Airport Visit Today!

[scaredy_cat]

My boyfriend is going to the airport today to pick up a friend arriving from Florida. I thought it over and volunteered to ride along. I have less than 3 weeks till my flight, and thought maybe this airport "exposure" when I don't have to actually get on a plane, might be helpful. My last airport trip to pick someone up almost gave me a panic attack, but I've read Capt. Ray's book and every post on this site!! So hopefully it will go better this time. I'll let you know tomorrow. ;)

[StPeteMark]

Visiting the airport several times before your flight is a great tool to reduce anxiety and grow familiarity with surroundings. While you're there, shop and have lunch!!! :thumbsup:
.

[Rebecca]

Yes, we're all about visiting airports! Technically, it's desensitization, but Mark has got the right idea to hang around and shop and eat!

:sunshine:

[Insert Clever Name Here]

I love going to the airport now, whereas before I feared it. It puts so much "normalcy" into what goes on, the anxiety diminishes much faster.

It's hard to imagine that flight land and takeoff every day, all the time, with virtually no problems. The scale of the safety and efficacy of flight is just awesome, something the FoF has a hard time countering. I usually watch at ATL, since that is the closest airport to me when I'm at home.

Now I watch some from AGS (Augusta, GA) because it's closer. Largely biz jets, with a few CRJ's and Dash-8's/ATR's coming and going. But it all helps.

[scaredy_cat]

Well that was a big disappointment!

We got there right on time, and as it happens the flight was early, so as soon as we parked and started walking to the terminal, our friend was walking out of the terminal! I didn't even get to go inside, and due to the fact that it's a small airport, I did not see any planes landing or taking off in the few minutes we were there. I was really hoping for some exposure before I have to go on my flight, but I guess it's not going to happen. :shakehead



16 days.

[StPeteMark]

Make a special trip(s) just to visit the airport!

During the week-period before my first flight after 15+ years, I went to the airport 3 times. Each time I stayed about an hour, had lunch and watched the planes take-off and land. I got to know the airport well...the layout, the surroundings, the smells, and the sounds.

The day of my flight I was prepared!
.

[Falcon]

Well that was a big disappointment!

We got there right on time, and as it happens the flight was early, so as soon as we parked and started walking to the terminal, our friend was walking out of the terminal! I didn't even get to go inside, and due to the fact that it's a small airport, I did not see any planes landing or taking off in the few minutes we were there. I was really hoping for some exposure before I have to go on my flight, but I guess it's not going to happen. :shakehead



16 days.

Just think your flight will be just as uneventfull

[scaredy_cat]

The airport here is not the airport where I will be flying from. I'll be flying out of Dulles and that's not close enough to visit! I was also told that my local airport is undergoing major terminal construction and I wouldn't have been able to see anything from inside anyways, or have lunch since everything is shut down or boarded up at the moment. :confused:

Perhaps I can find somewhere nearby to park and watch the planes?

Just think your flight will be just as uneventfull

I hope so! I really hope the flight out isn't horrid, because then I won't want to get on it to come back!

[spleisher]

Paula,

What airport are we talking about here??

[spleisher]

Bwi??

[scaredy_cat]

nah, tiny lil RIC

[spleisher]

Ahh... flown into there several times myself. It gets quiet there, especially at night.

[scaredy_cat]

It actually seemed smaller than the airport in Tulsa, but I'm not really sure, since I only saw the outside! It was about 6pm and I was really surprised not to see any planes at all in the 15 min time period I spent there, but oh well. It's not super convenient to get to from my house, so I doubt I'll have a chance to go nearby and watch before my trip. I am flying out of Dulles rather than RIC because tickets are about $200 cheaper from IAD!

[Rebecca]

Not to give up!!! Here are some nearby airports for RIC (from AirNav.com). There's bound to be something going on at one of them, even if it's small planes. Watching planes is only part of the airport experience, but a it's a big part!

Let us know!

W96 (http://www.airnav.com/airport/W96) - New Kent County Airport (9 nm E)
KFCI (http://www.airnav.com/airport/KFCI) - Chesterfield County Airport (11 nm SW)
KOFP (http://www.airnav.com/airport/KOFP) - Hanover County Municipal Airport (13 nm NW)
VA39 (http://www.airnav.com/airport/VA39) - Fort Lee Army Heliport 3 (Qrtmst Cen) (15 nm S)
KPTB (http://www.airnav.com/airport/KPTB) - Dinwiddie County Airport (21 nm SW)

:airplane:

[scaredy_cat]

I have no idea where those are, have only lived here about 6 months, but I will look into them. Maybe one is close enough to check it out.

Thanks!!

[EyesSkyward]

I have no idea where those are, have only lived here about 6 months, but I will look into them. Maybe one is close enough to check it out.

Looks like a job for airplotter (http://www.jeffjetton.com/airplotter/index.php?codes=RIC%0D%0AW96%0D%0AFCI%0D%0AOFP%0D% 0APTB%0D%0A%0D%0A&title=Fun+Airports+to+Visit%21)! :tiphat:

(I didn't put VA93 on the map, because it's an Army helicopter pad, and they probably don't want us civilians skulking around!)

- Jeff

[Barb-SAN]

Em...Jeff...is this your software? :cool: Wondering how it works....
Barb-SAN