Fear of flying

[Naim 6]

Sometimes I do suffer from a slight aviophobia.

 

naim

 

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http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090227.../327132262/1080

 

The tragic accident that reinforced my phobia

 

Rym Ghazal

* Last Updated: February 27. 2009 9:30AM UAE / February 27. 2009 5:30AM GMT

 

When I heard the news about that Turkish Airlines plane crashing near Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam on Wednesday, a chill ran down my spine. Looking at the wreckage I suppose it is a minor miracle that only nine people died out of the 135 on board, but that is no consolation to the friends and families of those who lost their lives. I know how they feel: I lost a good and close friend in a plane crash.

 

But there is another reason why I, and millions like me, find it difficult to deal with aviation accidents. I suffer from aviophobia, or aviatophobia – more simply known as fear of flying. And I am not alone: at least one in four people have the same fear. For those who have to travel a lot, as I do, it can be a real problem – and it never gets any easier.

 

I’m invited to a big family reunion in Australia this summer, but I’ll miss the chance to see relatives I haven’t seen in decades simply because I refuse to fly for so many hours. Each hour is torture, filled with anxiety, nervousness and great discomfort. I have friends and relatives in other continents that I haven’t seen for years, including my own siblings, because my phobia has grown worse over the past five years.

 

I guess it always starts with a really bad flight that leaves you dreading a similar experience. I was flying out of Lebanon five years ago when the plane all of a sudden plunged so far down that it left me and the other passengers stunned and gasping for air. The pilot regained control but not before many of us lost ours. Even the flight attendant looked pale. The rest of the flight was eerily quiet, as all of us remained tense and braced ourselves with each bump of turbulence along the way. I can’t tell you how grateful I was upon landing and how many times I kissed walls (not floors) that day.

 

I had worse flights when I was younger, as I spent a lot of my childhood on planes, travelling with my parents. I recall how one Russian plane we were on had two different coloured wings, and there was a distinct burning smell in the cabin. That was many years ago, but the strange thing about fear is that it gets worse with age.

 

Of course, whenever I discuss this people dismiss it with “Oh, come on”, quote statistics and tell me that flying is one of the safest forms of travel. But if they too had a fear of flying they would know that logical reasoning does not always work, especially if the basis of the fear is that I am in an unstable vessel thousands of kilometres in the sky.

 

My best friend and I both suffer from it, and her fear is recent too, involving an incident on an African plane that ended up having to make an emergency landing, which left my friend terrified of planes. We never board a plane without carrying our prayer books (several of them from different religions) with us, and we try to pretend that everything is OK when it isn’t.

 

We have tried everything, from anti-anxiety medication to taking flying lessons, even sitting with survivors of plane crashes – but nothing has worked so far. I think I have read more books on the specifics of flying and planes and what turbulence means and what it does than on any other subject. I suppose, like anyone trying to conquer a fear, I sought knowledge to gain courage, but if anything it made me too aware of what is really going on while you’re flying.

 

The next time any of you is on a plane, take a survey of the people around you. I bet there will be at least one person who is terrified of flying and is having a hard time. There is nothing more annoying than when the flight attendant brings you a cup of water. “I am not thirsty, I am phobic,” is my usual answer, usually greeted with a sympathetic shake of the head from the flight attendant, who tries to assure me that the turbulence is “not that bad”. Of course, almost like a punishment, the turbulence always gets worse after that statement and I end up spilling the water instead of drinking it.

 

A few people have tried to humour me, and tell me that I could meet Prince Charming on the plane; or that with travelling I get to see different cultures and meet different people. Let me tell you something: that doesn’t work. We just have to endure it no matter how many people try to distract us. My friend takes sleeping pills, but then it is hard for her to wake up and continue her journey if there is a connecting flight.

 

Last week the International Air Transport Association announced that while the number of accidents worldwide increased by 9 per cent in 2008, the number of fatalities actually declined by 27 per cent. That suggests that aircraft are getting safer, so you would think I might find it reassuring. I don’t.

