Turbulence...

[limbo]

If I'm correct I think 747's wings can bend 16 meters in turbulance.

[soongmak]

Out of 30 and I am the only one petrified here. I can't believe it! I don't pray though, because I am not a religious person.

 

I am scared shitless during take off, descent and turbulence. palms get sweaty, the heart goes crazy. I really HATE flying. The rationale behind my anxiety is that I simply can't grasp the logic behind an enormous plane taking off, and being able to land on such a tiny plot of land.

 

I don't panic however, because I know plane accidents are relatively rare. If those statistics looked gloomy I probably wouldn't want to fly altogether.

 

Cheers,

 

soongmak

[shygye]

There is only a thin layer of air (laminar flow) that supports the plane. If that layer separates from the plane (as in a stall) the plane becomes a rock. Have a nice flight.

[MooNoi]

The only thing that worries me is that they are now doing long over-water flights in twin engine planes. (777's, 767's, A330's). For example, the thought of next month flying for 9 hours over the Pacific in a clapped-out 767 owned by Hawaiian Airlines doesn't exactly thrill me.

I know that aircraft engines are extrememly reliable, but I still can't get anyone to convince me that having 2 engines underneath the wings is just as safe as having 4 - such as in a 747 or A340.

FlyP

[jp1]

To fly with smaller aircrafts on long Transatlantic or Transpacific routes has almost become the norm. Before the first 2 engine aircrafts were introduced on these routes there were long discussions about the safety of the flights. I believe that there still is a very small risk, although afaik these aircrafts are never more than 90 (or 120?) minutes away from the next airport. It is also very unlikely that both engines have mechanical failure on the same flight.

[jp1]

Soongmak,

 

If you can afford it, I recommend you to participate in a one or two days seminar/training course where you will learn everything about aeronautics and why an aircraft as big as a B747 can fly safely through the air. In these seminars you will also learn how to overcome and control your flight anxieties. These seminars are not cheap but some leading European airlines do offer them. Medical practitioners, psychologists and flight trainers are the instructors of these seminars. ::

[SoiledCowboy]

I was at Sydney Airport just a few days ago seeing a good buddy off to LOS, (the bastard is now walking the streets of Suk etc etc but that's another story:hubba:), and it really amazed me by the amount of international airlines that are running two-engined aircraft to and from Australia - Lufthansa, China Airlines, ANZ and lots of the others - it really seems the norm to see Asian and European airlines with the smaller planes being used.

[jp1]

Lufthansa, China Airlines, ANZ and lots of the others - it really seems the norm to see Asian and European airlines with the smaller planes being used.

 

Just a small correction, if you permit me to do. Lufthansa is NOT operating to Australia. :: LH only has codeshare flights to SYD, the operating carriers being the Star Alliance partners Thai International, Singapore Airlines and Austrian Airlines.

[Searcher]

Hell mate, if you can feel the plane shake due to turbulence you simply haven't had enough drinks yet.

 

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaawd I hate flying. Especially when the plane starts shaking just after take-off and while still climbing the pilot suddenly turns the plane so hard you seem to be looking directly at the ground and you just know that the plane is going to stall and punch a hole in that ground that you now have such a great view of. Damn, I hate that.

[shygye]

Well, there was the 747 where all 4 engines stopped due to volcanic dust.