Fear of flying (merged)

[ChewyTheWookie]

A close friend of mine has recently developed an intense fear of flying following a very turbulent longhaul flight from Canada. She now has difficulty flying anywhere and spends any time in the air constantly terrifying.

The real problem comes because she is cabin crew for British Airways...

Anyone had any experience of problems related to fear of flying or have any advice they can give her? She has been working at BA for about 7 months and has always wanted to do the job. She's considered trying hypnotherapy, anyone heard of any other method of treatment?

[D SQDRN 97th IOTC]

I have "cured" a few people of their fear of flying by taking them up in a plane next to me, and explaining to them exactly what happens during a flight.

If she is interested in my "cure", then let me know.

Plane I could take her up in could be something like a single engined Piper, or a twin like an Aztec, or perhaps something more exotic!

[stellair]

Half an hour in an Su29 should do the trick :E

[got caught]

Recently I sent a client for NLP-neuro linguistic programming. She was very impressed, but others on this forum have previously questioned its evidence.

In my book, its worth a shot. Its relatively cheap (she paid £90), and I've not heard of any detrimental side effects. And it does appear to hep with phobia's.

She did, however, come back to request some drugs as a "backup" to help her across her forthcoming flight over the atlantic. I've not heard how she got one.

I did offer to take her up in the clubs cessna, but she quietly declined !

[flybywire]

The real problem comes because she is cabin crew for British Airways...

First of all tell her to relax, there are many more cabin crew who are scared of flying in BA than you can imagine.

I used to be terrified after a very turbulent flight years ago, and I found that the only thing that worked was to fly as cabin crew!!! That's right!! I started this job because I loved flying but was too scared. By getting the knowledge of how the aircraft works (she should know it by now) things got better and better, despite for the first 6 months or so I used to have a feeling of impending doom every time I was reporting for work!!!!
After having another horrible experience a couple of years ago, I feel that if I've managed to get through that, there's little I can't get through on a normal flight. If the weather is really bad I sit down, strap myself in safely and elevate my feet from the floor....that way I follow the aircraft's movements and don't feel the aircraft "dropping" too much, so I can save heart and dinner!!! (I promise, it works)

Tell her to relax, tell her to visit "the boys" :} in the F/D more often, if she has any concerns she can ask them anything, they're usually very good and give you the answers you need in plain english!!

It takes a lot of effort to instill self confidence in yourself when you're scared, but it can work.
I am more than happy to talk to her if you think it can help :)

Good luck!!

FBW:)

[Mehitabel]

I would totally endorse what FBW says. I honestly think any CC who has any imagination at all will be nervous at some point(s). I also relate to his/her comments about doing it being the only cure for feeling jumpy! Only I got caught up in some kind of vortex and ended up on the FD.

CtW, I am also ex-BA. I would say, maybe ask your friend to focus on just what it is that is scaring him/her. .. Fear of the unforeseen? Not being in control? Structural failure? Strange movements of the a/c? Reaction of pax? Or.... His/her own reaction?

In my nervous moments, I was made to realise that my biggest fear was that I would be afraid!! It came to the surface again during an aerobatics course some years later. Now, flying as an F/O, I would be lying if I said I never felt nervous.. As would any pilot, if we are frank.......or very stupid.

You have to pin down what it is that bothers you. And come to understand in your own time -- not be rushed by colleagues' expectations, or even joshing -- that you ARE safe up there. My own experience, as I've hinted, is that the more intelligent you are, the more prone you are to bouts of nervousness. (Maybe I will be flamed for that. If so: Good. It will be an interesting debate.)

To CtW's friend, the best of luck. You are not the only one... By several brazillion miles. But you are clearly braver and more honest than most, which gives you a head start.

- M

[flybywire]

you ARE safe up there. My own experience, as I've hinted, is that the more intelligent you are, the more prone you are to bouts of nervousness.

So true I couldn't agree more.

There are two types of fear I think..........fear of the unknown (i.e. not knowing what to expect...fearing that the a/c would drop from the sky etc.) and fear that one of the things you're trained for might happen. Let's be honest we all imagine the worst on some occasions....especially if we're sitting at the back during a very turbulent approach!!!! :}

I experienced both types, I used to be nervous all the time, now I feel nervous only if things don't feel "normal".

