4 days until I fly for the 1st time HELP

[sogosplfan]

I am literally being tormented just thinking about my first flight in 4 days with DL. TRI-ATL-SNA then SNA-CVG-TRI. CRJ's and 757's. I just don't know if I can go through with this and the ticket is non-refundable which makes things worse. HELP.

[Kadena_Troop]

Dude, relax. You'll have fun. Try to even get a window seat. Nothing to be afraid of.

[Crism]

Yeah dude...just relax lol...nothing's going to happen

[pdeboer]

You will be fine, what is it you are afraid off? I noticed you already made 7 threads* about your first flight. Maybe you can give us a clue what information you would like to get, what can comfort you?

Cheers, Pamela

*7 threads, including this one:
http://www.jetphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=22955
http://www.jetphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=24056
http://www.jetphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=24480
http://www.jetphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=25153
http://www.jetphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=25463
http://www.jetphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=25495
http://www.jetphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=25870

[sogosplfan]

Landing doesn't scare me because I know I am that much closer to having my feet back on the ground.

Take off on the other hand scares me. I don't know what to expect, sounds, pressure, feelings, etc.

I'll be cruising for about 3 hours and that bothers me knowing how high off the ground I am and all that could go wrong. I know my fears are irrational but I am scared of the unknown I guess.

I know Delta has a good record and has never had a 757 fatality so that helps to reassure me.

[Crism]

Well I'm sorry to scare you again but there's a first time for everything hehe.

And when you're inside the plane, it REALLY doesn't feel like you're that high off the ground. It's not like at an amusement park where you're strapped into a moving piece of metal 200ft in the air AND YOU CAN FEEL THE AIR RUSHING BY YOU. In a plane you don't feel anything except the air conditioner. The CRJ will be a little more unnerving than the 757 because it's a LOT smaller.

Upon nearing the runway, you'll hear the announcement that "ladies and gentlemen we have now been cleared for takeoff." At that point you should be moving towards the runway. Look out the window and you can tell when you're there. You should then hear the engines spool up...and if you're in the back they'll be pretty loud on the CRJ. It'll just be a big noise, you'll be pushed into your seat, and once you get going, there's gonna probably be a few bumps along the way...ESPECIALLY IN ATL (hell I touched down in a 767-400 and it was a BOOM BOOM BOOM becasue the runway was rough and I'm sorry if I'm scaring you more lol but all of these noises are NORMAL). Then you'll rotate and everything's gonna get a LOT smoother than it was on the runway and you can tell when you're in the air. Once you in the air...you may encounter turbulance...well..sh*t happens man so you're gonna have to just get over it. On approach, you'll hear the engines spool up and down...this is normal.

Once you're at cruise and the seatbelt sign is off, get up and walk to the bathroom....the plane's not gonna fall out of the sky if you stand up lol.

Remember soldier, these pilots are trained professionals....there's a 1 in a million chance of the following: getting a drunk pilot, blowing an engine on takeoff, having a complete hydraulic failure, and crashing. So you're pretty safe I'd say! Now go to some jumping jacks to get ride of those pre-flight jitters!

Oh and if you want and if you see one of the pilots waiting at the door, tell them it's your first flight and ask to check out the cockpit....they'll probably let you . It's cool up there!

[LUNN]

You should take a sedative or an anti-motion sickness medicine as some first timers are prone to throwing up, not out of nervousness but due to air sickness that they may not be aware they have until they fly, it will help you calm down as well.

Other than that you can tell FA's about it being your first time, you should also ask them for a bulk head seat or a window seat or one that is near the aisle, to gibve you more space.

[pdeboer]

For what it's worth it, you might want to keep in mind that flying is one of the safest ways to travel, probably much safer than the grey hound bus you would have taken otherwise. Pilots are one of the best trained sort of drivers. Here is something that might help reading: http://www.anxieties.com/flying-howsafe.php
And you might want to read the 'Fear of Flying Forums' on www.airdisaster.com You will find that you are not the only one with your fears and might find some comfort in the stories of other people.

cheers, Pamela

[Kadena_Troop]

I remember one flight with my cousin. It was her first flight. I remember that she was afraid to sit all the way down in her seat because she thought that if she did sit all the way down, her weight would prevent the airplane from lifting off from the ground.

[G-VEIL]

I know its not much comfort, but even now as someone who travels many times a year by plane, both short-haul and long-haul, I still feel a bit uneasy during take-off and landing. There is a reason for this, but I wont go into it here, as we don't want to scare sogosplfan, but I echo what everyone else says here, in particular about asking the FA's to keep an eye out for you.

[ptbodale]

You are a registered nurse. Nothing we do to you on the flight will compare to an hour in the emerg room.

My wife is a nurse too, so I know.....

[expoITHscohen]

I remember one flight with my cousin. It was her first flight. I remember that she was afraid to sit all the way down in her seat because she thought that if she did sit all the way down, her weight would prevent the airplane from lifting off from the ground.

WoW!!! Someone thinks they are fat. Girls, Girls, Girls

[fly.mcs]

Yeah, don't worry. Flying is great! I remember when I took my first flight five years ago. I was going through what you're going through. I was having thoughts of what could happen to the aircraft and then some...

When I got onboard, I told the pilots it was my first time flying and they welcomed me by showing me the cockpit. It was great. And yeah, don't be worried about take-off. I used to hate take-offs but I now love them. You just get pushed back into your seat and once the aicraft starts to ascend, you feel an even greater force pushing you back in your seat. Within minutes, the aircraft's angle of attack should decrease, and the force will lessen. Then you're flying in the air; it's awesome! Trust me, you'll love it! You'll love being able to see all the clouds and even the roads/buildings/scenery below you; it's not something you see everyday which makes flying interesting.

Additionally, I'd be thrilled with all the connections you've got! You get to take-off and land loads of times! My parents don't approve of connections, so I've never done it but you on the other hand, you have the thrill of connecting! You'll have loads of fun.

Lastly, I've flown on both the Boeing B757-200 and the CRJ-200. I have flown five 757s since my first flight; actually, my first flight was aboard a 757! This aircraft is wonderful and flies nice. Now, I recently flew the CRJ-200 with Independence. I was a bit hesitant on flying smaller aircraft, but I like to try new things. The CRJ-200 feels just like any ordinary aircraft; don't let its size fool you.

Relax, you're going to have fun! The more you worry, the worse the trip will be. Enjoy yourself, have some fun, and remember to pick a window seat (and bring your camera..save the memories!!)

[herpa2003]

One thing to keep in mind about takeoff- Shortly after takeoff (ie still climbing at a good rate) the pilots may reduce engine thrust. You will hear the engines quiet down, it is noticeable, but it is very normal and there is nothing to worry about. Maybe some pilots on here could explain the exact procedure in better words than I can? I read somewhere that takeoff power is pretty excessive and consumes a lot of fuel, which is why they decrease the power shortly after becoming airborne...?

[HS-TGY]

It is a fact that travelling by air is safer than any other mode of transport, so don't panic. The chances of anything going wrong are quite unlikely.

But if you're not going to stop panicking about taking to the skies for the first time, I'd just cancel the tickets, even if they are non-refundable. Take the train instead.