I try to avoid crowded situations as much as possible. I don't have a fear of flying but I get anxiety being around so many people from the time I arrive at the airport to catch a flight up to leaving the airport when I arrive at the destination. I wish you luck with your trips this month and hope that your experiences are better that previous ones.
Just feel uncomfortable Flying
- Thread starter Feelslikefar
- Start date
Tommy
Senior Member
- Location
- New Hampshire
1960s. Pick up tickets from the travel agent. Arrive at the airport about 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled flight time. Check bags at the curb. Airport was clean and generally not crowded. Grab a newspaper or magazine on the way to boarding gate. No "security area". When boarding was announced, stroll out onto the tarmac, accompanied by family or friends if they had come to see you off, and board the plane.
Planes were clean and seats were reasonably comfortable - even in economy class. Flights were rarely full. Stewardesses were courteous, friendly and helpful. Passengers were well dressed and, for the most part, courteous. Real food was served on real dishes with real silverware and was included in the cost of your fare. On arrival at the destination, pick up bags at baggage claim and head for the cab stand or rental car desk. Overall, it was a rather nice experience.
I was a "million miler" on Delta and nearly so on United. Over the years the air travel experience has steadily declined, with a sharp drop off beginning in the mid-1990s. Toward the end of my career flying had become a horror. I haven't flown for about five years now but I understand it's continued to get worse. I don't expect to fly ever again. I feel bad for the younger generations who have to put up with this.
Planes were clean and seats were reasonably comfortable - even in economy class. Flights were rarely full. Stewardesses were courteous, friendly and helpful. Passengers were well dressed and, for the most part, courteous. Real food was served on real dishes with real silverware and was included in the cost of your fare. On arrival at the destination, pick up bags at baggage claim and head for the cab stand or rental car desk. Overall, it was a rather nice experience.
I was a "million miler" on Delta and nearly so on United. Over the years the air travel experience has steadily declined, with a sharp drop off beginning in the mid-1990s. Toward the end of my career flying had become a horror. I haven't flown for about five years now but I understand it's continued to get worse. I don't expect to fly ever again. I feel bad for the younger generations who have to put up with this.
VintageBetter
Member
I have a friend who doesn't like traveling in general. But she goes along with her hubby because that is part of the deal, as is true in most marriages. They have decided to upgrade to Business Class whenever possible to make it more bearable for her. She can afford it, but it's still like triple the cost of coach.
I know many people cannot afford Business Class, but if you can, you might want to consider it. It is much nicer there than in coach.
Michael Z
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern Wisconsin
A bit of the same feeling as being a hundred or two feet in the air on some crazy rollercoaster. If this thing goes amuck, my life on this earth will be at an end! But I ride on both, just the same.
TennVet
Member
When making a drive or fly decision, you easily add 1 hour to the airport, and 2 more hours in the airport. So a four hour drive becomes a 7 hour flight. However as jujube said sometimes there isn't another choice. Oh well.
You can use pills, booze or whatever your choice of sedation is, but in reality, the only way to get past this type of fear is to change your attitude. Takeoffs and landings are now easier to perform than they were just 20 years ago.
I think when the plane is descending and breaking through any clouds will cause the plane to rock from the turbulence inside the clouds. Clouds cause the air to be unstable, so whether the plane is ascending or descending, if the plane is breaking through clouds, the plane is going to rock, which does scare flyers that are already nervous.
Landings have become routine today with most all airports having an ILS landing system, which guides the plane to the ground both vertically and horizontally using radio waves. Just keep in mind that when you takeoff and the plane is climbing out and goes through clouds, the plane is going to rock. Not a big deal.
I remember having a new First Officer (F/O) flying with me. He asked if he could handle the takeoff and I told him sure. We were flying a B-737 on this flight. The plane in front of us was a United 747-4. A huge difference in sizes between the two planes. The plane in front had taken off just one minute before we were cleared for takeoff. I was on the radio, so I told the ATC, we would like to hold for another minute to avoid any wake turbulence. The ATC came back and said, he missed seeing that we were a 737, so no problem, I will call you when the 747 gets 5 miles out. About a minute and a half later, the ATC said we were clear for takeoff.
