irrational fear of flying

[mnoble485]

Nothing like a few isolated Midwest thunderstorms to screw up the flights heading in and out of MSP yesterday. Saab, were you the substitute pilot on my connection to PIT? If so, you done good as they say.

Anyway, the gate agent at D3 did a wonderful job of keeping people posted on the delay (I made sure to tell her and Delta) and just when I thought that the day would turn out ok, Michael J. Foxx made his way to the gate...Anthrocon (Furry) convention in Pittsburgh this weekend. The funny part was, he actually had his fox head on when he walked up to the gate and the agent omade him remove it because his face "didn't match his ID". Priceless.

Robert,

Thank you for showing me the way to another black hole time suck. I googled Anthrocon thinking this was some figment of your imagination. I now know more than I should.

Mike

[rwsaunders]

^ Mike....there are 6,500 Furries in Pittsburgh this weekend spending about $6.5MM. The city welcomes them with open arms every year as it's better than hosting political convention.

The furries are back in Pittsburgh | Local News - Home

[fastupslowdown]

Let's face it flying sucks. But it makes cycling in great new places possible, so in the end its worth it. -Mike G

[Scott G.]

Flying doesn't suck, if you have the right aircraft.
M600, sort of a super Malibu with a PT6, very nice.
The original PT6 has been running since 1066, when the French took over England.
Attachment 94191

[Saab2000]

Flying doesn't suck, if you have the right aircraft.
M600, sort of a super Malibu with a PT6, very nice.
The original PT6 has been running since 1066, when the French took over England.
Attachment 94191

Go big or go home. I want a G650 and done.

[MarkC]

I'd be happy with the new Mooney.

[Lionel]

No no, flying sucks

[Mabouya]

Go big or go home. I want a G650 and done.

You can have the Gulfstream, I'll take a Beechcraft Starship

[rwsaunders]

Let's start a "who's stuck in O'Hare tonight" thread so at least we can commiserate about bikes and the world over a beer and a Saran Wrap turkey sandwich at the Airport Hilton. At the rate I'm going this Summer, it will be a weekly post.

[rwsaunders]

When things go well, there are not many better places to be than in a plane if you enjoy mountain grazing. When the storms roll in, that's when you sometimes question your mode of transportation, especially when you're trying to make it home for your kid's birthday. I did after a late night drive through the cornfields of Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

[rwsaunders]

I saw these two planes on the tarmac at SEA yesterday getting ready for a dogfight.

[rwsaunders]

Dear Chicago area Salonistas....if you are ever in dire need of rainfall, just invite me to connect through ORD and your wishes will come true.

[Bob Ross]

Screw this goddamned means of conveyance that is against god's will.

I used to work for a guy who was very fond of saying "If god had wanted helicopters to fly he would have given them wings."


From the time I was very young up until, hmm, probably my late-20s/early-30s, I loved to fly. The whole process was fun, something to look forward to, and the technological marvel of stepping into a (not-so-)giant tube, launching off the planet's surface, and setting down thousands of miles away was inspiring as well as thrilling.

But sometime in my early- to mid-30s (which, fwiw, was well before 9/11/2001) I started to think of the consequences. I recognized that while the actual risk was statistically pretty low, there definitely was a genuine risk involved, and while I would never consider myself "risk-averse" it just started to be less fun stepping onto an airplane. For the past 20+ years I have wished I could reclaim that enthusiasm & excitement for flying that I possessed for my first ~30 years, but it's just not there anymore.

Actually, for the past ~10 years or so I've been so disgusted with how airlines treat passengers that the whole thing has devolved into a completely miserable experience for me, irrespective of any irrational fear of flying or risk-aversion.

[liv2bike]

I had to overcome a few fears as of late. Flying into and out of the Alaskan bush. Remote sites where there are no roads and the only way in and the only way out is by bush plane. However the scenery was just incredible. Flying over the Kenai and up and down the Alaskan Aleutians was breathtaking. And man, those bush pilots are good. They say there are old pilots and bold pilots but no old, bold, pilots. I had some good ones. These fellas can thread the needle. Almost had to get out and push a few times but for the most part all runways were gravel and, in decent condition. And to think, folks pay lots of money to take flight-seeing tours. Didn't cost me a dime...but I should qualify that...it was all on government contracts so technically my tax dollars paid for it. Anyway, just a few pics of some of the magnificent scenery. Cheers!

