First time Flier

Dartz

Hey folks...

I'm looking and getting on a plane for the first time, in about a month's time. Nothing but a short hop from Dublin to Stanstead... but I'm still bricking it. I've never been on a plane before... in fact I prefer to avoid planes if possible.

Which pretty much means I'm going to be a bit of a nervous flyer.

Anyway, is there any advice out there for first-time flyers? Little tips and suggestions to avoid any pitfalls in the airport?

It's not like getting a train anyway

rossie1977

bring an ipod mp3 player and keep it playing as soon as the plane takes off and until it lands, that way you won't hear the noises that freak out some first time flyers such as wheels coming out, flaps extending etc, those noises still get to my friend and he has been flying for years :P

LegacyUser

i've never been on a plane either (im 18) but im flying to san francisco alone in a few weeks and i was pretty nervous. went to my doctor & told her about it and she prescribed me some xanax to help keep me a calm and such. oh and watch for the ear pop..ive heard its awful, chew gum/yawn/etc.

Feelgood

Dartz, don't be worrying about it!. It's your worrying that will make it a horrible experience for you, your head telling you something is gonna go wrong etc when there isn't, you can change all that by just thinking about something else!.

Just relax, if you find yourself uncomfortable or panicing close your eyes and take deep breaths and just imagine that your sitting on a bus on a routine bus journey. Technically, its a like a bus with wings. Buses make noise don't they?. So expect some noise from planes too!. They are natural noises due to the big fcuk off engines, flaps etc!. So don't let them get to you.

Here are some statistics that might put your mind at ease...

1. You would have to fly at least once a day for 15,000 years to be involved in a serious accident.

2. The odds of you dying in a serious airplane accident are 11,000,000 to 1!.

3. The odds of you getting hit by lightning are 2,320,000 to 1

4. The odds of striking it rich on Antiques Roadshow: 60,000 to 1

5. The odds of drowning in a bathtub: 685,000 to 1


So anyways, update this post when you get back from your flight and let us know how it went though you will be grand there is nothing to be afraid of. Personally, I would start bricking it if you see the pilot jumping out the door. Otherwise sit back, have a drink and enjoy the ride...

ASIL1983

The ear popping thing isnt awful, just a bit annoying but its nothing major at all. Dont worry try and enjoy it

Dartz

Thank you all. I'll try and enjoy it. I will. It's just that I find it hard not to think about what's actually going into keeping the plane flying...

All the little things that can go wrong.

I suppose I should stop thinking, sit back and relax. It's a nice thing to say, but can be hard to practice. But I'll try. Try and get a good breakfast somewhere before I go, some mints to suck on the plane or some sweets or something. I dont get motion sickness, so that wont be a problem.

Well, whatever happens, it will be interesting.

If I bring my camera I'll post a few videos maybe. Even if it will just be your ordinary Ryanair flight out of Dublin.

Fratton Fred

Dartz wrote: »

Thank you all. I'll try and enjoy it. I will. It's just that I find it hard not to think about what's actually going into keeping the plane flying...

All the little things that can go wrong.

I suppose I should stop thinking, sit back and relax. It's a nice thing to say, but can be hard to practice. But I'll try. Try and get a good breakfast somewhere before I go, some mints to suck on the plane or some sweets or something. I dont get motion sickness, so that wont be a problem.

Well, whatever happens, it will be interesting.

If I bring my camera I'll post a few videos maybe. Even if it will just be your ordinary Ryanair flight out of Dublin.

I'm a fairly regular flyer and yet i still get nervous, mainly because I'm a big coward:D. When the plane takes off, it will probably bank left or right, this is how a plane turns and the first time it can be a bit scary as you think the pilot is doing acrobatics. This feels a lot worse if you look out the window so looking forward in the cabin may help.

Bring a book or a newspaper to read as this will take your mind off things, the ipod is also a good idea although you can't use these or take off or landing.

even though its only a 50 minute flight, your biggest enemy will be boredom. I've done Dublin - London about fifty times so far this year, so if the Pilot did decide to do a few loop the loops it would be a nice change TBH.