I told the F/O to go when he’s ready. He said “I’m on the roll.” I pushed the accelerator handles all the way forward, released the break and off we went. If I remember correctly, we had a good takeoff.
Most planes now have onboard colored Doppler radar. We can see what clouds are ok and what clouds to avoid.
Relax and enjoy the flight.
I think when the plane is descending and breaking through any clouds will cause the plane to rock from the turbulence inside the clouds. Clouds cause the air to be unstable, so whether the plane is ascending or descending, if the plane is breaking through clouds, the plane is going to rock, which does scare flyers that are already nervous.
Landings have become routine today with most all airports having an ILS landing system, which guides the plane to the ground both vertically and horizontally using radio waves. Just keep in mind that when you takeoff and the plane is climbing out and goes through clouds, the plane is going to rock. Not a big deal.
I remember having a new First Officer (F/O) flying with me. He asked if he could handle the takeoff and I told him sure. We were flying a B-737 on this flight. The plane in front of us was a United 747-4. A huge difference in sizes between the two planes. The plane in front had taken off just one minute before we were cleared for takeoff. I was on the radio, so I told the ATC, we would like to hold for another minute to avoid any wake turbulence. The ATC came back and said, he missed seeing that we were a 737, so no problem, I will call you when the 747 gets 5 miles out. About a minute and a half later, the ATC said we were clear for takeoff.
I told the F/O to go when he’s ready. He said “I’m on the roll.” I pushed the accelerator handles all the way forward, released the break and off we went. If I remember correctly, we had a good takeoff.
Most planes now have onboard colored Doppler radar. We can see what clouds are ok and what clouds to avoid.
Relax and enjoy the flight.
Feelslikefar
Senior Member
- Location
- Nashville, TN
@oldman, thanks for the encouragement to 'relax and enjoy the flight'.
Know you have logged way more hours than I have.
I used the term 'uncomfortable' instead of 'fear' of flying.
To be quite honest, I'm not sure what part of the flight makes me uncomfortable.
In the 20+ years in the USAF, I have flown on C-130's, (my favorite if I had to choose one) KC-135's, KC-10's, C-5's to get where I needed to be.
Even allowed myself to take a flight in a T-38 2-seater!
As always, if I need to get there, I will remain calm and wait for it to be over.
Know you have logged way more hours than I have.
I used the term 'uncomfortable' instead of 'fear' of flying.
To be quite honest, I'm not sure what part of the flight makes me uncomfortable.
In the 20+ years in the USAF, I have flown on C-130's, (my favorite if I had to choose one) KC-135's, KC-10's, C-5's to get where I needed to be.
Even allowed myself to take a flight in a T-38 2-seater!
As always, if I need to get there, I will remain calm and wait for it to be over.
I flew on a C130 for a short distance coming back from Vietnam. I never thought that thing was going to get off the ground. Do they still use that plane?
Roadwarrior
Member
On the same flight from Germ. 2 SLC (granted it was in '67, so we're talking 56 years ago). Coming into Boston we had some issues but nothing to worry about, sitting in our section was a flight crew (USAF) member with 30 years. He was explaining every move the pilots made, calming everyone around. Until we were on the next leg coming into S.C. and one of the stewardesses mentioned the pilot had been flying 14+ hours with no relief. That made the crew member darn nervous.
Then landing we started rocking, the wing tips barely missed the ground (or at least to me) which made our expert really nervous. In fact I was white knuckled & the 30 year crew member was I think having heart problems, eyes bulging & very vocal. No one was relaxed not even members of the cabin crew. No one said anything but were sure glad when the plane stopped rolling. The whole flight (from takeoff to final landing) was a learning experience I don't want to do again.
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hawkdon
Well-known Member
- Location
- Liberty MO
I'd be worried if was aboard that Boeing spaceship that is
set to go to outer space!!!!
set to go to outer space!!!!