How do I overcome my feeling about Airplanes?

Question

My mom and I are going to Maryland on July 19 and we have to go there by plane.I haven't been on a plane in about a year and I have been watching all these shows about planes crashing,and other planes accidents.So now I have grown this fear about going on a airplane.I'm trying my best to overcome it but it won't go away. How do I overcome it for good?HEEEEEELP

Answer 1

You have my sympathy. I am deathly afraid to fly.

That said, here's how I got through my flights from Anaheim to Orlando and back again: I educated myself on flight patterns and took note of flight attendant behavior, brought one magazine for each hour I was on the plane (in this case, five magazines, LOL), and ultimately trusted the pilot.

By flight patterns, I am referring to the horrible turbulence that I eventually came to expect and actually peacefully co-exist with while in flight. The Midwest and East Coast have been seeing some nasty weather lately...keeping this in mind, I knew to expect turbulence over some states, so whenever the plane rocked - which it did a lot - I just kept reminding myself that it was par for the course. It also helped seeing the attendants go about their normal business - which was key in keeping me calm, as turbulence is something they most likely experience every day.

Also, take some Ambien or a sleeping aid with you. I must add that despite taking the Ambien shortly before boarding my flight back to So. Cal., I was awake the entire time - but I was pretty chill on that flight home, LOL. So it wasn't entirely useless.

I hope I've helped, if only a little. I totally understand how you feel. Oh, and it also helps to remember that there are hundreds of flights going out and coming back each day; one thing I always think about is that my boss makes the same flight once a month (to meet with me here in Anaheim), and I only have to do it once a year. If she can get through it, I certainly can. Good luck ;o)

Answer 2

Think about it this way, you're much more likely to get stuck by lightening than to die in a plane crash. I forget the actual odds, but it seriously is something in the millions to one. You're way more likely to die from driving around town, which is something you do every day. Planes, you travel in them rarely.

Also, note that most of the plane crashes you hear about are almost never in the United States, and for those they are, they're almost always single-engine private pilots. Remember: whoever's flying you to Maryland will have thousands, if not *tens* of thousands of hours flying that exact same plane. Many will also have a military background before that. So, your pilot is a hardcore flying professional, just like the rest of the crew. Every part on that plane, down to the smallest bolt is regularly inspected, checked, double, and sometimes triple checked for the smallest problem. If one is found, it gets fixed before the plane's allowed to fly.

Instead of worrying about what could happen, grab yourself a window seat, a camera and take your mind off things by checking out the amazing scenery. Also, remember that there's ~30,000 planes in the air over the US 24x7 365 days a year, and you simply never hear about those crashing. For every 100,000 flights, 5 make an unplanned landing because of a serious problem. Of those 5, only 2 were problems that could have affected flight.

Even when a plane does crash, the NTSB will investigate that crash until it finds the problem, and if it's a problem specific to a certain model plane, they will ground ALL those planes until the problem is fixed. Pretty drastic step, but it's just another example of their attention to safety.

The news likes to scare people, and that's part of the problem. The reality is, these guys are very safe. They know even a handful of crashes could cause enough lawsuits to put them out of business forever, add to that the FAA's incredibly powerful and intrusive oversight, they're definitely looking out for your safety.

Good luck, and really, try to make it fun. Flying is pretty cool, if you let it be. :)

Answer 3

I'm not going to lecture a four paragraph answer for you. But I used to be deathly afraid of flying at one time.

How did I get over it and love to fly? Well I just looked at this logically. I found a statistic that said you are more likely to get killed in a car accident headed to the aiport, than you are on the airplane.

Every year thousdands in the US die in auto accidents where only hundreds may die in plane crashes. And those plane crashes are usually private planes, not commerically scheduled carriers

Answer 4

You will never totally get over that feeling the issue is controlling it enough that it doesn't interfere with what you want/need to do.
Remember to tell your self that while the media likes to sensationalize airplane disasters - per mile traveled are killed in auto accidents that in plane accidents.
Think of things that help you stay calm - is there music that you can listen to on the flight that will help you stay relaxed and help distract you from the fact that you are flying?
If you are really afraid think about asking your doctor is you can get a mild sedative to take to help with the anxiety. They more you fly the easier it will get.

Answer 5

Firstly you are correct- the airplane may not fall out of the sky. Even if all their engines fail an airliner can nonetheless waft down because the wings produce raise (appear on the Hudson crash as a excellent illustration) I do not understand how you'll recover from your worry however know-how why you get the sensation would aid so pay attention is going- The rationale it might probably think adore it is sinking on takeoff is considering the fact that the plane first of all is zooming down the runway and you'll think this acceleration. As it reaches a exact pace the wings are generating ample raise to convey it into the air and for the duration of that second that it rotates and lifts you've a bit inertia and so it feels such as you sink for a second. Think of the sensation you get in a boost because it begins to transport while you first get in- it's the identical factor. On takeoff there may be such a lot further vigor and the pilot is aware of precisely which pace to rotate at as a way to raise it accurately into the air. On touchdown you would have spotted the flaps going out? These permit the plane to fly at a miles cut down pace and cut down nostril perspective even as serving to the wings create the raise required so for the duration of procedure you can also think alterations in plane pace and nostril pitch which is able to fear a few men and women. It is flawlessly typical even though. On touchdown the pilot does what's known as a flare- they fly it down at and round 50' the nostril honestly pitches up (to aid the ac land within the fundamental wheells now not the nostril) and likewise cuts the vigor to aid the plane gradual down. This controls the price of descent however would possibly think like a small sink if they do not fairly pass judgement on it correct. Still flawlessly riskless and not anything to fear approximately even though. I desire that is helping, or else simply attempt to calm down, might be learn a guide to take your brain of matters, consider approximately the joys vacation forward of you alternatively.

Answer 6

Talk to a professional counselor. They have programs for helping people with this phobia. And stop watching those shows.