first time flying in 2 weeks
 

My family will be flying for the first time in approx. 2 weeks. We are booked with Continental and will leave PWM for EWR on a Dash 8 Q400 and then EWR to MCO on a Boeing 757. I was nervous initially but felt that I could control my fears. However, now that the Dash 8 crashed Thursday night I am absolutely terrified to board this plane. Any advice from experienced travellers would be so appreciated?

What specifically are you worried about? Since these types of fears are often difficult to deal with, I ask because often having certain things explained will help a person deal with the fear. I have a feeling that simply telling a bunch of statistics is not going to help.

I'm pretty familiar with this airplane and fly on it pretty much every day, so if there is anything I can do, please let me know.

Dont crash the plane?

No. This is non-specific on TS/S forums. It would be appropriate where the forums will be in CO forums. They should be very helpful where they will given it out information for you.

:D

I only do that for selfish reasons.

I disagree, the underlying issue is overcoming nervousness due to traveling on an aircraft type that experienced a fatal accident, NOT specifically CO, their programs, fleet, customer service, or anything like that.

First off welcome to Flyertalk.

Please don't be afraid & go ahead & take your trip. You are far more likely to be involved in an accident on the way to the airport or in your day to day routines than to have anything happen on that airplane. I wish it were possible to fly with you. Also please introduce yourself to the crew & perhaps meet the Capt before the flight & let him or her show you the cockpit & explain how things work.

I recently had an experence with a friends daughter was very afraid of flying. I was able to get her to the airport early & get her hooked up with a great Capt who let her set in the cockpit & explained everything to her. When she flew she had a great trip^

Coach's advice is very good.

(btw, I will probably borrow your signature line, I like how you present yourself. I hope you don't mind. ^)

I'd suggest getting to the gate early and letting the agent know you are a nervous flier and would love the opportunity to chat with the pilots prior to departure. It might make things move a little smoother (and possibly get you early boarding ;))

If there is a positive side to the incident in Buffalo is that it has heightened our awareness of flying in icing conditions, especially for those of us who fly turboprop aircraft like the Q400. We are all reviewing our icing procedures, reading everything we can find about the accident, reviewing the latest in icing research from NASA, and will be flying more conservatively when we are in icing conditions. No pilot wants to see anything like this happen again and I can assure you that everyone from CEO's to First Officers are doing everything they can to prevent a similar accident.

I am very confident in the safety of the Q400 and the Dash 8 series of aircraft and have had no qualms getting into the plane. It is a workhorse and has proven itself in some very tough conditions around the world. The accident in Buffalo is very tragic and my heart goes out to the families of those involved. However, the important thing for you to note is how unique and rare this accident is. It is the first time, that I know of, that a Q400 has been involved in an icing incident and I am confident that it will be one of the last.

Pilots, by nature, are cautious and very aware of the risks we undertake every day. I know it sounds cliched, but your, and by extension, our safety is of utmost importance and we will never depart the gate unless we are sure of its safe outcome. Just get yourself to the airport safely and the professionals at Colgan Air and Continental Airlines will take care of the rest. :)

Happy Contrails!

Checko

Uhhh, considering the service ceiling of the Q400 is 27,000 ft and contrails usually don't form below 26,000 feet, are you sure this is a reassuring thought for the OP? :eek:

For the OP: Ignore the previous paragraph. Have fun in Florida. You'll have a great trip. As we like to say to you tourists, "Keep Florida Green: come visit and leave all your money here." ^

thank you
 

Thank you for your replies....I have never posted on a forum anywhere online before and wqasn't sure what to expect. Your advice has been wonderful. My fears heightened when I first heard of the crash since I recognized this type of aircraft as the one we would be taking on a family vacation. When I heard the story on CNN, they mentioned this type of aircraft had been grounded before over concerns re: landing gear and safety concerns in general. Since then I have chosen not to listen to the news reports as often things are sensationalized (sp?) and not exactly accurate during the first few reports. This is a dream vacation for our 13 year old and positive thoughts will hopefully prevail as I direct my foucs on him so that he is not affected by my fears. My husband, too, says the same as one of the posts...airlines will be more aware and cautious in light of this tragedy.

As a former Florida resident, I wholeheartedly endorse the advice of Flaflyer! ^

H&H - Enjoy your vacation!

Checko

P.S. The service ceiling is 25,000ft. :)

Welcome to FlyerTalk.

Think about it this way: you drive a car. That same model is probably involved in fatal crashes on a daily/weekly basis, but you don't let that stop you.