Attempting to fly unaided tomorrow.

So tomorrow will be the first time in a long time that I am going to attempt to fly unaided. No alcohol or drugs to help keep me from getting nervous. All 18 hours of it *barf*

I have a awkward situation. I never was afraid of flying until I went to Afghanistan the first time. I had no problem at all and just sat back and enjoyed the ride. But it seemed like learning of the past events of human error resulting in two planes in my near area really messed with me. I still remember boarding that C130 and C17 getting into and around the country. No problem, but man that day when I finally go to leave. I was terrified. I survived the 8 flights in 2 days it took to get out of Afghan. When I arrived in Portland to do my out processing with my company they finally got to the end and asked when I wanted to fly back home to AZ. At that point I was still terrified. Idk if it is some form of non existent PTSD from just seeing videos and hearing things but it messed me up. After being away for 9 months I opted to drive the 1800 miles back home on my own dollar to save me from one more little 2 1/2 hour flight.

I know the statistics. I would have to fly every day of my life for the next 7800 years to experience a chance of going down.

Hell the worst part of all of this is I used to be a Air Plane mechanic in the Navy too. I know it wont happen but it just really turns my gut every time I walk into a air port now.

Maybe it's ultimately the loss of control of you life. Knowing your life is now in someone else's hands.

Well that's my venting..
I enjoy any form of feed back from anyone who has experienced the same.

a reply to: Moonshinne

Well if it's gonna be that much of an ordeal why not just take a mild trank before you get on the plane? I mean that's what they are manufactured for,to alleviate severe anxiety.

originally posted by: Raxoxane
a reply to: Moonshinne

Well if it's gonna be that much of an ordeal why not just take a mild trank before you get on the plane? I mean that's what they are manufactured for,to alleviate severe anxiety.

Sure.

Why not just have a beer or 2, maybe a shot.

No rules against that?

Unless youre flying united theres nothing to worry about .

When I read your headline, I thought you were going to try flying like Superman - not on a plane.
I was going to advise starting with maybe a height of 1ft - like jumping off a chair.

And here I thought this was gonna be some guy describing how he thought the correct thoughts and levitated and was attempting it again... sigh...

Just get wrecked ... better yet, find some friendly 'doctor' to give you some (legal, of course... at least in some nation-state... somewhere) something that will preoccupy your neurons with alternate reality states, and fear of flying will be a historical curiosity.

Have you thought about meditation? Maybe that will help if you don't want to use drugs or alcohol. I myself am terrified of flying, but not for your reasons. I haven't been on a plane since I was an infant. My sister lives in Florida, and has offered for years to pay for my flight, but just the thought of getting on the plan scares me. I am planning on trying it next year.

But I can't see me doing it, with out some type of prescription help, bewishcause my imagination is stronger than my meditative abilities.

I wish you the best of luck!

a reply to: UKTruth

Me too!!

I was sitting here thinking...'what, no wings??? No flapping...Nothing?'

I was all queued up with my response too!! "The OP should be re-titled...Attempting to fall unaided tomorrow"

originally posted by: ifooledu

originally posted by: Raxoxane
a reply to: Moonshinne

Well if it's gonna be that much of an ordeal why not just take a mild trank before you get on the plane? I mean that's what they are manufactured for,to alleviate severe anxiety.

Sure.

Why not just have a beer or 2, maybe a shot.

No rules against that?

He/She might be the pilot...

a reply to: UKTruth

See and I thought it was confessions of a professional pilot lol!

I'm no help. I've hated flying forever. It messes with the pressures in my head and can cause all kinds of agony upon landing.

I red your thread title and then started reading the post and then thought you were going to be the pilot though!

Holy Cow! You're flying loaded?!

I do hope you figure out some ways to cope with your fear without needing drugs. I know that phobias aren't fun. I have a fear of heights, so that always adds to my own flight dislike.

On a more serious note...

Nothing wrong with taking a nice long drive after your deployment! Got to see some nice country and spend some quality time reflecting. I wouldn't let that moment affect your future actions though. I'm sure it could be easily explained in many respects.

Going forward though, I'd probably think about it like this...

Over in ass-krackistan you were most likely dealing with the most inexperienced, low hour, pilots both civilian and military. Why? Because the experienced, high-hour, incident-free guys can fly somewhere else...they have a choice (and they use it). This isn't the case so much in fighters and bombers, but it certainly is for transport aircraft.

Full disclosure; I'm fortunate (very) to have never been to that S#-hole of the world, but I know many, many, people who have. (been to plenty of S#-holes, just not that one, thankfully). From what I've heard (over and over again) flying there is a high-risk proposition (both takeoff and landing). Max power, high climb-rate, climb outs in high density altitude (hot & high), reduced lift, etc.. Landing is also aggressive with tactical corkscrew landings which effectively amount to what seems like a controlled crash. All of that gets loaded up in your memory banks...and that's how you think of flying. It's not really like that though, not in the rest of the world anyway.

Maybe take a couple early morning flights to Vegas or LA or something. Go early in the morning, before the weather boils up in the afternoon. Consciously think about the flight the whole time, about how smooth and calm it is. Pay attention to takeoff and landing. Notice how it's not a combat style landing, but rather a gentle takeoff and gradual approach. Notice how you don't slam onto the pavement and hard-brake to the first high-speed exit from the runway. Bottom line...pay attention to just how different it is. This will likely help...a LOT!

I've probably spent literally "years" in the air flying. Travelled the world many times over. Flown several times per week for literally years on end. In fact, I can remember a few years where it seems like I spent more time in the air than on the ground. (sitting here trying to think) I've probably been on 10,000 or more flights in my life (rough guesstimate), seen every kind of weather, every kind of aircraft (from old and disrepair to new, from prop to jet, etc.) Only had one time I was ever truly "scared", and even that experience helped make everything else after it just another day flying.

Hope this helps.

a reply to: Moonshinne
Don't feel bad. Even tough guys like B A Barrackas are afraid of flying.

Heres my advice. Dont die or crash.

a reply to: Moonshinne

I am a bit foggy so at first I thought you were a delta flyer or a pilot. Just take an ambien and call it "not aired".