Perhaps i am one of the lucky few, we did not start flying or even having proper holidays till i was 50, since then we have flown 3/4 times a year flying has never frightened me as for my wife i thought our first trip would be our last when we hit an air pocket and dropped about 200 ft but no she loves it. yes plains do occasional crash but you have more chance of being killed crossing the road out side your home, yes people get ill on planes but you stand more chance of picking something up on your local bus/train as for the unexplained such as dvt enough is known that any person should take their health in their own hands, and exercise or whatever, on short flights say up to 6 hrs i have never yet left my seat not even for the loo, and so far have enjoyed every flight (although the service on some leaves a lot to be desired) to those who wish to believe the tabloid press and its headlines i say pity you,as for science a few years ago the scientist said if you flew above X ft your head would explode, i have yet to see it!!! and for as many who have one opinion there are as many or more with a different point of view.
to end with my advice if you want to be safe sit near the back....

you will never see an aircraft reverse into a mountain :ROFL

Brian

The press do carry out scare mongering fact! You can get DVT from driving a car long distances because you are not moving for hours and are in a cramped location for hours on end, it's not linked to aviation fact! Yes we get medicals once a year but we are in a much more cramped location on the aircraft compared to the passengers and we spend 900 hours in the air every year which is more than most passengers will do in a lifetime yet pilots don't seem to get DVT. You meantion flying in a pressurised cabin which causes dehydration again pilots get subjected to it a hell of a lot more than passengers since we spend our working year in the sky and yet we still don't seem to get it. It's bad luck for those people who have died from it but it's not linked to aviation as was said by a leading university on the news a few weeks ago.

Whether or not DVT is related to aviation very much depends on what scientist or medical expert you want to listen to. If the scientists and medical experts cannot agree about DVT, then perhaps we should leave the disagreements to them rather than have them here in the forum.

David

Thanks, Ross. Iwas always sceptical of DVT being caused by flying, thats why I wondered about the pilots. Thanks too for prompt reply. I dont know why , but I feel safer now after reading your advice. I think my problem really is not understanding the noises etc. As the old saying goes "nothing is to be feared, its only to be understood", so maybe if I read more on the subject of flying, I will not be braking with my foot hard on the floor when I feel we are descending too fast!! Had a VERY bumpy domestic flight 2 weeks ago, when bums left seats and heads got bumped. Guess who was the female on board who let out a woo-oo?

Danksybaby,

I couldnt have put it better myself. I feel now that this is the worst feeling in the world. I cant understand why nobody else on the plane seems to be bothered by it but I hate it. I get this feeling throughout most of the flight and I feel its this I most fear not the actual flight itself. RossJ I hope you read this as we would really like to know more. Thanks. x

Hi, just got back from Turkey. After so much worry and stress I would just like to say both flights were turbulant free! I dont know that I am so frightened of the experience now. I actually enjoyed the flight over. 4 hours went by quicker than expected. It helped that I went to the cockpit and met the pilots before both flights. If you ask most are happy to help. I also took a small dose of diazepam as well. Dont know whether this helped or not but my husband has a photo of me smiling whilst in the air so he's convinced they did the trick! I am planning to go to Florida next year. Can anyone tell me if these big planes feel any different, I would really like any advice? Thanks.

Hobbsy, been trying to pm you, not sure if you got messages?

Hi Suebar glad your trip went smoothly. Whith regards to your question about the bigger planes, they generally more stable than smaller aircraft that you would fly to spain because they weight a lot more and are larger you won't feel the bumps like you would in a smaller aircraft, it takes a lot more turbulance than normal to get them bounce around a little.

My problem with flying seems to be nothing to do with safety, because I know it is the safest way to travel (but I don't do night flights because there are no street lights in the sky!!!) or worries about DVT (even though I do have varicous veins). I think it is because I have no control over what happens to me once I step onto the plane. Nothing I can do about it, so I grit my teeth and live with it - or spend all my holidays in Blackpool!

hi again ..ross ...i have just returned from tunisia flying from monasir to manchester,..had another great flight thanks again to reading your comments......cheers.....john-doe...p.s.keep on giving the good advice.............

suebar,well done!!!
ever so proud of you,especially going up to the cockpit!!!
thats more than i have ever done or likely to for that matter.
by the way did you fly during the day or night,i wont fly at night as the pilot cant see were he is going,lol. which makes it worse for me as i feel like i am flying into the unknown.
as for going to florida,now i am jealous after all these years of flying i can still only manage 4hours max.i did say to you about the tablets only relaxing you and i am glad they worked.BUT as previously posted they donot work for everyone so i am not advertising them !!!!!!!!
well done again,i am really looking forward to my hols 2 weeks on monday and starting to get the jitters.lol

cheers
laingy

Hi Laingey, so nice to hear from you. I have to say I dont know that I actually fear the flying anymore. Like you I will do everything I can to avoid night flying as much as poss as I dont like the feeling of nothing around me but the thing I really dont like is the woosy feeling you get after take-off and sometimes during the flight as well as on the way down. Dont think that will ever go, will just have to get used to it I s'pose! Have been told the larger planes are better for these sort of sensations and movement etc. so thats why contemplating a long haul flight. Hope I'm doing the right thing!! Where are you going on your holiday? Sue.x

hi ..suebar...glad it was not as bad as you feared......regards and well done.....john-doe

hi suebar, we off to icmeler 2weeks monday.turkey and tenerife is the furthest ive flown.would love to go to any of the sandals resorts,but could never see that happening in a million years,with even 10000mg of our little tabs.lol.

