when i was young, flying was a "treat" and the bumps were all part of the fun.

but shortly after 9/11 i flew a trans-pac and i found the bumps unbearable. my then-new spouse suggested that it was because i felt like i have something to lose if the plane crashed. i don't know if that's true, but i do know that as i've aged, i have a harder time with roller coasters too. so for a few years in the early 2000s, i had to fly a lot and hated hated hated it.

but one thing that oddly helped me tremendously was a small exhibit at the discovery science center in tustin, california. they have (or at least had) a simple tube blowing air that keeps a beach ball suspended. if you move the tube, the ball stays floating, because the stream of air keeps it up. seeing aerodynamics in such a hands-on way helped me to better understand how airplanes stay up too.

All of this x 10. Love traveling, hate flying. Went 5 years without stepping on a plane after a horrible SEA - SFO trip. Turned down free trip to Italy because of this.

Xanax / 2 glasses of red wine + fearofflying.com = a much better flyer these days. 3 trips this month and I dont get nervous anymore...in the past I would almost have a panic attack even booking a trip.

I love planes and love flying in them, though at time I do get a bit uncomfortable, especially when flying adjacent to watching an episode of Mayday from National Geographic. But then my analytic side kicks in and I use statistics to calm me down (and a bit of denial).

I do not like flying very much from a combination of fear of heights (or rather, falling from a height which is a recurring nightmare) and being a bit of a control freak, like I'm not in control and I don't know what is going on.

Even if I get the entire row, I cannot see myself propping my legs up. They need to be on the floor all the time (I'll never enjoy first class with its bed...) or I would feel a little giddy and paranoid.

After I read that taking off and landing are the most dangerous parts of a flight, I have managed to be a little more comfortable when the plane is cruising. But it does mean I can never sleep once I get on a flight because I will be following every.single.instruction I have ever learned of when taking off. Shoes on, both feet planted on the floor, sitting up straight, body ever ready to lean forward and hands ever ready to cover my head.

I also tend to ask for seats in the middle section along the aisle, or aisle seat on the sections by the sides. Never window seats, because when planes turn, the dips are most felt by the sides. I hate the dips and rises, and frequently gasp when it gets a little too intense... even when I'm sitting in the middle section. I think it is obvious I hate roller-coasters...? I'd agree it has got to do with age; I hate height as a little kid but I would still have the silly courage to go on roller-coasters and enjoy them even as I felt like puking. Now, no way am I getting on that roller-coaster.

Another thing that comforts me is the existence of Captain Sullenberger: like that man can fly a plane and so can the pilots in the cockpit right now. Water is not a good thing for me either, but I'll take landing in the Hudson River over any other option.

I keep in mind how infrequently accidents happen.

I do call my wife on arriving at the airport by car and report the dangerous leg of my journey is complete.....

I did once point out wing flex to a frequent flyer on a CDG - IAD run ..he turned back to look at me and to my horror he was white as a sheet....

I spent the next 30 minutes talking about stress, strain, flex and why things that aren't rigid are better engineered than things that are... (That thread could degrade quickly...:) ).

His anxiety waned when I turned the discussion to ships and "hogging" at sea...how much a 1000 foot ship will bend as it goes over waves....to put in into context.

Help with fear of flying
 

Hi guys,
basically i want to surprise my girlfriend for her birthday with a trip to somewhere nice like Jamaica or somewhere in the Bahamas, not really decided yet, but the problem is, i'm absolutely teriffied of flying, to the extent that i have had to be sedated in the past,
are there any ways to overcome this or something as i don't want to make a fool of myself or anything as this will be our first proper holiday,
i haven't been on a plane in around 5 years either,
any help will be greatly appreciated :)

Have you considered taking a cruise instead?