A very interesting thread which I hope continues.
I spend most of my (ground based) career on flying squadrons in the FJ,RW and AT fleets and always had the greatest respect for the crews I worked with. Would I have swapped places with them...probably not.
I always enjoyed flying and never turned down a trip but launching at night in crap weather in the middle of winter no way.
You could spot the guys who struggled but kept going. I remember one pilot (a really nice guy) who struggled through OCU and always seemed to be slighly less than comfortable- he was subsequently killed on his first tour. Also remember an experienced captain who got to the runway threshold and decided he couldn't do it anymore. Again, a smashing bloke and who I had the greatest respect for. Finally,I remember a pilot who was taken off flying because he admitted that sometimes when flying he didn't feel like he was in the aircraft- that he was sitting outside watching himself- a brave thing to admit, although someone did tell me it is not an unknown phenomenon especially in IMC?
Personally I was only really scared on a flight once (Chinook across the North sea in February in very marginal weather and rough sea), not helped by a colleague next to me throwing up the whole trip!
I also remember feeling very uncomfortable (scared) on a C130 transit back from the ME when I suddenly became aware that all there was between me and a 24000 ft drop was a couple of thin sheets of metal and what would happen if they split! Bizarrely I felt better when I put my seatbelt back on(?).