Funny,though, when I had an emergency landing a couple of years ago, since the pilots were so honest with us and briefed us in a very efficient way, I remember sitting at that door all on my own as the aircraft was approaching the runway and felt really confident. The fear had transformed into something positive. I know what to do = I am not scared anymore.

It takes time, but it can work!!

FBW:)

[OZcabincrew]

I know some airlines like Qantas do this where they hold classes for people scared of flying, which at the end involves a short return flight, it has worked wonders. You should check with BA, they are bound to do the same kind of thing.

Oz

[flying shrink]

Hi

Hi agree with the above posts. May I add just one aspect to the answers. From a psycho-neurological point of view, we believe there is one particular part of the brain involved with fear. This part does not deal with logic or rational thinking. It can only deal with associations. So during that particular flight, your friend's brain made a specific association between fright and flying/turbulence and it does not matter how much logic she uses, that part can't "listen" (this part is in the limbic system and involves the amygdala, hipocampus etc).

So, to treat this porblem, specifically when the association is very intense, she first needs to do some form of desensitization. This is where hypnosis, NLP, EMDR and other psychological procedures can help. But even if you don't use these procedures and she is prepared to slowly confront her fear, then the brain will automatically adjust and go through a natural process of "desensitization". It might just take a bit longer.

But by all means tell her it can be overcome and is a very normal response. Her brain works fine!!

Good luck!
FS

[Flying_Sarah747]

Oh my God I just flew with your friend the other day, we did a CPH nightstop together!!!!! She was thinking about getting hypnotised. I think she should try that, it may work!!!! On our flight she sat in the flight deck for take off and landing too, and that may help her too if she does that more often.

BA do fear of flying classes, but in her case I doubt it's work for her cause she already knows how it all works and everything, plus they make the pax get their own food and drinks etc to make them move around, but she already does that at work anyway.

I like your statement about the more intelligent you are the more you are likely to get bouts of nervousness...I won't ever feel silly again for getting nervous on landing sometimes!!!

[flybywire]

I'm a moderator, so I can't say whether or not I think Jeremy Clarkson is a c**k.

Ehm....moderator....maybe wrong thread??
:E

[Sick Squid]

Yeah, but I'm a moderator so can also move it to the correct thread... that's what happens when you've got many many windows open merging threads etc.

Pathetic excuse... :(

[flyblue]

Squiddie, happens when you practice "creative modding" :E ;)

[tiggerific_69]

i agree with FBW,after i had an incident involving going 161m off the runway in Hanover,i was cacking my pants,specially landing in crap weather,and i still am now.However my first week back flying after the incident i spent in the flight deck,well pretty much all of it,and it did make me feel a lot better,particularly as on my very first flight back to work we had to do a go around,and i saw what goes on etc,and that the crew can handle things pretty calmly.i still get nervous on any landing,but bad weather is the worst but i know i am safe with the guys who are flying and that they know how to do their job properly :ok:

[got caught]

I always thought Jeremy Clarkson was alright- gives it as it is, no punches spared- just like Jeremy Kyle!

[OZcabincrew]

who is Jeremy Clarkson?

[The Welfare Officer]

Chewy,

Your friend obviously needs some good advice from a wise old Jedi as she is possibly feeling isolated in thinking she's unusual in having a job in the thing that terrifies her.

It's unlikely that she's phobic else the she wouldn't have been ok up until the turbulent canada flight.

She can go all out and do one of the "fear of flying" courses that a few airlines do (eg I think britannia do one) but they cost a few bob (and frankly a damn good holiday for the same money might be a better solution)

I understood that NLP and hypnotherapy are more for phobias whereas cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) may be more appropriate. This is more of a chat to reason things out.

Not saying she is, but remember that running away always makes the problem worse

[blueloo]

I remember being on a flight with a fear of flying group - the irony was that the aircraft had some major unserviceabilities (all legal though - per Minimum Equipment Lists), brand new F/O flying, going to a fairly primative airport with no major navaids at night, in non- controlled airspace.

They really couldnt have picked a better flight!