I just consider the pilot's point of view. They fly much more, and actually have control in the case of a safety concern.
Ask HN: How to overcome fear of flying?
121–130 of 266 posts
Re: Ask HN: How to overcome fear of flying?
#122Fear of flying is actually fear of not being in control. You need to work on figuring that out - why does the lack of control freak you out? Why can't you just "go with it"? It also helps to learn some of the basics of modern aviation.
Hence "Fear of Flying" by Erica Jong. Does more information really make it less scary, I feel it might help you find your way but not because you know more.
Re: Ask HN: How to overcome fear of flying?
#123If you're near LA, there's "Air Hollywood".[1] They're a prop house for the film industry, with full sized aircraft cabins and mockups. They have a a "Fearless Flight" program, where you go through the whole drill of flying, with a 2-hour "flight" in a cabin on the ground, with sound and effects. Anxiety counselors and a real airline pilot are on duty.
For an extra $150, you can take a short real flight and return.
Re: Ask HN: How to overcome fear of flying?
#124Face it.
I was really afraid to fly for years, but when I had the opportunity to travel overseas, I decided that I'll fly - even I am frightened about flying.
Actually I have to say that my fear always vanished when the plane's door was shut, I guess I realised that I can't do anything against it - and it calmed me.
I played with a lots of flight simulators when I was a kid, that helped a to know what exactly happening, and knowing is the best way to overcome fear - but that wasn't enough.
Before each flight I my guts were sick, I just can't do anything against it, that came from my nerves - fight or run.
I clearly remember the moment when I get over my fear: I was sitting on a plane which flew from Dallas to San Jose, sitting next to a huge guy, and that was my 23rd hour awake, and that was my 20st hour of the trip with several layovers. And I started to HOPE that we'll die. I mean I was exhausted, I was nervous, I wasn't able to sleep, and then there came the thought 'how easy it would be if we just crash now, that misery would be ended' and BAM my fear was just out. It just went through on my mind, and I guess that was the moment when I accepted the idea, that I could die on a plane. Who cares? Probably I wont. And my fear was over.
Re: Ask HN: How to overcome fear of flying?
#125Do it, like any fear.
Re: Ask HN: How to overcome fear of flying?
#126Flew a lot for work. Then took a real dodgy flight from Vegas to NYC in 2012 [0] that was as close to crashing as most people have come. When the plane took off I heard noises that I just knew were not good. Ever since then I've found myself a bit anxious when flying. Nobody would ever notice by looking at me, and it feels weird to admit, but every flight I'm hyper sensitive to noises and sudden movements, especially during take off. Know how I get over it? I keep flying. I keep paying attention to those noises/movements and my reactions. It's all in my head so my aim is to win the battle on those grounds.
[0] https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2012/06/20/passengers-describe-...
Re: Ask HN: How to overcome fear of flying?
#127Since you are posting on HN and I'm guessing you are technically minded, you might find this really interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ai2HmvAXcU0 - it's a video from a documentary about the development of the Boeing 777. Specifically, the video shows a test where they bend/stress the 777 wings to the point where they actually snap. Spoiler alert: they snap at orders of magnitude more flex than you've ever…
I was going to post this same comment. When I was a kid, I used to look out the window and worry that the wings might fall off because I could see them flexing.
Then I watched the video above, and I was like - huh, I've only ever seen the wings move maybe 1% of the max stress test amount, and that was in really bad turbulence.
I stopped worrying that the wings would fall off. Once you know the wings won't fall off, I found it very easy to picture a safe/glide recovery from any other basic accident, and I stopped worrying altogether.
Re: Ask HN: How to overcome fear of flying?
#128[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: How to overcome fear of flying?
#129Play Kerbal Space Program and try to build a plane. Once you understand the forces operating on an aircraft during flight, you'll be considerably more relaxed. In short, you learn that while it's real hard to get a plane to fly, it's equally hard to get a (structurally sound) plane to stop flying.
Re: Ask HN: How to overcome fear of flying?
#130Get professional help.
A specialist in EMDR [1] told me that typical traumas (and, I believe, phobias) go away after 8 weeks of treatment.
The key difficulty is getting the patient to show up for treatment - many will fight tooth and claw, and many others will find themselves too drained of energy to make the move.