irrational fear of flying

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Tom]

The first time I flew, my brother was driving. A Cessna something, I was amazed how much it went up and down when we went over Vermont ridges and we were way above them. The first time I flew commercial I had to convince myself that the wing was supposed to flex like that. When I mentioned to my dad about how the first time I was in an airplane Victor was the pilot he said that the first time he was in an airplane they made him jump out of it.

[RickM]

Years of air travel for work cured me of any anxiety. When your number is up, it's up. And, I figure that in all likelihood the end is gonna be quick if the plane augers in. People should spend more time worrying about the odds that they'll die a long, painful, lonely death, (Cancer, Dementia) or die completely unexpectedly while doing something mundane, (car crash on the way to the store, heart attack while mowing the lawn) because the chances of all those scenarios happening are much higher.

Have to agree with Brian's post; Some of the scariest flights ever were in Colorado. Also of note have been the thunderstorm-y descents into Birmingham, Ala.

[steve garro]

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I love flying in non-cattle chute conditions - I still get to go often with pilots & photographers around here, I know the ground & direction and don't puke no matter what.

In hotshots I was the load boss, I was in charge of all the equipment, loading it onto aircraft, trucks, boats, whatever, I had to know where everything was and have everyone's flight weight for helicopter flights, which we often got two a day of.

Because of this, I was often last with just the pilots, Man, I got some great tours of the West……….I have stepped out of a copter onto the skid & stepped off onto a mountain, and done turns using the haul bucket as a pendulum, and I was also calling in slurry bomb runs from the ground = "see me waving my hard hat - drop it RIGHT HERE!"

Now, I gett o go out with one of the most highly regarded geologic photographers in the world for flights GALLERY | Michael Collier

We do banked turns, stall out & start free falling sideways & he takes all his hands off the controls & opens the side window & starts shooting pics with a huge lens out of the open window - I get to fly too, it's fun!

The one that worried me bad was taking on ice on the props from PDX to Medford - it would ice up, and shake like it was going to disintegrate, and then the ice would come off - WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!!!! on the fuselage - then all over again…….people were praying……….

Then there is flying through the Andes!

I know my risks.

It's the cars that are out to kill you.
- Garro.

[TTX1]

Last week flying to ORD, I noticed it was becoming difficult to type - too bumpy. Didn't think much about it, but eventually closed the macbook and opened the iPad for the rest of the flight. Landed on time. The next day everyone at my meeting was amazed I was on time - "how did you get here?" etc. Turns out there was a tornado warning, a ton cancelled or delayed flights, and apparently a really cool color in the sky after the Cubs game. I was oblivious.

I spend way too much time in the back of the bus. I haven't counted flights so far this year, but I typically clock in > 100k miles annually, mostly domestic. I know that's nothing to a pilot or a true road warrior, but it's still enough to fly at least once each week most months.

For June, I've done BOS > CDG > LHR > BOS > MSP > ORD > BOS > JFK > ORD > BOS. Tomorrow is BOS > SJC.

Saab, maybe you can explain the drill noise I often hear on an airbus pre-take off? Sounds like someone is torquing a bolt with an electric driver... That's about the only thing I wonder about from time to time...

[christian]

The barking dog: those strange noises on Airbus planes

It's the PTU for when they operate on one engine. Sounds like an impact driver or an excited dog.

[monadnocky]

Couldn't is also be the jackscrews (not sure if this is the technically correct term) for flaps?

[Saab2000]

Couldn't is also be the jackscrews (not sure if this is the technically correct term) for flaps?

No. The barking dog sound on an Airbus is, as mentioned, the PTU. I don't fly an Airbus (I wish I did) but I have flown on them so many times I'm familiar with this. My airplane has a different system for maintaining hydraulic pressure when taxiing with just one engine.

[monadnocky]

No. The barking dog sound on an Airbus is, as mentioned, the PTU. I don't fly an Airbus (I wish I did) but I have flown on them so many times I'm familiar with this. My airplane has a different system for maintaining hydraulic pressure when taxiing with just one engine.

Gotcha. Interesting.

[vertical_doug]

Just pretend you are at 6 Flags and you are riding El Toro.

[Badonkadonk]

No. The barking dog sound on an Airbus is, as mentioned, the PTU. I don't fly an Airbus (I wish I did) but I have flown on them so many times I'm familiar with this. My airplane has a different system for maintaining hydraulic pressure when taxiing with just one engine.

saab, what have you flown commercially? rankings of craft for you?

[bcm119]

2mg of Ativan an hour before takeoff, then a Makers mark or similar once at cruising altitude. That's the only way I can fly. Have to do this on Thursday and not looking forward to it.

[Mabouya]

Just be happy that they don't have to transfer as much power from one side of the aircraft to the other using something as complicated as what they use for this: (again, in case one engine goes out, they have to transfer power to the other prop to keep it running)

[RickM]

2mg of Ativan an hour before takeoff, then a Makers mark or similar once at cruising altitude. That's the only way I can fly. Have to do this on Thursday and not looking forward to it.

My old man, who was a "90-day Wonder" replacement fighter pilot during WWII, always wore his dog tags post-war when he flew on commercial airlines, and he always fortified with multiple VO-and-waters before/during every flight. He did not like flying on commercial airliners at all.

[jclay]

2mg of Ativan an hour before takeoff, then a Makers mark or similar once at cruising altitude. That's the only way I can fly. Have to do this on Thursday and not looking forward to it.

Consider taking the earliest flights possible. Smoother air, fewer delays and fewer amateurs in the air.

[Saab2000]

saab, what have you flown commercially? rankings of craft for you?

Here's the first one. I had to find a name when I signed up for the Serotta forum like 14 years ago and on a tipsy whim I chose saab2000 as a name because it was my first commercial airplane. I may change it because I'm actually kind of thrown off by people calling me Saab when I meet them in person. It's what I do, but definitely not who I am.



I have no ranking of airplanes as I'm not really qualified to rank very many. It will surprise people that I don't actually care for flying all that much. I got into the career based on a newspaper ad and went through the JAA school and passed all the Bundesamt für Zivilluftfahrt exams in Switzerland pretty well and got to fly for their national carrier for a couple years. I wanted a career as a professional aviator but I have zero family history in flying and frankly, not much interest in it beyond my job. It's a professional curiosity and I follow it and I wish to advance within my field, but the day I retire is the day I will quit following it and I actually doubt I'll miss it at all. The flying part is part of it and I want to be as good a pilot as I can be because I care very much about safety and professionalism but I really don't care much else about it. I don't fly in my spare time and I have zero desire to do so. But I do wish to be safe and promote a culture of safety within my field. It's important, obviously.

But this is a bike forum and I contribute here 100x more than I do at aviation forums, which are mostly full of meathead pilots who have a very high opinion of themselves and their place in the world. I'm good at my job, but it's just my job. it's not who I am. Not even close. Sorry I can't give a better answer than that....

I'm happy to answer questions offline. I care about it, but basically only professionally.