matches and the other looking for help with monkey lunchbox. ahhh, life before fear.
landing felt a little nose first. mug.

[Scott G.]

Go to your LAF (local air field), take a couple intro lessons,
then ask to go up in Citabria for some intro to acrobatics.

Go up in a sail plane, that you'll cure your fear of falling out of the sky.
Flying, when not involving bus driving, can be quite enjoyable.

[Saab2000]

Here I sit in moderate to heavy chop in this crap can A320 with its European flight control software navigating us around thundercells 39000 feet above Maryland on my way to JFK.
In the good old days, pre 9/11, my family and I would probably have been on a nice Boeing 757 that would broadcast cockpit chatter so I could hear how mellow the pilots are. Instead I'm posting this and making sure on Flight aware that some other folks have flown through this and lived already.
Screw this goddamned means of conveyance that is against god's will. If I can give Terra firma a kiss this evening I swear tomorrow I'll do hill repeats.

Just like lawyers and firefighters, pilots are overpaid, except when they're wildly underpaid.

The Airbus is an excellent aircraft with an excellent safety record.

Most people don't like flying because they aren't in control and can't see what's going on out the front window. Yeah, today's a shitty day to fly. I'm glad I wasn't in the NE USA today, but we did some turning and banking around some pretty fancy cells today in the SE (all part of the same cold front and low pressure system) and dropped from 23000 feet to 4000 in one descent into Norfolk after clearing a building line of weather. Then I went home and played with my bike. My neighbors were none the wiser.

Go to your LAF (local air field), take a couple intro lessons,
then ask to go up in Citabria for some intro to acrobatics.

Go up in a sail plane, that you'll cure your fear of falling out of the sky.
Flying, when not involving bus driving, can be quite enjoyable.

Do you still fly for 'fun'? I can't say that I ever have just gone out for fun and I haven't flown a piston powered airplane in over 11 years. Too expensive. When I retire from flying I think I'll frame my certificate and medical and be done with it. I'd way rather ride my bike than fly an airplane!

[Badonkadonk]

And descending now.
Jayzus this is misery

[Badonkadonk]

Totally "descent might be choppy"

[Mike Mcdermid]

Theres nothing irrational about it, when I worked in aerospace, man you should have seen what they did to cover up mistakes, it was a real eyeopener a recent job was figuring out how to machine horizontal stabilizer skins to stop them cracking, terrifying

[jclay]

Totally "descent might be choppy"

Maybe get some glider time. It's real stick and rudder flying and you'll get acquainted with the airplane's movements; strong sink, strong lift, chop behind the tow plane, large control inputs during certain parts of flight, steeply banked turns, stalls, etc. The experience and knowledge might make you more comfortable in the big ones. You might find its a kick in the pants when you pull into a thermal, stand it on a wingtip and share the ride up with an eagle or some other soaring bird.

[nrs5000]

I got to sit right behind the pilot once in a Twin Otter flying into Lukla in Nepal. Totally exhilarating experience. Jets are pretty boring by comparison for me now.

[rwsaunders]

When the air is a little rough, I just put on the noise canceling headphones and listen to a podcast or music. We were at a wedding in Virginia Beach today and the tornado alert came on the phone about 2:15pm. I thought well, I might be in this stuffy church wearing a suit and tie but at least I'm not in a plane trying to land in Norfolk right now.

[Saab2000]

When the air is a little rough, I just put on the noise canceling headphones and listen to a podcast or music. We were at a wedding in Virginia Beach today and the tornado alert came on the phone about 2:15pm. I thought well, I might be in this stuffy church wearing a suit and tie but at least I'm not in a plane trying to land in Norfolk right now.

You bring your bike? I landed at ORF about 1:45 yesterday, right before the tornado warnings. Riding today I hope.

[Nierman]

First time training for power-on stalls I put the plane into a beautiful spin. Just like that we were nose toward the ground. Teachable moment, my instructor said.

[Badonkadonk]

This would be fucking terrifying in a pickup truck.
Crew now seated.