cheers laingy

Dont know if this will help anyone but I've also been on my own journey to conquer my fear of flying. My first flight was at the age of 21 (I'm 40 now) and for at least 10 years, I was nervous, sick, shaking, all the usual symptoms of a fearful flyer. I dont know what happened about 5 years ago but I decided that I didnt want to feel like this any more and no-one could do anything about it but me. I enrolled (with a friend) on the Confident flying course at East Midlands Airport with Britannia, it cost me £150 (its now £180) and included the training sessions and a flight afterwards. It was a very good day - dont get me wrong, I didnt skip out of there with a "yippee, I'm cured" persona but it gave me tips of how to deal with my fear and dispelled some of the myths around flying. We were given a video and a book to read/watch prior to our next flight. The flight wasnt worry free but seemed better than before. From here, I found an online course which i completed, read another book, looked on the internet etc but mainly, i've put in my own work to conquer my fear. For example, each flight I have, I have to progress .. so for example, I had to visit the toilet (something I had never done on a flight before), then the next flight, I had to take the seatbelt off when the "seatbelt off" sign came on, next flight, I had so sit near the window (oh my god!) with the blind open!!! Its been quite a journey for me and in the 5 years, we have probably had abour 18 journeys (there and back ones).

I've now got to the point where my nails no longer dig in the back of my husbands hands, I still feel a bit sicky before I get on the plane but it doesnt last for long, i occupy myself with my mp3, magazines and books etc.

When I went on the course at East Midlands, i identified (with their help) that the most fearful part of the flight for me was the take off so my coping tool was to put my fingers in my ears and breath ... count ... breath (sounds daft but it works for me) - i get to about 100 when the stewardesses take off their belts and its at this point that i relax a little. This is the thing I am going to try and change for my forthcoming flight a week on Monday - I am going to count but only to 50 and on the way home, not count at all..........

Hi Neets36,

Wow, yes I know exactly what you mean! It was a British Airways fear of flying course I did four years ago that enabled me to fly for the first time in 30 years (last time before that was when I was 6 years old). If I could only relax I think I would actually enjoy most aspects of flying but for me its that woosy feeling you get immediately after take-off and for quite some time after that makes me feel sick and lightheaded. The way for me to cope is by doing breathing exercises from the minute I get on the plane right through to when this feeling stops, usually about 15/20 minutes after. Its hard work and I'm usually quite worn out after but by breathing this way through all of my fears I actually feel like I'm fighting against them. I wish I didnt have to do this. These courses are great though dont you think? I would never have flown otherwise. Anyway just got back from 2 weeks in Turkey. I'm now ready to book the biggie. I've wanted to go to the States since I was a little girl, so its now or never. Planning to book in the next few weeks. What about yourself? Sue.

Nice to know when your not alone eh Suebar, hope you enjoyed Turkey? Go on, go for the biggie! Have a great time when you do.


We're off to Turkey a week on Monday and I'm very calm ..... i'm working my way up to Australia when the mortgage is paid off in 8 years, i promised my hubby we'd go ......

well folks only 5 more sleeps for us lot then we off to icmeler for 2nd time.
inspite of all the readings on this thread ive still got the jitters and have started on my tabs already.sometimes the more i think about things the worse i make myself,for instance today in work i asked my friend lynne whoever made up the name "terminal" at the aiport.WHATS THAT ALL ABOUT" that just makes you feel a whole lot better.what was wrong with "depot or hanger or even section" would be ok.but for those nervous travellers like myself a little more consideration would be nice.
whats you thoughts on this.?
cheers laingy

Hi Laingey, oh I really feel for you at the moment. I have been back a month now but I still remember what a cow I was to my family the day before flying. I totally agree with you though. I more information I got regarding the flying thing and the more I spoke about it the worse I was. Lets put it in perspective. We know its the safest way to travel. We know to maybe expect a little turbulance but that its perfectly safe when we do. We look out that window and see the views so really there's more a feeling of 'openess' rather than claustrophobia. I dont know about you but when I see cloud below me it gives me that feeling of ground below me. I really dont feel that high at all! I expect like me, you have been talking to as many people as possible (some helpful, some not so helpful!) and looking on various websites for fearful flyers. Looking back I dont think that really helps. This one journey is going to get you to a beautiful place that will hopefully give you some well deserved rest. So pack as many magazines, crosswords, and things to do as possible (my husband taped off all my soaps for the week leading up to the flight and I watched them on my son's DVD player on the plane), take your pills, try and relex and enjoy the flight. I have to say I actually did. Best of luck. Sue.x

hi suebar,thanks for all that,feels good knowing someone is as bad as me,but i have to say at least you look out of the window.O MY GOD HOW BRAVE ARE YOU!!!! i go sick at the thought,i have to have an aisle seat as far away from the window as poosible,cos i think if that window cracks thats me gone,dosent matter that everyone else on the dam plane will go too!!!! then i also think if i look out of the window i might see another plane,then i think are we having a near miss or is that heading towards us!!!!!!! the list goes on for ever believe me.friends in work today think im quite calm compared to earlier in the week,buts that cos i had bigger dosage today!!!!!! lol.
thanks for your replies and i let you no IF I RETURN!!!! lol how i got on,hopefully,god willing.
see ya soon
karen