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I need some suggestions...ASAP please!

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Flying Illini

Hit me Peter!
Joined
Mar 9, 2003
Posts
2,291
I've always enjoyed being able to share the joy of flight, whether it be through flight instruction or giving tours to the local schools or boy scout organizations. We do probably 10 tours a year for various organizations within the community and it's fun to show the kids and adults around and share GA with others. It's also nice to be able to dispell some of the "media myths" that the adults come in with.
Anyway, I am to talk to (not so much a tour) a person who is terrified to fly. We meet tomorrow at 11am. Apparently he has an airline flight coming up and he is really, really freaked out about it. I'm not sure if he's mentally handi-capped or not, but it seems that way as a city social worker will be accompanying him and she is the one who arranged this meeting. It is my understanding that she felt we may be able to calm his fears a little.

So, my job tomorrow is to meet with him. I will show him around an airplane or two and try to describe to him what he will see, hear, and feel, during his flight.

Does anyone have ANY suggestions as to what I should talk about, what I shouldn't talk about...anything? I've never done something like this before so I've very open to suggestions you may have or experiences you've had with something like this. Have you ever dealt with someone who was afraid to fly...were you able to reason with them? How?

Please help if you can.

FI
 
I'd introduce him to Mr. Xanax.

:D

Dr. Minhberg
(Sorry ... couldn't help it. :( But kudos to you for pitching in in a situation like this. Seriously. Lotsa people wouldn't want to be bothered. It's pretty cool of you to do it.)
 
Last edited:
FI,

Some ideas:

1. Explain the sounds and sensations: rough taxiway, sound of engines starting, generators coming on-line, thumps of the gear coming up, etc. Sometimes it's good to write them down, in sequence, so that he can anticipate them.

2. Explain how ATC, TCAS, and the crew keep the aircraft separated from other aircraft.

3. BRIEF expaination of redundant systems. Don't go into too much detail...lest it lead to "Why do they need all those back-ups?!"

4. Give him a checklist: Aisle seat, meet the crew (poke your head in and advise them that you're a nervous flyer), watch other pax to observe the "routine-ness" of the operation.

5. Advise him to fly in the daytime. The more senses involved in processing the experience, the better.

6. Don't be patronizing, or demeaning. EX: "It's normal to be scared out of your wits. You're still a great stock broker!" or "Suck it up and get on that airplane, you pathetic pansy! If it's your time to go...it's your time to go!"

7. Under no circumstances should you let him read any posts on this Forum!!!
 
Occam's got some great suggestions. A couple other things as well...

The biggest thing is to find out exactly why he's afraid to fly, and go from there. People have some really strange reasons why they're afraid to fly. I once talked a friend who told me his 30 year old sister had refused to get on a Delta 767 at the end of a trip because "theres no way that things going to fly."

Explain how intensively trained and highly competent airline pilots are (come on guys, no jokes!) and how safe airline travel really is. Thousands of flights a day, every day and the last major accidents was over 4 years ago.

Explain how the system works and how ATC makes sure no airplanes get to close. You might also mention the minimum separations (above, to the side, and behind) of aircraft while flying and approaching the airport.

That kind of stuff will probably go a long ways to make the individual feel more comfortable.

He might be good to take a good book, CD Player, Gameboy, something that will divert his/her attention during the flight so he's not paying attention to every little noise.

Please give us a PIREP tomorrow when you meet with the person, and how it goes!
 
Good suggestions!

I would ask him if he knows how an airplane is able to fly. Then give him a brieif lesson on how lift is created... and finish on how the shape of the wing makes the airplane want to fly. I've been in your situation with several people who are nervous about rides. Usually, they are fine afte they get in the air and start to realize that iy really is quite enjoyable.

Another suggestion, possibly get in the airplane with him and taxi around a bit. See if being in a moving aircraft eases some uncertainties. Who knows he may even get brave and want to go around the patch once.

Good Luck.
 
In addition to the above: If he is actually there and you can show him around an airplane or two it would be great to show him the control surfaces, where they are, what they do, etc -- that way if he has any view near the wings he won't get freaked out when the wing "breaks open" as the spoiler is deployed, etc.

Mention that wings on big airplanes are flexible.. in the event of turbulence they can and do, and are designed to flex a bit (this might be pushing it but if it gets bumpy and hes seeing bending wingtips I'm guessing he'll freak out).

Perhaps explain how a propeller or jet produces thrust as well, likening it to a fan rotating at high speed, and how this thrust is indeed strong enough to power the airplane.
 
Also try to explain how an airplane moves around its axis. From the cabin, being on the inside of a turn tends to feel like being dropped to somepeople. At high pitch angles, low to the ground and all that engines noise, its makes people very nervous.
 
Snakum said:
I'd introduce him to Mr. Xanax.

:D

Dr. Minhberg
(Sorry ... couldn't help it. :( But kudos to you for pitching in in a situation like this. Seriously. Lotsa people wouldn't want to be bothered. It's pretty cool of you to do it.)

I'll second the XANAX comment by Snakum!:D

A sledge hammer works very well too.
 
ask him when the last airline crash was in america... chances are he will not be able to answer. use that fact to assure him just how safe airline travel is. talk to him about the MILLIONS of people that get from point A to point B without any incidents occuring, and tell him you never will hear on the news about these millions that fly safely. talk to him about the thousands of hours that airline pilots have to have to be considered for a job (which, in some cases, is fudging a bit). also tell him if anything happens, the plane is a giant glider and the pilots are prepared to divert anywhere and anytime they have to (which, in an airliner, is fudging a bit too). let us know how it goes.
 

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