Flying Fear

The TakeOff Today Program: Recommended Fear of Flying Course

June 21, 2011 by admin Leave a Comment

I have mentioned the TakeOff Today Program on numerous occasions, and have always recommended it as a cheaper option if you simply cannot afford to invest in the SOAR Course (my top recommendation for guaranteed fear of flying help). But, I think it would benefit you if I went into a little more detail about WHY I think the TakeOff Today Program is still effective. Firstly, let us discuss what you actually get when you order the program. The main manual is 121 pages long and comes in PDF format (all this means is that it is readable on ANY computer, whether PC, Mac or other). 121 pages seems like a lot of reading, but it's an enjoyable experience. There is no 'fluff' or 'filler', just great advice on overcoming your fear of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Courses, Product Reviews

Fear of Flying: Turbulence

November 17, 2008 by admin 49 Comments

Many nervous flyers will be scared of turbulence. But, truth be told, turbulence is nothing to worry about. In fact, turbulence is a mere annoyance to us flight attendants as it always seems to start when we are trying to drink coffee or fill out paperwork! What is Turbulence? Flight attendants call turbulence 'bumpy air' as this seems the most simple explanation. If you compare flying to being on a boat, you'll find many similarities. The water can be calm, and you get a smooth ride. But, if the wind becomes stronger the water will be moved around and the boat will move around with it. When it comes to flying, it's very much the same. Clear Air Turbulence normally occurs when we cross over a weather front (known as a jetstream). If you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Turbulence

Another Poorly Reported Non-Story Appears in Daily Mail

May 7, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

A reader has shared a story found in the Daily Mail - a popular (unfortunately) UK newspaper. Any long term readers will already know my opinion of certain sections of the media when it comes to misreported and exaggerated stories contributing to the fear of flying of readers. Firstly, read the ridiculous attempt at journalism by clicking here and then read my rewrite of the story below; A Lufthansa Airbus 321 suffered an engine malfunction on Saturday shortly after takeoff from Helsinki. The engine was shut down by pilots who were following their well practised drill for this situation. Any fire would have been extinguished automatically. The plane flew perfectly safely with one engine as all commercial aircraft can, but as a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Emergencies, Engine Failure, Media

An Open Letter to Matt Cutts

April 15, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

Dear Mr Cutts, My site was severely 'punished' during last years Penguin updates. Now, before we go any further I want to make it clear I am not here to attack Google, or you. In fact, I love Google most of the time. I couldn't cope without Google Maps for example, or YouTube. But, I don't trust your search results anymore due to what has happened to my website. I am a Flight Attendant, not a web designer or anything similar. I am certainly no SEO expert that's for sure but a few years ago I decided to start a website to help those with a fear of flying. I didn't expect anyone to read it, but it grew and grew until I was getting over a thousand visitors every day. As a result I was getting loads of emails asking for help and I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Google

Possibly The Most Beautiful Photo I Have Taken…

April 13, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

I flew to Funchal (Madeira) a few days back and just after takeoff on the return flight I looked out of the window to see the sun setting.... Well, I knew this was going to make a beautiful photo although it took about 10 attempts to get it right. This is the result, and I hope you agree it's stunning! Sometimes I just love my job because I get to see beautiful things like this everyday. I work hard, and it can be tiring, but somehow this makes it all worthwhile. I happen to LOVE flying too, which I guess helps. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Photos

Turbulence Set to Increase due to Climate Change

April 11, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

According to a study led by Reading University in the UK and published in Nature Climate Change turbulence is on the increase as a direct result of climate change. The study concentrated on the North Atlantic corridor which sees 600 flights a day cross between the Americas and Europe. Results show that not only will turbulence be more severe, but the area affected by turbulent air will also increase. The study is thought to be the first ever to research the future of aviation turbulence, despite there being a related - albeit difficult to calculate - cost for airlines. This cost is thought to be in the region of $150m (£100m) a year. Any increase in turbulence would result in an increased fuel burn as pilots avoid bumpy air in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Climate Change, Turbulence

