Pilots and fear of heights
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Pilots and fear of heights
I read somewhere that fear of heights is more common amongst pilots than non-pilots. I wanted to get some opinion on that. For instance I knew a 747-driver that was extremely afraid of heights, but when asked how come he flies he said it was a totally different thing. Is the world we fly in seperate from the one we climb ladders in?
Best,
Commander.
Best,
Commander.
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Weird, I was thinking about the exact same thing the other day - as I was driving over the Queen Elizabeth II bridge (at Dartford, see: Dartford Bridge) and espied some the bridge's maintenance team going about their work right at the very top of one of the upright pylons (137 meters, or in 'old money', 450 feet above the Thames)
I remember looking up at them and feeling almost nauseous with vertigo - and yet one hour before I'd been up in the FL300+'s - as Claret says, it's different (sort of).
I remember looking up at them and feeling almost nauseous with vertigo - and yet one hour before I'd been up in the FL300+'s - as Claret says, it's different (sort of).
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Same here, I have no problem with flying at all, flown as pax in a Zambian microlight over Victoria falls not a problem, the problem was crossing the bridge from Zimbabwe to Zambia 
had to stay well away from the edge. I also have trouble standing next to tall buildings/bridges.
had to stay well away from the edge. I also have trouble standing next to tall buildings/bridges.
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Couldn't agree more. As RAF I'm not bothered about inverted spinning at 18000ft, but the wife changes the lightbulbs at home. Asked a mate (psychologist), and got an answer that makes sense to me. He reckons that people who are afraid of heights are not actually afraid of being high up, but are afraid of falling. In an aircraft, you're sitting in' and are probably well fastened to, a chair. Your brain knows that you won't fall out, so you ain't scared.
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Deepbuffet, that sounds pretty reasonable to me! Never thought about it that way before.
I'm not actually afraid of heights in the traditional sense (i.e. I will climb ladders & trees, and will enjoy the views out of tall buildings). However, if I am in a tall building with plate glass (floor-to-ceiling length) windows, I get uncomfortable if I stand too close. If I'm on the Empire State building, and looking out over the city, it's fine, but if I look straight down. . . .forget it!
It is funny how the perception is completely different in an aircraft.
I'm not actually afraid of heights in the traditional sense (i.e. I will climb ladders & trees, and will enjoy the views out of tall buildings). However, if I am in a tall building with plate glass (floor-to-ceiling length) windows, I get uncomfortable if I stand too close. If I'm on the Empire State building, and looking out over the city, it's fine, but if I look straight down. . . .forget it!
It is funny how the perception is completely different in an aircraft.
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Same here. Don't like tall buildings at all.
First parachute jump from a C-206 at 2500' was something I had to force myself to do.
(That was also the last jump)
Live in a one story building at sea-level.
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Men, this is no drill...
First parachute jump from a C-206 at 2500' was something I had to force myself to do.
(That was also the last jump)
Live in a one story building at sea-level.
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Men, this is no drill...
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Here's a twist. I do a bit of offshore racing and have found that there seems to be a correlation between crew who are regularly seasick and crew who admit to suffering a little vertigo. I was thinking it was an inner ear thing.
In any case it would seem odd to have a link between vertigo, sea sickness and pilots without having a link to air sickness. Now that would be weird, but maybe there are more than one type of motion sickness.
In any case it would seem odd to have a link between vertigo, sea sickness and pilots without having a link to air sickness. Now that would be weird, but maybe there are more than one type of motion sickness.
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I agree.One of the most frightenind photos I saw was of scaffolders in New York in 20's+30's eating, also lying flat out apparently sleeping on the slimmest of girders hundreds of feet up, making skyscapers.
Even now thinking of it makes me squirm.
Even now thinking of it makes me squirm.
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totally agree
some people thought i was odd because i had a fear of heights but flew
thought i was even stranger when they found out i can't drive a car!
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Those who can't write, write manuals
[This message has been edited by dingducky (edited 10 October 2000).]
some people thought i was odd because i had a fear of heights but flew
thought i was even stranger when they found out i can't drive a car!
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Those who can't write, write manuals
[This message has been edited by dingducky (edited 10 October 2000).]
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Any kind of flying, I'm fine. That includes open cockpit microlights, gyroplanes which are like aerial motorbikes, and even hang gliding (though I never got beyond tethered flight). But I have trouble climbing ladders, and when I went tall ship sailing I absolutely refused to climb aloft to the crows nest. No-one could believe a pilot would be almost the only person who never went aloft even by the end of two weeks, but just looking at other people up there made me feel sick. Fear of falling? I don't know, but it makes more sense than anything else.
Whirly
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To fly is human, to hover, divine.
Whirly
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To fly is human, to hover, divine.