And the fact that he’s so matter-of-fact about everything and makes even the most horrifying-sounding of situations appear as though it’s not a big deal in any way (because it actually isn’t) truly set my mind at ease. Written by Patrick Smith, a pilot and writer of the Ask the Pilot column for Salon, it covers basically every question you could possibly have about flying. I boarded my plane, opened it up, and began to read.Īnd before we’d even started moving, my nerves were fading away. I knew all the facts.Ī fear of flying, however, is entirely irrational. I understand exactly how planes fly, I know how they stay up in the air, and I realise they’re far safer than driving. The funny thing about all of this is that I have a masters in physics. I couldn’t even eat during the 24 hours leading up to a flight because my stomach would be so nervous. Every time we landed safely, I’d resolve to never take another flight again. And then I’d grimace and shudder and mutter about how I needed to get off the plane. Sometimes I’d ask strangers to hold my hand during particularly bumpy flights. Every bump of turbulence left me trembling, desperate to get back on the ground to safety.Īnd yeah, I’d have full-on panic attacks, too, spending many of my flights hyperventilating and crying behind sunglasses, digging my nails into my boyfriend’s arms - or my own if I was flying solo. Every time the fasten seatbelt sign turned on unexpectedly, I’d start staring around the cabin with wide, wild eyes, searching the faces of passengers for signs of alarm. Over and over, I’d picture the plane breaking up mid-flight, the engines suddenly exploding, and us free-falling down to earth. Then, during the flight, I’d spend the entire time replaying my nightmares and just waiting for us to start plummeting.
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