As an Instructor I took several people with a fear of flying on trial flights.

Luckly everyone had a double slot booked.

I used to do everything with them went through the wx, did a full pre flight check the works.

They were all nervous granted but most of them I managed to con into doing the takeoff and most of the flying; and one or two gave it a good shot at the landing. And one did a bloody greaser with no input from me.

Even the ones who said they didn't want to fly at all had a great time and all said that they where alot happier after everything was explained to them.

From my limited experence most of the fear came from the fear of the unknown and having to put complete trust in people that they never get to see. Once they speak to the pilots and get to know them they are fine. Once they have met one pilot and seen them work some of the fear is still there but it is controllable.

So go for a trial lesson but let them know the reason why you are taking it.

Dolly,,,, i havent disappeared ive had a nightmare trying to get back in here for last few days. Someone hacked me :( anyway here i am and WOW i had a lot of responses that were all really useful to me.

Let me try to explain my fears.....

Ive been flying most years sometimes 4 times a year for ummmm 30 years. I have always had a slight fear as im a bit claustrophobic, but it was never being shut in the plane that bothered me. I think with me its almost the fear of not being able to get out when i want to.

Anyway most flights ive had have been uneventful, a few with turbulance which made me sweat a bit.

Then something extraordinary happened to me.... my best friend died at the age of 39 of breast cancer, i saw her get sicker and sicker and then was with her day before she died. I lost it for a while, then i went through this period of thinking well "what the heck" the worse thing happeneded to her whats worst can happen to me too? and for some odd reason i flew everywhere, i wasnt scared at all, i even flew to West coast USA ALONE !!! and back !!!

Then i started flying with my Hubby and child again and it got worse again. Last year i started suffering from anxiety attacks, or rather just shortness of breath attacks, sort of an anticipatory thing, so obviously getting to an airport waiting to board taxying to the runway was highly anticipatory for me. This is why the worst part fro me when i get really short of breath or feel i cant get a breath in is the bit where we taxy to the bit where we take off, im terrible at that point and could quite easily stand up scream and ask to get off. Im not so bad once im up and straight ( I hate the climb) im sort of good with the landing.

Two years ago i flew back from greece same day as Helios plane went down, we were sat in the airport lounge when it came on, not many calm faces i can tell you. We boarded took off and about 2 hours into flight had the most awful turbulence to thepoint the crew sat down and not one announcement was made after it had stopped. It went on for about 20mins i was freaking out inside.

Then last year i went to spain and my child vomitted on take off and got upset but i coped ok for that, but after these anxity attacks i had a rotten holiday and was anxious ( like when flying) the whole of my holiday, now im due to go to Greece again in August and am dreading not only the flight but the thought of being like this the whole of my vacation.

Im going to get the fear of flying CD's as ive heard they are very good, valium used to work, im on prozac but it doesnt really stop that really exagerrated feeling i get flying

Sorry its long winded but thats sorta my story.

Thanks for all the great posts too :)

Been Hacked... I've been reading the thread with interest. Totally sympathise. I flew professionally quite a while ago, was not a pilot but let the 'taxi drivers' (sorry guys) take me everywhere and had complete confidence in their ability. Several years ago I developed a fear of flying for no logical reason. Didn't like turbulence etc. Eventually rationalised things down to the pre-flight stuff at the airport and being enclosed in a cramped space for hours - I know just like sitting in the back of Wessex! Gradually got confidence back but one comment form a friend, professional pilot, stuck in my mind, if I was really doubtful about the safety of flying I wouldn't let my kids and wife go on scheduled flights on on their own.

try and split the flight up into different sections - give yourself a task for each bit - read 4 pages of a book, listen to 2 songs on a mp3, have something to eat or drink. Just a few examples, but work out your own.

There has been some good sensible advice posted here - take what you need from it and use it to suit you. Only you know what will work for you.

Good luck with your travels.

Wow, thank you Been hacked for giving us the background to your fears. As you will see from my next reply, I am not able to offer any help, only sympathy.

F3GNone. I wrote 'from the hip' of one who experiences an irrational fear that can limit my life. I decided, many years ago, to live with my phobia and not go through desensitising, as I felt that to be worse than the occasional times that it affects my life. The last time it did so was five weeks ago.

Your view is a strong argument and the extent of your skills genuinely continues to amaze me.

From the honesty of Bh, I can only observe that there are a complex sequence of events in train and that there will no easy answer for her. I hope that this thread continues as it is one of the best we have had for a long time.

From what you have described BH a trial flight would be perhaps a step too far, too soon.

Taking the process a stage at a time would , perhaps, alleviate the anxiety and the symptoms: the Flying without Fear seminar would probably be a good first step as it would give you the opportunity to be " touchy feely " with the airplane without the commitment to fly.

Maybe a clue there. From http://www.guidetopsychology.com/fearfly.htm (an excellent read)

Been Hacked, I'm so sorry to hear that (about your friend, and Helios, and everything else).

I like the link Paper Tiger posted... it might be very useful. I really hope you get that beast beaten, and go back to enjoying your flights.

S.

I nearly never flew again, I was on the Helios flight on the leg to Larnaca, the flight before it crashed. We were interviewed by the press when we returned home at the airport as another Helios a/c had been in the papers for making an emergency landing due to flap problems, that really nearly put me off flying for life!

I hope that you will gradually overcome your fears.

I have genuinely never felt scared or fearful while flying, regardless of the aircraft or weather or noises or whatever. In fact, I love turbulance, bad weather, etc: it makes it more exciting.