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First Time Flier

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theallens78	First Time Flier	Lead	[-]
Posts: 1 (11/04/09 22:51:33) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None I've read through many of the posts here, but I'm still slightly confused as to what flight to pick. I have to fly from Cincinnati (I can fly out of Dayton or CVG) to Madison, Wisconsin. As I said in the title of my post, I've never flown before. My friend was planning on flying in from out of state to fly with me to Madison, but its cheaper for her to just fly straight from Pennsylvania there. So I'm on my own. I have no idea which airline to pick. I also don't know whether to pay the extra for a nonstop flight, so meet up with my friend in Chicago. I know to pick a seat close to the front of the plane. But other than that, I'm so lost. I'm already a nervous wreck and we aren't going to be flying out until the end of January. Brittany
OneAnt		#1	[-]
Posts: 902 (11/05/09 06:00:31) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I'm AA-biased, so of course I'm going to suggest that you book with them. You'd have to stop in Chicago. Saw tickets for $99 each way on certain days. Combined, the entire trip is less than 500 miles (264mi from CVG-ORD, and 109mi from ORD-MSN). Those are some tiny little hops: up and down before you know it. Not sure why you're a nervous wreck if you've never flown before. That's a bit like saying that you don't like sushi if you've never tried it. My advice is to make sure you have at least 1 hr in between flights at ORD. Although, if you book AA, you'll likely arrive at, and depart from, Concourse G, the weather can be spotty in the winter and delays aren't uncommon. I say this not to raise any safety concerns--since there are none--but rather to make you aware.

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Note from Capt. Tom

I know everyone worries about weather, but pilots really do not worry about it. We simply - instead of worrying about it - completely prepare for it. Before going to the plane, we review the weather at the destination. If it is not 100% sure to be within legal limits when we arrive at the destination, we must specify an alternate airport in our planning documents, and load on plenty of fuel for going to the destination airport, and then if need be, diverting to the alternate airport.

The legal limits are conservative. Even when weather is slightly outside the legal limits, any airline pilot could still land safely. You can rely on the captain never to land when the weather is not legal, and legality limits are reached prior to safety limits.

If you are still anxious, call me and we can talk it over. I'm at 877 332-7359 from 10 AM until 7 PM Eastern time.

For effective help, even if you are flying in a day or two, sign up now at www.fearofflying.com/fasttrack and call me when you finish Clip 9 so I can make sure you are all set.

Using Weather Information

If you enter your ZIP Code or City at the top of the weather presentation, it will give you weather for your area. Or, you can enter your destination ZIP Code or City.

Click on the "LOCAL RADAR" button to see whether or not there are thunder-
storms. Keep in mind, however, that we can either fly above the storms when cruising or fly through gaps between storms. During landing, we cannot fly above them, but fly through gaps, or through the area of the storms where the turbulence is least.

Turbulence, though it may cause anxiety, does not mean anything is wrong. Turbulence does not mean danger. The plane can handle far more turbulence than Mother Nature can dish out.

Though flying in turbulence is safe, it doesn't feel safe. And here is where the SOAR programs come in. We can help you feel as safe when you fly as you actually are.

You can see these programs at www.fearofflying.com/store.

For questions on aviation or the psychology of aerophobia, click here to e-mail Capt. Tom Bunn, MSW, LCSW.

To contact the SOAR business office (media contacts, brochures, replacement tapes, billing, shipping), click here to e-mail Lisa Hauptner, MS.