Taking off or landing over Howth on a sunny day is a beautiful experience even though I have done it hundreds of times.

waghag

Google in fear of lying and read some of the sites . They are useful because they explain what is happening during a flight - different noises/ turbelence / banking etc.. The only part that might be scary is the take-off and landing and it it's at these times you hear sounds so it's good to know what they are ,the actual flight once you're at cruising altitude is usually do smooth that you forget you're in the at at all.

Hrududu

I used to be a nervous flyer but got over it without really knowing how. There will be noises, it might be bumpy if you hit turbulance but just remember each time your stomach jumps that its all normal. There was one flight I remember where I was very nervous and I just got it into my head to look at the air stewards everytime I felt something I thought was like a wing falling off or something. Everytime I did I noticed them just getting on with things and chatting. I thought "Well they know the noises and movements a plane should make and they're not worried."

You'll be grand, its a short flight, once you get past takeoff you will relax into it.

Dartz

It's over with now anyway.

I was so terrified going through the airport it wasn't funny. Tried to have a pancake in McDonalds but nearly threw it up. Getting on the thing I took a seat behind the wing. The noises didn't bother me, since I could see the stuff doing what it was doing.

The plane bounced it's way along the taxiway, before stopping at the end of the runway. Then away it went accelerating up faster than you'd think something that big could, and the ground just fell away.

Oh bollix... that's all I could say. Just Oh bollix. Then she banked over to head out over the Irish sea and it felt like I was about to fall out. I know it sounds stupid, but that was the feeling. I was looking down on somebody's house... straight down a couple of thousand feet... and I felt like I was about to fall.

But I was okay.

We got to Stanstead, and I was just glad to be on solid ground.

I tell you'all though, the flight back was a good bit better. Still a bit jittery mind about the whole idea of being 30,000ft up, but able to appreciate the awesome view of Dublin in the morning as we circled to land.

So yeah, I guess the best way to get over it was to just do it. Still a bit jittery, but I can do it, and I can enjoy it. I suppose I'm glad I did it on a short flight and not a long one.

Feelgood

Good man Dartz and well done....

Just listening to you describe it reminds me of how I felt on my first flight too. The bit I hate is just after take off, when the plane is leveling out and they drop the thrust it feels like your kind of weightless for a while and that the plane is just going to drop out of the sky...

Anyways you did it and that is the main thing, it does actually get better the more you do it. Eventually you will just get to the stage where you will say fcuk it, if we crash we crash though after 10 years of regular enough flights I have to admit I do still get a bit jittery aswell though its really all down to your head playing tricks on you.

Apparently if you do a parachute jump, your fear of flying will be cured..

Anyways well done again, you have conquered a fear you should be proud of yourself...:cool:

eimear1

Not afraid of flying myself, love it, but can understand as a friend is terrified! I love the suggestion of a parachute jump to cure the fear, i suppose if you can jump out voluntarily then its all practice!!!
Went for my first flying lesson a couple months ago and a guy waiting with me had been given a lesson as a present by some caring soul as a way of getting over his fear - i thought he was going to pass out in the waiting room!!! I get where they were coming from tho - once you know whats happening and how it all works it might silence those little voices!!!
Well done and hope it gets easier for you!!!:cool:

Ruu_Old

Bring something to chew on, gum or some hard sweets to suck on. The noises are nothing to worry about and there may be some turbulance. You will be hardly up in the air before you have to land again if it is Dublin to Stansted.

robinph

Not sure about jumping out of a plane curing you of anything as you still have to get in one in the first place before you can jump out of it. It is definately great fun though if you are prepared to do it.

Glowing

robinph wrote: »

Not sure about jumping out of a plane curing you of anything as you still have to get in one in the first place before you can jump out of it. It is definately great fun though if you are prepared to do it.

Hahah, I did mine there too! Best experience ever! :pac:

Fratton Fred

why anyone would want to intentionally jump out of a perfectly good, working aircraft is beyond me I'm afraid

robinph

Fratton Fred wrote: »

why anyone would want to intentionally jump out of a perfectly good, working aircraft is beyond me I'm afraid

Adrenaline is a seriously good drug and it took days before I could remove the daft grin from my face.