Ross, thank you for that explanation. It is comforting to hear these things first hand from the people in the know and not from gossip and speculation.

I still feel that allowing ordinary members of the public into such a sensitive area of a commercial passenger aircraft is a big mistake but then who am I to complain. It is comforting to know that we have a top notch security system in situ, but any system can only be as strong as its weakest link......I mean how can we be sure that someone with malicious intent might not have the opportunity to 'plant' something in the cockpit during such a visit? Maybe I'm being paranoid?

They wouldn't be able to, standing in the doorway of the flightdeck there is nowhere to plant anything and at least one of us will be facing them all the time.

Anyway must go for real this time speak in a few days.

Dazbo

That was an excellent link to the Fear of flying site, went through all the lessons out of interest, it was very informative.

Dave

Just a question for ross sorry mate , i remember going to italy a few years ago and landing at leonardo da vinci ,on a ba operated airbus a320, for some reason we did a very tight dogleg on final approach (intecepted the back course rather than the localiser?) it did seem that the pilots pulled a really tight turn and then threw out the anchors (seemed like they dropped the landing gear and full flaps right at the last moment) it was a bit unsettling as it felt like we had lost alot of speed really quickly!
I am guessing it was what would be termed as a short final but it did feel like it was a last minute decision.
cheers
Is this fairly normal?
Also another anoying question really sorry about this, would traffic control tell you what speed and when to atart your decent or do you start as you said before by working it out?
thanks loads in advance many thanks!

Sound like you did a circling approach which is tighter than normal. We do these if the runway we will be landing on does not have any landing aids, so we use the aids at the other end of the runway then break off and keep a tight visual circuit to land on the runway in use.

We work out when we would like to decend and ask air traffic control, sometimes they may ask us to decend a little earlier than we planned. Above 10,000 feet we can do any spped we like unless air traffic control ask us to reduce to fit us in with the landing sequence or if there is a speed limit on that part of the approach or departure. Generally it's a maximum of 250 knots below 10,000 feet.

Thanks ross! apprieciate it.

thats my girlfriends fear getting to the top of the stairs to get on plane tomorrow and NOT being able to do it!!

hi I've just seen this post and have been reading with interest. I had a terrible fear of flying until about 4 years ago. I decided to see a hypnotherapist and also did a flying without fear course. I couldn't pin point why I was afraid but thinking back, my dad is a bit of a joker and our early flights he used to say things like "hey kids the wings look like they are dropping off" and many more! My brother also has a fear!! Anyway my course completely changed my outlook and although I'm still a little anxious at times I'm so so much better. I probably shouldn't say this but the pilot taking the course was actually killed in a plane crash shortly after, however this didn't freak me at all but just proved that when your times up its up!!! I like to watch all the programmes on air incidences etc as it shows that alot of the time, the crashes are survivable and it's amazing what the aircrafts can indure and how skilled the pilots are. I would recommend the course and hypnotherapy to anyone who has a fear. Now we are having about 4 holidays a year to the disgust of hubby!!!

Hi to all, new to this post. I am a very nervous flyer and didnt fly for 30 years. Took a British Airways fear of flying course 4 years ago and have since had 3 foreign holidays. I understand most noises and turbulence etc. and although I know I will get on that plane it still gives me nightmares months before I am due to travel and the fear just never goes away. However I am due to fly next Monday 22nd May to Turkey, the longest flight so far and this one I am finding extremely difficult. I notice from reading all the posts on this site that some of you have tried Diazepam. I have fought taking drugs so far and rely on my breathing exercises only, though I would like to know do these drugs knock you out or make you feel drunk or what? I dont want to be like a zombie but would like to feel relaxed. Can anyone help? PLEASE. x

hi suebar... ...i know from my own expereince what you have been going through,.i started flying as a passenger over 40 years ago and i use to dread going on a plane ,.i use to drink before boarding the plane nearly a full bottle of whisky get on board the engines would start up and i would sober again and frighten,.i even stopped flying for ten years and used to take coach holidays abroad,then i got fed up with the long journeys 36 hours and more ,.so i started to fly again i have had drink taken off on the plane by the stewardess and warn not to take drink on board again,......i was still very nervous about flying untill i read the reports from ross (easy jet pilot )on this forum he explained all about the noises and turbulence e.t.c.that a plane can have ,.suffice to say the last holiday i have just had flying to get there was the best experinece ever even though the was a lot of turbulance i was un worried because i now new was it was all about........p.s.i use to worry my poor wife sick because i got so upset on the plane,......please read ross"s reports you will feel better.......many regards....john-doe

Second that John Ross has been wonderful .I'm flying to Spain in July and Florida in October and hoping i won't cry like i normally do
Sue

Suebar maybe I can help.

