Are you concerned about flying?

[Ari]

Started a job that requires a bit of international flying about a year ago. Love the travelling, not sure I'd say I hate the flying, but distinctly uneasy about it.

I rationalise it all the time, realise probably more dangerous driving to the airport etc, but it's just being... up there. At least if you're in a car crash you're already on the ground.

I find myself analysing every noise, every change in engine note, every bump, even scrutinising every passenger in the boarding queue. Pointless.

Anyone else do this?

Anyone got past it?

[Coco H]

Yes hence the reason I have flown twice in 12 years. I have family overseas and one day I will have to fly again - the last time was in 2004.

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

You'll be fine.
Just avoid watching 'Air Crash investigation' on TV.


HTH.

[magpie215]

get yourself to the local airport and get a few flying lessons booked you will gain an understanding of the basics and what goes on at the pointy end of the aircraft.

you never know you might really get to enjoy flying as a hobby :-)

[Eric Mc]

Nope - although I hate the hassle of modern airline travel.

[Rawwr]

The great thing about plane crashes is that they tend to be a fairly black and white issue when it comes to survival.

[JuniorD]

The less you know about it the better. The fewer pilots you know, the better also.

[lazyitus]

I used to hate it. Like the op, any slight change in engine note or altitude had me sweating like a paedo in a playground. But, gradually over the last couple of years, I've become less bothered. I can even fly without getting leathered now.

[SomeMinorTrouble]

I used to watch air crash investigation alot so was very scared when I first flew in june.
But it was fine and im scared no more

[wobert]

I took a sales job in 2010 covering eastern Europe.

Between February and December that year I made 86 flights. Safety wise other than the odd bit of tubulance and the occasional bumpy landing, I have nothing to report!

I did however make Senator with Lufthansa during that time, and have enjoyed upgrades TATL and within europe, plus purchased several high value items from the Miles & More shop on points so it's not all bad!

However travelling at all times of the day can be a PITA.

Robert

[Bohally]

I'm more concerned about getting the bus. It doesn't go through a great part of town. Reckon my chance of getting stabbed/mugged are higher than anything happening on an aircraft.

[FailHere]

No concerns about flying at all, minor concerns about crashing to earth in a ball of flame, statistically you are more likely to be run over by a bus.



My brother runs buses/coaches so it has quite a high probability in my case

[P I Staker]

Don't like it either, do pretty much the same as you OP.

[NailedOn]

No.
The most dangerous aspect of most international trips is the taxi ride between the airport and hotel or office.
I've flown maybe a million miles and nothing, including an emergency landing, compares to a taxi ride in Athens.

[Bill]

Flying's fine so long as you don't know about metal fatigue.








Ah.

[SomeMinorTrouble]

Bill said:

Flying's fine so long as you don't know about metal fatigue.








Ah.

Funnily enough I was on a plane for an engineering trip.
Was sat near to one of my tutors, who thought it was a good time to let us know the finer details and signs of metal fatigue.
Didn't help the cause..

[New POD]

I'm working at Rolls Royce as a Freelance DFMEA facilitator, sitting next to a guy who is the FMECA and safety rep for the department. All I can say is : Have you seen the size of the fault tree. Do you understand the mathematical implications of an AND gate. Do you know how the business reacts to finding the design doesn't fail in the way it's supposed to? Hell breaks loose and flights are grounded. Witness the chaos when a volcano errupted, with all the world's airlines, engine builders, and airframers pooling data to find a safe level at which they can operate.

I'm not saying that planes don't crash, but it's rare, and as long as you stick to carriers and airlines from the developed world, is highly regulated.

Wikepedia DFMEA, FMECA, FRACAS, Fault Tree, and Boolean Algebra, and rest easy that there are more engineers checking the work of the other engineers than there are engineers actually designing stuff.

But statistically rare doesn't stop people being scared. So I suggest webex instead.

[Bill]

SomeMinorTrouble said:

signs of metal fatigue..

What? The wings fall off?

[RDMcG]

Its a pain to go through the airport, but flying has never bothered me in the least. I do it all the time.

[mattnunn]

"It's not the flying you need to worry about, it's the crashing" I said to my beautifull newly wed wife as we set off on a 24hr journey to Oz for our honeymoon. She had a major flip out panic attack and spent the next 23.5 hrs wimpering and shaking with fright.