BrownFox77 Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 soongmak said: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 soongmak, I used to be like that on flights as well, very ironic considering over the years I still had to fly on hundreds of flights for work - however, no matter how nervous I might have been I never hesitated to strap myself into one of those "mobile incendiary devices" - but I sure was happy to land! However, they say "knowledge is power". I took an online "fear of flying course" that really did help, I actually go over it at times before flights as a brush up. You learn a lot about flying, etc. Its put on by an airline pilot and what's better is its totally free, I highly recommend it. The link is here: Fear of Flying course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrownFox77 Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 I was on a DC10 going from LA to Honolulu when about halfway across the ocean we lost the left engine - I mean we really lost it! There was a huge explosion and the plane violently went sideways with the left wing on top - everybody was screaming bloody murder and we were falling out of the sky fast. After about 20-30 seconds of pure terror, the pilot managed to get control of the plane and we stablized, sort of. It was like riding in a car with a really bent frame - although we were going straight the plane's nose was turned to the right slightly and it was very bumpy. Back then you could still smoke on flights and I think I smoked a whole pack of cigarrettes in about an hour. Funny thing was they never said anything to us over the intercom, once the pilot stablized the plane a stew on the intercom said in an extremely fast and nervous voice "keep-your-seat-belts-on-for-the-remainder-of-the-flight", and that was it. When we did land in Honolulu a few hours later everyone gave the pilot a standing ovation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiledCowboy Posted July 14, 2004 Report Share Posted July 14, 2004 That beats all the other stories by a county mile!!! I'll never complain about a little turbulence inflight again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 A little tip. Stash a boozette bottle from the bar cart and slug that puppy down for a good ride. Balls to the Wall Bubba! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 Interesting results to the poll. Not scientific but 2 out of 3 so far have at least some apprehension. I would have thought to be part of 10% only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soongmak Posted July 15, 2004 Report Share Posted July 15, 2004 However, they say "knowledge is power". I took an online "fear of flying course" that really did help, I actually go over it at times before flights as a brush up. You learn a lot about flying, etc. Its put on by an airline pilot and what's better is its totally free, I highly recommend it. Thanks Brownfox, I have bookmarked the course and will look into it. Cheers, soongmak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khun_Kong Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 BrownFox77 said:Looks like I'm the only "white knuckle flyer" so far, however still voted #3. <big snip> I seem to recall that, when it comes to motorbikes, you are also a "white knuckle rider " BTW, if I ever came anywhere close to the experience you describe above, I'd probably have to change my vote from #4 to either #1 or #2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrownFox77 Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 Khun_Kong said: BrownFox77 said:Looks like I'm the only "white knuckle flyer" so far, however still voted #3. <big snip> I seem to recall that, when it comes to motorbikes, you are also a "white knuckle rider " BTW, if I ever came anywhere close to the experience you describe above, I'd probably have to change my vote from #4 to either #1 or #2. Khun_Kong, I was at the #1 / #2 level for many years, that Fear of Flying Course I mentioned helped. Once you've had a few experiences like I went thru it sort of gets into your bones. At the time that DC10 flipped sideways I was a really bad flyer already. The irony is I was about the only one that wasn't screaming when we were sideways and out of control - my reaction was that I was absolutely furious - I had so much anger that it over took much of the fear and terror. I was furious with the realization that in that situation it didn't matter how strong or smart you were, there was absolutely nothing you could do except sit there and die. I guess we all know we pretty much turn our well being over to the plane and pilot when we board, however when you're faced with real death approaching, at least for me, I just didn't want to give up that easy... Don't know if you remember that Alaskan Airlines FLT 261 that crashed off Calif back in '00. I was on a United flight going up north from San Diego and was just 1 hour ahead of it. Witnesses saw that the MD 83 had flipped upside down and was spinning like a top and it took entire minutes before they finally crashed and were all killed. Somehow I'll always remember it for having been in the same airspace at nearly the same time and for having had just a taste of the terror that they must have experienced before finally being killed. As for your Motobike, I've found you to be an excellent pilot, although there seemed to be a lot turbulence in some of them back streets of Pattaya... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
not5150 Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 The black box recording of the Alaskan Airlines flight was very chilling. On the flight that lost an engine... Yup you will be tilted about 3-4 degrees towards the good engine. You get the best distance that way. "Step on the good engine" is the saying to remember. Turbulence doesn't bother me a bit. You guys haven't felt turbulence until you take a Cessna 152 out on a 100+ degree day. THAT is turbulence. 26 more days til Thailand!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whosyourdaddy Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 My last flight was murder/. Luckily It was at the tail end of a 24 hour flight and I was so tired I really could not give a damn. Flying over the rockies we ran into some serious, expected turbulance. The short of the story. The guy in front of me busted out of his seatbelt as it snapped in 2. He busted his jaw. The air hostess broke her hand as she was trying to put the cart away as it was jammed against the bathroom wall. Myself and the guy in the aisle seat beside me had to hold this cart down for the 3-4 mins of the turbulance. The cart pulled my shoulder out of joint. All I remember is all the people crying beside me and the women saying look at the plane twisting. From the back seat we had a great view of the back of the plane going clockwise and the front going CCW. After the pilot got control of the plane the air hostesses were all in the jumper seats behind me in the gallay and they were ALL crying like babies ( "oh this is the worst flight in 25 years. blah blah blah") . " LISTEN ladies, get ahold of yourself, do your job and get the plane cleaned up." was my response. Totally unproffesional. They just sat there and cried and got the pilot to call ahead and change cabin crew at the next stop. But the thai bone china which I was carrying underneath was safe. I think I will travel in cargo next time where everything is all packed in and safe. I made the mistake of telling the women beside me the story of my Japanese student in Canada who could not return to Japan for her entire undergrad. SHe was on a infamous flight ( united airlines) inwhich 2 people were killed as the plane hit an air pocket and fell out of the sky for 10,000ft. Luckily the pilot SAVED it. but she could not get back on a plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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