<p>I’m a frequent flier who’s also afraid of flying. I’ve gotten myself to deal with it better, though. 1) When you’re in a car, or taxi’ing in the plane down the runway, close your eyes and feel what it’s like. Then once the plane is airborne, you can consciously realize the little bumps aren’t so different. 2) They always say fear of flying is about fear of loss of control. So I do what I can to feel more in control. I watch the flight map. When you go over mountains, or the continental shelf, you’ll feel bumps. But you know to expect them and what they’ll feel like. 3) I imagine being on the ground watching a plane in the air. It looks smooth and bump free, but I know they’re feeling bumps. Then I tell myself that when I’m on the ground, I do not expect the plane to fall out of the sky, so I shouldn’t expect it while I’m in the air either. For me, anyway, it’s all about controlling the information I have so I feel more in control. 4) Lastly, don’t read while flying - watch a movie from a computer or the back of the chair in front of you (not those overhead screens). Movies use more of your senses than a book does, so they’re more distracting. Best of luck to you on your next flight.</p>
<p>Oh my. I fly early tomorrow. I get anxious printing boarding pass. I am worried I won’t find a space in parking lot. It is ridiculous, as I use to fly x-country 3x a month. I am out of practice. But this is my first time in Texas. So, I am packed. I’ve changed my sheets and prepared coffee. I cannot stand leaving my house dirty. I just showered. </p>
<p>I have utmost respect for pilots. My little cousin flies for Delta. He always wanted to be a pilot. He scored #2 on exam, then had an amazing landing and was finally promoted. (Such a landing, it was in the news) I truly have faith in pilots. </p>
<p>It’s just me. I wish everyone a safe and good flight over the holidays. Blessings to all.</p>
<p>I second the Xanax. It works!</p>
<p>Bookworm, I used to travel with another woman and the first time we traveled together she kept looking in her purse over and over and over. I finally asked her if she’d left something at home and she said “No, I’m afraid my plane tickets will jump out of my purse.” I never laughed so hard in my life.</p>
<p>Mom of 3boys, at least u understand the irrationality of flight phobia.</p>
<p>'I have utmost respect for pilots. My little cousin flies for Delta. He always wanted to be a pilot. He scored #2 on exam, then had an amazing landing and was finally promoted. (Such a landing, it was in the news)"</p>
<p>Huh? Uh oh, no offense to you, bookworm, but I have to ask, “what are you talking about,” to your little cousin on this one! Maybe there is something lost in translation in this. What is scoring #2 on exam mean?? What does having an amazing landing, even one that is in the news, have to do with being promoted?</p>
<p>The reality is, is that Delta pilots (as are all major airline pilots) are union. You only get promoted from co-pilot to captain if enough people in front of you retire or die. It has nothing to do with your skill, or even if you do an amazing water landing like Capt Sully on the Hudson. Absolutely nothing. And if there is a serious emergency landing, the captain does the landing, not the co-pilot. So what kind of story is little cousin telling you? Am I not connecting the right dots or is the story getting lost in re-telling it?</p>
<p>Busdriver, my little cousin is in his 40’s. he began with cargo and slowly moved onwards and upwards. I am only repeating that he now flies passenger planes. I do not know if he is co-pilot or pilot. I just know he is living his dream, doing what he wanted to do since he was a teenager.</p>
<p>Okay, bookworm, I understand. I was reading your comment too literally.</p>
<p>I hope he will be living the dream again, because when Delta declared bankruptcy, they dumped the pilots entire retirement, laid off over 1,000, and made them take large pay and work rule cuts. They were living the nightmare, of being on the top of the world and then forced to take huge concessions. I think things will be getting better for them finally, with a new contract. He might have wished he stayed with cargo (that is, if it was UPS or FedEx), he’d be making double the pay, and wouldn’t have lost his retirement.</p>
<p>^^Our good friend went from private pilot, then the airlines and is now very, very happy flying for FedX or UPS can’t remember which one. Haven’t seen him this content for quite awhile.</p>
<p>^^Yep, job security is worth a lot. I have friends at all the airlines…with some making over 500K at UPS/FedEx and others at the passenger carriers who have been repetitively furloughed, lost their retirement and had their pay slashed in half. What is a great carrier to fly for one year can turn into a terrible deal in the blink of an eye.</p>