5am Check-In.. Palma de Mallorca

April 9, 2013 by admin 3 Comments

It's 7.42 in the morning as I start writing this. We are currently flying overhead mainland Spain and just started our initial descent into Palma (Mallorca). In fact, we have just over 20 minutes before we land and I have just snapped this photo out the window. The alarm went off at 3.45am this morning - which was a shock to the system after having 5 days off work. Thankfully it has been a rather easy flight so far. The only notable incidents have been a passenger feeling faint (regularly happens, especially on the very early flights), and a child being sick. I'm hoping the return flight is just as easy, and all being well I will be home in time for lunch :-) Well it's now 9am UK time (10am here in Mallorca). The aircraft is fully … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: My Schedule

Welcome to My Blog

April 8, 2013 by admin 4 Comments

Flight Attendant helps with fear of flying

This is where I will keep you updated on my plans for the site, and other stuff that is not directly related to overcoming your fear of flying. It's where I can communicate with you on a more personal level, and post photos etc that may inspire you.... In this first post though, I want to talk to you about the future of this site, and my commitment to making it better. Those of you that visit regularly will have noticed I have redesigned the homepage to look more professional and link directly to the content that most fearful flyers want to read about. There is a lot more work to be done on this so keep your eye out for more improvements. In the coming days I will be reading all my previous articles and editing or deleting ones … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog

How Science Can Help You Overcome Your Anxiety

April 7, 2013 by admin Leave a Comment

I've got to tell you, the research that's been taking place in recent years and the advancements it's all led to has been nothing short of incredible and is completely changing much of what we know about anxiety, fear, panic, and human behaviour in general. New technologies have given us the ability to peer inside the mind like never before, and literally WATCH exactly what happens not only when anxiety strikes, but when a feeling of relaxation and calm washes over us and takes it away. Research from universities and labs around the world is being published that shows that much of what's traditionally been done to help those suffering with anxiety or panic attacks has often been useless at best, and may even make everything … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Health Tagged With: Anxiety

Excellent Video of Flight From Start to Finish

March 1, 2013 by admin 9 Comments

This is a very good video for those with a fear of flying. Watch the flight from start to finish (video is about 45mins long). Pay special attention to all the checks that the pilots carry out at various stages of the flight. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Understanding Flying Tagged With: Video

Virgin Flight VS27 Emergency Evacuation at Gatwick Airport

April 16, 2012 by admin 2 Comments

Virgin flight VS27 turned back to Gatwick this morning approx 10 minutes after takeoff. The Captain announced that an emergency landing would take place. Reports suggest that there was smoke in the cabin, but this has not been confirmed. What is important to talk about is the reports of injuries caused by the emergency evacuation itself. We only evacuate an aircraft if it is thought life may be in danger. Therefore when the captain ordered the evacuation he would have done so knowing full well that injuries may occur, but felt it was necessary in order to protect life. Bruised limbs, or the odd broken bone is a small price to pay when there are passengers life's to protect. Once again the media have decided to interview affected … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Blog, Breaking News, Media Reports Tagged With: Incidents, Virgin Airlines

Ryanair Decompression Incident: A Response to Media Reports

April 8, 2012 by admin 4 Comments

If you live in the UK you may have seen press reports of the recent incident involving a Ryanair flight from Milan to East Midlands airport (Flight FR1703). Once again media reports have embellished and dramatised what took place and therefore I felt it necessary to write this article explaining. It's important to note that I do not work for or have any relationship with Ryanair whatsoever, but it upsets me when any aviation incident is misreported. What happened on this flight is called a decompression. The aircraft cabin is pressurised during flight. This allows all of us to breath freely without breathing apparatus at such high altitudes. Sometimes a technical problem (such as a damaged door seal) can prevent the aircraft from … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Breaking News, Media Reports