 

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[Azreen 0]

As much as i love all things about aviation and flying, I still have problems during turbulence!!!

[Naim 6]

As much as i love all things about aviation and flying, I still have problems during turbulence!!!

 

Hit a bad wake turbulence and you'll come out even wiser.

[Azreen 0]

He hee hee.....

 

I think what did me was post Sin-Rangoon flite. We hit a really clear air pocket about 20 mins from Rangoon. My book floated briefly....

[affendi osman 0]

So do I.

I will hold the seat tight during turbulence, and will continuously praying.

The worst experience was on a F50, FY, PEN-SZB. Thick black clouds all the way long immediately after take-off, until the plane reached SZB.

No infligt sales, crew members were asked to take their seats.

The plane shook to the left and right, and the flight was totally a quiet one.

I was so scared then!

 

Alhamdulillah, we landed safely, and I puked for the first time after being on planes for so many times

[MOHD RAMZAN FADZIL 0]

Question for all MW pilot. Is turbulence are safely for flying or it is a normal situation?Honestly still scared while it shaking and drop rapidly..

[Imran K. 0]

I love turbulence, rocks me to sleep

[Hakan 2]

Last week the International Air Transport Association announced that while the number of accidents worldwide increased by 9 per cent in 2008, the number of fatalities actually declined by 27 per cent.

 

that is true but also they must be take attention to increased aircraft/airline counts. Thats why accident percentage can be increase, much more aircraft is getting much more statics.

[DavidC 0]

Me too, I do experience panic attack mid air, what more turbulence. That's why I always have with me xanax when I fly. My doctor always remind me "don't leave home without it"

 

David C

[Alan B. 5]

I feel safer flying than taking a long distance bus. Think of turbulence as a bumpy road............

[Rozhan 0]

I almost had this fear after not flying for some time, but fought it head on by buying an air ticket and flew to Penang some days later.

[Aiman 0]

Actually travel on the ground is much more dangerous then taking flight ..just chk on the nws paper..about car/motorist crash/accident EVERYDAY it happen...

[Mohd. Afiq A. 0]

Question for all MW pilot. Is turbulence are safely for flying or it is a normal situation?Honestly still scared while it shaking and drop rapidly..

 

We try to avoid clouds but sometimes there's no other way around you just have to fly thru it. All we do is find for the least amount of return on the weather radar and fly thru the gaps. As for clear air turbulence, nothing much we could do but to put the seat belts sign on wait for it to finish. So turbulence is a fairly normal event.

 

 

I love turbulence, rocks me to sleep

 

True, it actually does help me to sleep. But not when I'm at the controls. I just wish and pray hard for everything to be over and done with ASAP. Hate watching the speed trend going up and down especially when you're at a high level, and in RVSM.

 

[Khaled 2]

I feel safer flying than taking a long distance bus. Think of turbulence as a bumpy road............

 

Exactly. Drive on bumpy road, you will slowdown your car.Fly in turbulence, we'll slowdown the plane..

 

So normally when you hear engine sound winding down a bit, expect to get some turbulence in a few seconds as the pilots reduce the speed. The best way is like what Afiq said, avoid.

[Li Ren 2]

 

Why do airplanes need to avoid the thick clouds and in what range can the weather radar detect the thickness of cloud ??

Edited February 28, 2009 by Li Ren

[Walter Sim 1]

Often they dodge clouds for passenger safety and comfort especially.

[muhd noor iskandar 0]

when i am overcomed by such fears, i hold a constant reminder closely to my heart:

 

when He invites you, in can take place irregardless of the place.

 

faith is what keeps me strong.

[MOHD RAMZAN FADZIL 0]

Which time is the best for flying..from my experience if i choose morning flight so the turbulence quite happened but for afternoon flight it was quite smooth..is that one of the factor?..sorry for the question..we're only passenger..