13654366_10206925410998471_7167775083382357505_n.jpg13680778_10206949048869403_1266711815805556485_n.jpg13680782_10206949048789401_8356808720074344644_n.jpg13716124_10206873203813324_756769505581509192_n.jpg13876414_10206949048829402_6998604153753114151_n.jpg13900232_10206957974812546_9046008500238931181_n.jpg

Guy

[TMB]

I had to overcome a few fears as of late. Flying into and out of the Alaskan bush. Remote sites where there are no roads and the only way in and the only way out is by bush plane. However the scenery was just incredible. Flying over the Kenai and up and down the Alaskan Aleutians was breathtaking. And man, those bush pilots are good. They say there are old pilots and bold pilots but no old, bold, pilots. I had some good ones. These fellas can thread the needle. Almost had to get out and push a few times but for the most part all runways were gravel and, in decent condition. And to think, folks pay lots of money to take flight-seeing tours. Didn't cost me a dime...but I should qualify that...it was all on government contracts so technically my tax dollars paid for it. Anyway, just a few pics of some of the magnificent scenery. Cheers!

13654366_10206925410998471_7167775083382357505_n.jpg13680778_10206949048869403_1266711815805556485_n.jpg13680782_10206949048789401_8356808720074344644_n.jpg13716124_10206873203813324_756769505581509192_n.jpg13876414_10206949048829402_6998604153753114151_n.jpg13900232_10206957974812546_9046008500238931181_n.jpg

Guy

I think we have been on some of the same planes lately.

The other thing I have always said about flying - "if the guy at the pointy end figures we're good to go, who the hell am I to question it? He wants to get home every bit as much as I do."

[TMB]

I used to work for a guy who was very fond of saying "If god had wanted helicopters to fly he would have given them wings."


From the time I was very young up until, hmm, probably my late-20s/early-30s, I loved to fly. The whole process was fun, something to look forward to, and the technological marvel of stepping into a (not-so-)giant tube, launching off the planet's surface, and setting down thousands of miles away was inspiring as well as thrilling.

But sometime in my early- to mid-30s (which, fwiw, was well before 9/11/2001) I started to think of the consequences. I recognized that while the actual risk was statistically pretty low, there definitely was a genuine risk involved, and while I would never consider myself "risk-averse" it just started to be less fun stepping onto an airplane. For the past 20+ years I have wished I could reclaim that enthusiasm & excitement for flying that I possessed for my first ~30 years, but it's just not there anymore.

Actually, for the past ~10 years or so I've been so disgusted with how airlines treat passengers that the whole thing has devolved into a completely miserable experience for me, irrespective of any irrational fear of flying or risk-aversion.

This ^ *100.

I am sick to death of the whole process of "flying" anywhere.

I am sick of airports, and security theatre and miserable filthy airplanes and seat trays that feel sticky and everything about the whole damn process.

I am sick of spending hours hanging around airports because a connecting flight is late and no one cares enough about the passengers to bother telling them about the issue. Being treated like cattle loses its allure quickly.

Etc.

I would really rather just stay home or drive. I have really got to the point that I pretty much just hate flying. Period.

[Saab2000]

This ^ *100.

I am sick to death of the whole process of "flying" anywhere.

I am sick of airports, and security theatre and miserable filthy airplanes and seat trays that feel sticky and everything about the whole damn process.

I am sick of spending hours hanging around airports because a connecting flight is late and no one cares enough about the passengers to bother telling them about the issue. Being treated like cattle loses its allure quickly.

Etc.

I would really rather just stay home or drive. I have really got to the point that I pretty much just hate flying. Period.

Working in the business, I can see why. It's not always a pleasant experience. But my new airline really tries to be better and being quite small (only about 25 airplanes) helps make that happen. It's been a breath of fresh air to leave a carrier 'family' with literally hundreds of airplanes and tens of thousands of employees, many of whom (myself included) who were just outsourced cogs in a giant wheel.

Look for airlines where every employee you encounter is an employee of the named airline on your ticket. There are still a few left. Not many, but still a few. The experience is generally better.

[SteveP]

Where do you work now saab?

[Saab2000]

PMd. Trying to keep the name brands out of it but it's easy to deduct.

[TMB]

Working in the business, I can see why. It's not always a pleasant experience. But my new airline really tries to be better and being quite small (only about 25 airplanes) helps make that happen. It's been a breath of fresh air to leave a carrier 'family' with literally hundreds of airplanes and tens of thousands of employees, many of whom (myself included) who were just outsourced cogs in a giant wheel.

Look for airlines where every employee you encounter is an employee of the named airline on your ticket. There are still a few left. Not many, but still a few. The experience is generally better.

Fair enough and I agree with this, but, here is the sad part for you - the actual airline is the tail end of this thing - the experience of just getting through the damned airport and actually onto the plane is about 2/3 of the problem.

The actual airline is only 1/3 of the grind your teeth and wan to kill someone experience now-a-days.