Strangest Fear

[Strange333]

Hi everyone my name is Nich. Ok...so I have the strangest problem with flying. I am not afraid of flying, in fact, I love it. I am working on becoming a private pilot. My BIG problem is that I cannot fly commercial because I have a fear of being out of control!! I can't even ride in a car. I would be fine if I could be in the cockpit. I just got a job offer in Hawaii and I want to take it so bad, but I don't think I can handle being out of control for that long. When I have flown from Florida to Ohio I have tried talking to the pilot, only flying Southwest (because I believe they are the safest) and even talking myself through the flight, but nothing has helped.

Help me please!!!

Nich

[Passenger Mark]

Nich,

Welcome aboard... great to have you here!

:welcome

I was shaking my head while I was reading your post as you have a common problem among many here.

I am a private pilot, as well are some others here. And control does appear to be an issue.

I am sure if you have read the posts here you will have seen that already.

I hope you enjoy the information here, and please feel free to contribute.

Question: We are a young community, and I have placed several links, listed our site with a lot of search engines. If you could would you mind advising where you are from Country or State? And how you found us? It will help me with future development.

Thanks,

Mark

[beaugest]

Hi. I'd also like to say welcome. as Mark said I'm betting you find quite a few folks here you can relate to.

[Strange333]

Mark,
I found your site on google by typing something about fear of flying....(I can't remember what now). I am from Florida. And, I know it is a common fear, it just makes no sense. I hate it, I am a logical, smart, person (as I am sure you all are, too). If only I could fly myself over there.....he he he


Thanks again,

Nich

[xiknal]

Hi, Nich!

If you look through the archives on this board, you will find some threads that go into detail about just this issue of control and why being a private pilot doesn't guarantee a solution to the problem. MarcoAviator and Passenger Mark--both private pilots--have discussed it in particular, with several others of us chiming in. I think you'll find some of the discussion on this forum and some on the Captain Ray forum.

I had the good fortune of getting my pilot's license (went on to become a CFI) hot on the heels of busting through my decades-long fear of flying. Some may think that I used flight training as a means of conquering the fear, but in fact, the big breakthrough had already (just) happened, and flight training (surprise!) was a means of satisfying my new and unbelievable craving to fly!!!!
:woohoo :fly :sunshine :dragonslayer :woohoo

spleisher and mkahanek used flight training as a deliberate strategy for taking control of fear...so for some people, depending on their issues and personalities, it really works. For me, it just helped slake an endless thirst for knowledge and being off the ground. I had had concerns about relinquishing control (but it was not my primary issue in FoF), but found that as I learned more about pilots and aviation, I was more willing to hand over control to those who fly the big birds.

Now, being willing to hand over control to my greenhorn students...that suggests I am a bit :loco :lol

If, after you've found some of these threads, you'd like to put it all on the table again, please do! Or if you cannot find them, Mark of the All-Seeing-Eyeball knows where everything is. :nod

And welcome!! Please join our chats on Tuesday nights, too!

Barb

[sengelin]

Fear of being out of control is definately the source of my fear of flying. It extends to all areas of my life. At work, I have a hard time delegating important tasks to my staff because they might not do it the way I would (even though their way would probably be totally adequate). At home, I have trouble letting my wife make plans for anything without consulting me (even though I routinely do this to her). I don't like riding in a car with someone else driving (even though my driving habits aren't exactly the world's best). I see some of the less-than-responsible ways that people handle their work in the business world and I imagine that flight crews are the same way...

Capt: I don't feel like running the checklist today.
FO: Forget it then! Want a beer?

What being here, and reading Ray's book, has taught me is that the airline industry is unlike most other businesses. These guys are by-the-book everyday because they have to be. They are trained to handle situations that will probably never happen in their entire careers. They make surgeons look reckless. If you can rationalize that flying is mechanically safe, then you can probably begin to rationalize that, of all the people in the world who you can trust with your safety, airline pilots are right up near the top of the list.

Sean

[spleisher]

Nich.... Where in FLorida? Me too!!

Scott

[beaugest]

Sean., good post. The need to be in control is a hard thing to shake. At least you realize how it's affecting you and are working on it.
It gets really tough when we try to control something that's not in our expertise. After reading Ray's book and hearing from folks in the know(like Huey and some of the pilots here) I had to laugh at myself. I made so many wrong assumptions about flying.That was one case where I enjoyed being wrong...

[Strange333]

Thanks everyone...and I am living in Crystal River, FL right now (about an hour north of Tampa), but am moving to Melbourne, FL very soon...

Thanks,
Nich

[WillFlyToDisney2]

No way. Crystal River??? We used to rent a place just down the highway from there - a condo in a place called Sugarmill Woods - where we used to spend time in the summer. (Yeah, smart family, summer in FLORIDA). Loved it there - the manatees, Homosassa Springs, the nuclear power plant alarms every Sunday. Ah childhood memories.

:)
Kelley

[Strange333]

Hey WillFly since you are from this area, I actually live in Lecanto. I moved here about six months ago from Columbus, OH. Ooooh yea, I don't know how much you know about the area now, but do you remember K.C. Krump? It burned down after Hurricane Frances!!:x I worked there as a server/bartender until then. How about Three Sisters in Crystal River...ever been there? Sorry to ramble, but it is sooooo rare that anyone knows where I am!!!

Nich

[WillFlyToDisney2]

No way! I know exactly where Lecanto is. One summer we actually talked about moving permanently to the area and the school I would have gone to was a brand new one in Lecanto!!!

I love that part of Florida so much and miss it. Maybe I'll retire there!

Dont remember KC Krump but Three Sisters sounds VERY familiar!!!

Kelley