[Radzi 2]

Could the fear of flying be caused by not being in control? Sometimes I wonder if I'll make it safely to the ground if the aircraft is flown by someone unknown. But if the person flying is known to me, and I know I can trust the person, then I'll have more confident. If I'm flying the aircraft myself, it is all play and fun, most of the time anyway.

 

from my experience if i choose morning flight so the turbulence quite happened but for afternoon flight it was quite smooth..

Normally it is quite the opposite; within this area more turbulence in the afternoon. Edited February 28, 2009 by Radzi

[Timothy 1]

why do clouds cause turbulence ?

 

when i was very young, a pilot told me it was because it caused the plane to lose balance

[Mohd. Afiq A. 0]

Why do airplanes need to avoid the thick clouds and in what range can the weather radar detect the thickness of cloud ??

 

The radar detects water droplets in clouds, thus painting the weather radar with green/yellow/red/magenta colors. Magenta being the most intense and should be avoided at all cost. We can detect how much weather is ahead by tilting the weather radar accordingly. In thick clouds, especially the Cumulonimbus type (storm clouds) has lots of unstable air inside causing updrafts and downdrafts. It'll be very uncomfortable/dangerous and that's why we avoid these clouds.

 

Even when flying near jet streams or near mountainous area would sometimes cause turbulence. If you're flying into KLIA on an afternoon flight during the approach you would probably notice more "bumps" then any other time of the day. And if you're coming in from the east, when you're descending just before Seremban area you would sometimes experience mountain waves.

[Aiman 0]

Which time is the best for flying..from my experience if i choose morning flight so the turbulence quite happened but for afternoon flight it was quite smooth..is that one of the factor?..sorry for the question..we're only passenger..

 

If u wanna avoid turbulence..get morning flight..even if it raining..most probably light rain will happen..and FYI..the clouds also in lower height/altitude = Fog..which not affect the flight..just came thru it gracefully..after that u can see the morning sun rising from the horizon.. u can see the "carpet"/blanket down there..

 

If u notice..during noon flight..cloud getting more dense/berketul-ketul like cotton candy..which is not good going thru it...Yess those Professional pilot knows what happen there..

[Li Ren 2]

The radar detects water droplets in clouds, thus painting the weather radar with green/yellow/red/magenta colors. Magenta being the most intense and should be avoided at all cost. We can detect how much weather is ahead by tilting the weather radar accordingly. In thick clouds, especially the Cumulonimbus type (storm clouds) has lots of unstable air inside causing updrafts and downdrafts. It'll be very uncomfortable/dangerous and that's why we avoid these clouds.

 

Even when flying near jet streams or near mountainous area would sometimes cause turbulence. If you're flying into KLIA on an afternoon flight during the approach you would probably notice more "bumps" then any other time of the day. And if you're coming in from the east, when you're descending just before Seremban area you would sometimes experience mountain waves.

 

Thanks you for the clear explanations ..

[Naim 6]

I feel safer flying than taking a long distance bus. Think of turbulence as a bumpy road............

 

Hehehe ... at least if something goes wrong with the bus, it could stop by the roadside.

 

In any case, globally about 1,000-1,500 ppl die in plane accidents annually, but on Malaysian roads 5,000-6,000 ppl get beamed up every year. In absolute numbers lah.

 

Btw, I filch this nice diagram of http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/ai...ce/4219452.html

 

Survival rates for various parts of the passenger cabin, based on an analysis of all commercial jet crashes in the United States since 1971 where detailed seating charts were available. (Illustration by Gil Ahn. Diagram Courtesy of seatguru.com.)

 

So choose a seat at the back, not only it's fun during turbulence and you get served first, but it's also relatively safer. But then come to think of it, I'd rather die a quick death in a plane crash than survive it.

 

 

 

 

 

[Wilber Tan 0]

hoho..economy class is safer yet the cheapest..