I've used this forum for years, and it has really paid off. In the eighties, I simply stopped flying. Then, for most of the 90s, I gradually got better
and better. 9/11 was a setback, but the last few years have been great. I just got back from two wonderful weeks in France on business. For the first time,
I can honestly say I enjoyed the flight: I loved the free wine, enjoyed watching the maps showing where we were, loved flying up the Channel between France
and England, etc. I got lots of work done, and had memorable conversations. The flight indeed felt like vacation time.
Tomorrow night, I'm off to Tel Aviv via Amsterdam on an NWA-Delta A330. I feel REALLY anxious, and I'm doing the junk I used to do: checking weather reports, trying to figure out how much of the flight will actually be dark and how much light, etc. (My only real concern on the recent France flight was hoping that I might get some sleep!). It really is the return of the repressed or something, and I don't like it. I want to be thinking, "Wow! We're flying over Nuuk," not "Thank goodness they have an airport if we need one!" And yes, I've flown A330s in the recent past. The plane went up, and then it landed after several mediocre movies.
Any advice? Part of me would like reassurance that yes, they will have either changed the tubes or the pilot will be aware of the issue and if something should go awry, would work around it. But I also see that need for such mechanical reassurance as part of the "old me." It's been awhile since I've said "hello" to a captain, but I may do that. In general, I'd love to hear how other people who are managing the phobia handle the "big event setback"
Tomorrow night, I'm off to Tel Aviv via Amsterdam on an NWA-Delta A330. I feel REALLY anxious, and I'm doing the junk I used to do: checking weather reports, trying to figure out how much of the flight will actually be dark and how much light, etc. (My only real concern on the recent France flight was hoping that I might get some sleep!). It really is the return of the repressed or something, and I don't like it. I want to be thinking, "Wow! We're flying over Nuuk," not "Thank goodness they have an airport if we need one!" And yes, I've flown A330s in the recent past. The plane went up, and then it landed after several mediocre movies.
Any advice? Part of me would like reassurance that yes, they will have either changed the tubes or the pilot will be aware of the issue and if something should go awry, would work around it. But I also see that need for such mechanical reassurance as part of the "old me." It's been awhile since I've said "hello" to a captain, but I may do that. In general, I'd love to hear how other people who are managing the phobia handle the "big event setback"