What is your fear? What part of the flight gets your nerves going? Most people's fear is the thought of the unknown. If I know what it is I shall do my best to explain what is happening.

RossJ, I hate the whole flight thing really. The worst is the speed of the take-off, too fast for me. Hate that roller-coaster feeling when coming down and like most people feel a little claustrophic and lightheaded once up there. It feels like the plane isnt moving. When I did the fear of flying course, I thought I'd ironed out all my worries and actually enjoyed the flight. The only thing I really enjoy is being able to look out and ACTUALLY SEE THE GROUND once I've been up there for a bit. (It takes a while to build up the courage). The course flight was only 3/4 hour though and didnt go up so high (16,000ft) and as the flight was so smooth going up an down (I didnt even realise we were coming down) I wonder if those pilots on the coure are extra careful with all us worried people! Since the course I've taken three other flights abroad and they all seem so different, so I suppose the unknown is also a problem for me. It would help to be able to pick and choose a seat as I like to sit just in front of the wing as close to an exit seat as possible (so maybe some leg room). I have tried to speak to First Choice on many occasions about seats but they arent very helpful and say I will just have to wait and see on the day! Maybe you can tell me? I understand the first lot of exit seats (approx. Row 11/12) may have only 2 seats either side, does this mean that if you sit in Row 12 on either of the insides you will have nothing in front of you? This is where it would suit me the best. I have been lead to believe we are flying in an Airbus 321. You probably think I seem very paranoid. I get rather embarrassed about my fears. I am a very normal calm person in every other way (as described by my husband). I am a working mother of 2 boys, 12 and 8. I have counselled people myself in the past (used to work for Relate Marriage Guidance). But this is one thing that makes me a complete mess, thats why I'm wondering whethr or not to resort to drugs. Am I a hopeless case??? Sue.

I would imagine on your fear of flying course the flight conditions were very smooth that's why you didn't feel anything.

Don't know how First Choice have configured their Airbuses but if they are like ours I would imagine that they don't have the extra leg room at the emergency exits like the boeing does.

If you feel claustrophic I would recommend sitting by the window and if you feel uneasy look out over the horizon, take something along with you that will keep you busy like doing puzzles just to take your mind off things.

I have flown both the Boeing and Airbus and I find that the Airbus gives the most comfortable ride, it doesn't fight turbulence as hard as the Boeing does. If the Boeing encounters turbulence the autopilot tends to be a bit harsh in dealing with it and therefore makes the turbulance feel worse than it really is and causing the aircraft to jolt around a lot more, while the airbus gently rides the turbulance and it's feels a lot more pleasant.

I would recommend not to use any drugs reason being is they can have a bad affect on you at altitude to the effect on the ground.

The key to everything in this case I would say is to keep yourself busy, even try and sleep if you can before you know it you'll be landing.

RossJ, Thanks for your reply. It means a lot to hear from somebody who knows what they are talking about. Sue.

RossJ,

Help, I've just noticed from another site that turbulance is particularly bad when flying over the alps. Is this correct as thats our route to Dalaman? Sue.

Hi Sue, to be honest I have flown over the alps many times and cannot think of one occasion when the turbulance was bad, most times the flight has been smooth.

You may not fly over the alps anyway, there are two ways of getting down there, you may fly over Germany and down rather than fly over France and then move across over the alps. I wouldn't worry.

Ross.

Oh thanks so much, this has been on my mind all weekend! We leave next Monday from Bristol and I just want to get there now and enjoy my holiday instead of all this worry. x

hi to you ..sue.. ....i am please that you have read the comments from ross,....all you need to do now is go and enjoy your "holiday"...let us know how you went on....regards...john-doe...