Hello!

[soar9903]

Hi everyone! I'm fairly new to this board and I have been so happy to be able to read everyone's tips and advice, and to know Im not the only one out there who freezes up when I think about flying! I came here when I found out my parents were sending my two best friends and I to Disneyland for a college graduation present. Of course I cant wait to go, but on the other hand, I started freaking out about the hour long (wow...lol) flight. I realize that I do fine once we are up in the air for the most part.. and it is mainly take-off that causes some concern for me. (Somehow watching the ground go away doesnt sit right). I have found the posts on take-off tips very helpful.
In my most anxious times I have been doing some....soul searching... if you will. What I have come up with is that being afraid of flying for me, is a choice. Probably not a conscious choice, but a choice nontheless. I have the capability to make the choice not to be afraid of getting in a plane to go to Disneyland (or anywhere else for that matter) just as I make the decision not to be afraid of getting into a car every day. I also thought about how silly it seems for a person who generally has a very "go-getter" attitude, and is about to have a degree (assuming finals go well next week :eek:) to be afraid of something that millions of other people do without any concern every day. I realized I wanted so badly to be one of those people.
Every day since my aha moment I tell myself not to be afraid. I tell myself that I have made the choice not to be afraid. So far, it seems to be helping. My FoF hasnt been on my mind 24/7 like it has in the past, and I can visualize getting in the plane and being happy.
I dont know if this shift in thinking will help long-term, although I hope it does... but it helps me to feel like I have some control of my fear, which I am sure is part of the problem for a lot of people. Hopefully this can help some of you, at least to have a different way of looking at FoF.
And of course, any last minute advice on how to deal with the panicky "I cant get on the plane" moments would be great too... haha.

[Rebecca]

Hi, Soar! (great name!)

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation. What a great gift … a trip. I’m glad you’re already working your way out of seeing it as a mixed blessing.:)

Fighting FoF is all about thought control, as you have already discovered! People go about it in different ways, with in-flight mantras or therapy or hypnosis … right down to the trick of snapping a rubber band on their wrists whenever the thoughts start to go negative.

Your desire to fly without fear, and your awareness that your thoughts are key and must be kept under your control, are great advantages.

I’m glad you’re finding some hints and ideas for takeoff … there are a number of takeoff videos here ... you might want to search "takeoff" also, to find more discussion about it.

Thanks for sharing your “aha” moment with us. It’s that way of thinking, and then carrying through with it into flying, that helps us all get where we want to go.

I hope you’ll check in again with thoughts or questions … and of course, your trip report!!!

Rebecca
:sunshine:

[CaptainStark]

Takeoffs?

You would prefer the plane go really fast and stay on the ground?:lol:
Getting away from all the things you can hit at 550 mph seems the safer way to go to me!:D Takeoffs are easy: Go fast. Pull up.

Sure there is a lot of controlled "violence" with the engine roar and all the mechanical "bumps" and "clunks." Once you are climbing out, all the hard stuff is behind you.

Cruise this board as you have time and read all the wonderful stuff available. Quite often, with knowledge comes comfort.

Ray:ray:

[StPeteMark]

Takeoffs? You would prefer the plane go really fast and stay on the ground?:lol: ....Ray:ray:Ray, at take-off today from JFK, our JetBlue captain announced, "Make sure your windows are up since we will be going really, really fast!" :) I love it when pilots throw in anxiety-calming humor!

Mark and Susan...back home from NYC Flight Fest!
.

[scaredy_cat]

Takeoffs?

You would prefer the plane go really fast and stay on the ground?:lol:
Getting away from all the things you can hit at 550 mph seems the safer way to go to me!:D Takeoffs are easy: Go fast. Pull up.

Sure there is a lot of controlled "violence" with the engine roar and all the mechanical "bumps" and "clunks." Once you are climbing out, all the hard stuff is behind you.



I think the part of going so fast down the runway scares me more than the actual lift off part. I don't like to go fast in cars and they aren't nearly as fast as the planes on the runway!


soar - I'm sure you'll have a great time at disneyland, and short flights are the best. By the time you get to crusing altitude, its time to come back down and will be over before you know it! Be sure to ask to meet the pilot and tell the F/A's about your fears. That's the one thing I wish I had done on my flights. Let us know how it goes. :)