Author Topic: Acrophobia!!!  (Read 14674 times)

Offline Zaffex

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Acrophobia!!!
« on: June 19, 2006, 07:13:13 PM »
Okay, I seem to be having an up and coming dilemma. My sister and I plan to take a trip this summer to Guatemala on an airliner and, ironically enough, she's afraid of flying. She's worried the aircraft will explode in midair or dive into the Atlantic or have some other freak accident. Any suggestions to help her out?
"You know you're a redneck pilot when you think avgas makes a good cologne."

Offline happylanding

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2006, 07:21:32 PM »
Okay, I seem to be having an up and coming dilemma. My sister and I plan to take a trip this summer to Guatemala on an airliner and, ironically enough, she's afraid of flying. She's worried the aircraft will explode in midair or dive into the Atlantic or have some other freak accident. Any suggestions to help her out?
  :)
Knock her down and drag her on the plane!
I give that landing a 9 . . . on the Richter scale.

Offline Zaffex

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2006, 07:26:52 PM »
Hmm, I don't think she'd take too kindly to that :).
"You know you're a redneck pilot when you think avgas makes a good cologne."

Offline happylanding

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2006, 07:42:34 PM »
Hmm, I don't think she'd take too kindly to that :).

I'm quite sure, yes. It's a quite strong phobia and I was just kidding.  :) :) :)
I do not have a lot of ideas, but you could explain her that without the flight there is no vacation, adding all the brouhaha about the fact that aircrafts are the most secure transportation and so on. otherwise she could get the tablets they sell in drugstores to calm down before the flight, but I'd suggest something against plain nervousness: they cost less and they are quite powerful. I used them when I split from my former boyfriend: they work quite well... they made me too drowsy to think :) :) :).
I give that landing a 9 . . . on the Richter scale.

Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2006, 10:29:12 PM »
Valium.

Seriously, though, tell her that if you feel safe enough to get on the plane and you're willing to take your family on the plane, there shouldn't be anything to worry about.  The problem with irrational fears is that it's hard to convince the person that there's nothing to worry about. 
Behind every great man, there is a woman rolling her eyes.  --Bruce Almighty

Offline madpilot44

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #5 on: July 08, 2006, 12:59:36 AM »
Hey, you coming to Guatemala? that got my attention jaja.

When is the flight? if you need anything while in the country send me an e-mail and I'll be happy to help you with anything you need.

about the phobia, give her a little chat about the airplane beign the safest way to travel and so on and so forth... that should help. tell her that planes are designed to fly along on bad weather and are checked by people on the ground and handled by a lot of people on the way, try to give her some medications if you need also...
To most people, the sky is the limit. To those who love aviation, the sky is home.

fireflyr

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #6 on: July 09, 2006, 05:39:50 AM »
, try to give her some medications if you need also...

About three ounces of Tanguery gin is usually enough to get me on the airplane, then a double shot after takeoff holds me for a couple of hours ;D

Offline madpilot44

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #7 on: July 09, 2006, 03:23:56 PM »
, try to give her some medications if you need also...

About three ounces of Tanguery gin is usually enough to get me on the airplane, then a double shot after takeoff holds me for a couple of hours ;D

Exactly what I was thinking... I prefer Vodka tough  ;)... anyways, you read my mind, and for that, a toast in your honor <insert toasting smiley>  ;D |:)\
To most people, the sky is the limit. To those who love aviation, the sky is home.

Offline FlyingBlind

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #8 on: July 13, 2006, 09:13:29 PM »
Get her drunk....or bring her to me, i'll give her a parachute and some tips on how to use it :);)

Offline Zaffex

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #9 on: July 17, 2006, 09:18:02 PM »
Well, I'm back! The trip was very nice down there (except for security, customs, and such) and I think my sister handled it very nicely in my opinion. She took some Dramamine to try and calm herself, but she was still pretty nervous. She kept asking me what the noises coming from the the airplane were, and a couple times she clamped down on my arm pretty hard (ouch). But overall I've still gotta give her props for facing her fear and getting on those flights. I don't think it changed her opinion about flying (quote from her: "If I never have to get on another airplane again it'll be too soon), but at least she had the courage to tackle her fears and not let them rule her. To madpilot44: Sorry I didn't get your message in time, we left on Friday for Chicago and flew out on Saturday. We arrived in the capital the same day and rode a bus for 4 hours or so to Santiago by Lake Atitlan (pardon me if I spell anything wrong, by the way). Man, it's a crazy drive! We were weaving through all sorts of crazy traffic. We then got to stay with the rest of the group with a guy named Tom, a missionary who works with kids unwanted by families and sent to Guatemalen government. He's also got a 182  ;D that he flies from a little airstrip on the side of the mountain. We pretty much helped out by fixing up the house (the electrical wiring for it was crazy - we could get zapped through the wall one time), hauling some firewood and timber, doing outreaches in the nearby villages, and playing with the kids.
"You know you're a redneck pilot when you think avgas makes a good cologne."

Offline happylanding

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #10 on: July 17, 2006, 10:49:41 PM »
Glad to know your sister handled the flights nicely.  :) Maybe she will get accustomed and fly more often?!?  ??? it's strange when it happens that in a same family one is pilot and other members are scared about flying: I usually avoid saying too much when I plan to go flying, since I know my bro and my mom would not be completely at ease. Your trip looks really interesting. You went to Guatemala on a mission, did I understand it right? I think it must have been a really inspiring and surely a formative experience. tell us more, okay?  |:)\ |:)\
I give that landing a 9 . . . on the Richter scale.

fireflyr

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #11 on: July 17, 2006, 11:30:52 PM »
Yes, I want to hear more about the mission also----please :D

Offline FlyingBlind

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #12 on: July 18, 2006, 12:48:10 AM »
Glad to hear she survived it :)
Oh yeah, just so you know - taking any medicine for calming down is not good...

Offline Gulfstream Driver

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #13 on: July 18, 2006, 04:13:48 AM »
Glad to hear she survived it :)
Oh yeah, just so you know - taking any medicine for calming down is not good...

How do you figure?
Behind every great man, there is a woman rolling her eyes.  --Bruce Almighty

Offline FlyingBlind

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Re: Acrophobia!!!
« Reply #14 on: July 18, 2006, 09:07:12 PM »
Messes with your blood - you might THINK that you are calmer (and you are...) BUT it ends up in pumping up your fear in the end..... medicine is NEVER good!

(xept for aspirin when you have a atomical hangover....)