Flight ordeal - Turbulence.

tracie_80

Myself and my family are frequent fliers. Being frequent fliers, of course we have encountered turbulence before. It's always made me feel a little queasy but I get stuck into reading a book, until it passes.

In March this year, myself & my husband went on a flight to Jamaica, 6 hours into the flight, turbulence started, but this wasn't like any other turbulence I have ever experienced. The plane started shaking and things were moving around the cabin. The seat belt signs were on and the pilot said we would be experiencing some heavy turbulence for the next 20 minutes or so. Suddenly the plane started dropping, it felt like I was on a rollercoaster. I was in sat at the side of the window seat and the sea was looking closer and closer each second that went past. I had the flight map on the screen in front of me, which had been showing whereabouts we was on the map, the speed of the plane and the outside temp. I started to feel panic and then the plane plunged again, this time the plane went very low, and I could see the sea very clearly. Other passengers were screaming & crying, children were crying & some people were being sick. I became shaky and very scared. I really believed that the pilot had lost control of the plane and that we was heading into the ocean.
40 minutes later the pilot announced that the worst was over and that it had not been predicted. He used a term to describe it (but I forgot what he called it).
When we landed I was so happy to be standing on land.

The experience has left me too scared to fly again. It was so hard for me to get on the return flight home.
We had an holiday planned for January 2015 but I can't go, I'm too scared, just the thought of being on a plane causes me to shake.
Lastnight I overheard my husband talking to his friend on the phone. He was saying that I have now restricted him from travelling and he wished I would sort myself out. He doesn't know that I overheard the conversation. It's left me feeling really bad He clearly doesn't understand how bad i feel about flying. The thought of it makes my heart bang, my forehead break out in a sweat & my hands start shaking.
Has anyone else experienced turbulence to this degree before?

Gloomendoom

Yes. I've mentioned it before. Breakfast had just been served and I was just tucking into a Müller Corner Crunch. Then all hell let loose. The plane just dropped. There was food everywhere. I later found a sausage in my jacket pocket.

I've never eaten a Müller Corner Crunch since.

Scrapaholic

We haven't experienced turbulence as bad as you describe and that sounds horrifying . I remember one time feeling really nervous in some bad turbulence . I can understand that you're scared to fly again . You have flown lots of times but this one time it was really bad . You might never ever have turbulence like that again , what's the odds ? I don't really like flying but it gets us where we want to visit . Would you never fly again ? I hope you will be ok to go on holiday next year and never suffer turbulence again .

Georgiegirl256

Yes. We did on the way to Vegas last year. As far as I know people weren't being sick, but a lot of people were really frightened. When we landed, everyone gave the pilot a round of applause!

Me and my Dad hit a bank of clouds when we went on a helicopter ride once, that was abit of a heart stopping moment.

For it to happen to the extent you mention is a pretty rare event, but I know once you get something stuck in your mind, a fear develops and turns into a phobia. But just think of all those times you've flew and it hasn't happened.

I can also see where your husband is coming from too though, and if your fear is as bad as you say it is then maybe you should go and get some help from a professional before it spoils future holidays not just for yourself but for the whole family.

Northern78

Hi Tracie.

I was reading something that might be of interest to you, it was a piece in one of the papers about a blog by an active pilot that has wrote about turbulence and other flying fears.

I believe it's called Ask The Pilot. The extracts I read were quite interesting and reassuring.

Might be worth a read.

Gloomendoom

One thing to bear in mind is that planes don't tend to crash because of turbulence. Perversely, I quite enjoy it, although roller coasters scare me stupid. I remember on one flight to Australia we were thrown about for three hours. The view of lightning silhouetting distant mountains was spectacular though.

KatieDee

How awful for you!

During my last flight to Canada we experienced quite a bit of turbulence but it doesn't sound anywhere near as extreme as yours!

Being a former nervous flyer myself, I can completely relate to the fear and anxiety you are experiencing at the thought of flying again. I used to absolutely detest the idea of flying after a very bad landing a few years ago. As stupid as it sounds, the only way I got over my fear was to force myself to experience it again!

I won't insult you by going into detail about what turbulence is but generally, even the worst turbulence isn't going to cause a plane to crash. Be assured that the pilot has been trained extremely well to deal with all potential outcomes and turbulence is just a small inconvenience to him/her! It might seem very extreme, especially when you can feel the plane dropping, but this is more than likely being done to try and avoid the clouds/patches that are causing the turbulence.

You shouldn't let your husbands comments force you into flying again, but the longer you avoid stepping on a plane, the more you will build it up in your mind. When I had a bad landing, I had convinced myself that my life had been at risk and I saw my life flash before my eyes. My boyfriend, who was on the same flight, assured me that it was merely a "little bit bumpy". I'm not saying your experience wasn't awful...just that your brain has a habit of making things seems a lot worse in hindsight!

Best of luck whatever you do. I don't need to tell you how wonderful travelling is...perhaps you could focus on that to give you the strength to fly again one day

gettingtheresometime

Mum and I flew a few years ago and we experienced turbulence to the extent that even the cabin crew were told to sit down and strap themselves in

Admittedly it wasn't no where near as you describe but think back to the flight home. Was it as bad (your understandable concerns withstanding) as you thought it would be?

I don't know where you live but would it be worth attending a fear of flying course? Many of them are run by pilots and cabin crew and perhaps talking to them about what happened, and them explaining what procedures would have been undertaken by the crew, you can put your fear into persepective

tracie_80

I remembered the term that the pilot used. It was unexpected 'clear air' turbulence. Whatever that means, but I know it certainly made me think that we was heading into the ocean.

I love travelling and so does my husband. This fear I have been left with makes me feel so sorry for my husband. I wish I didn't feel so scared. He says that he understands because he too believed we was heading into the ocean, and that makes me feel okay, knowing that he understands why I can't get on another plane. Now I have heard him talking to his friend, I know he feels my fear has restricted us and deep down it does bother him:(

cazziebo

Turbulence is just air currents - that's all. Can you get a pilot (or another expert) to explain it to you and talk through what is really happening? As Gloomendoom says, it's not dangerous - pilots cope with much worse situations that the passengers never know about.

purpleshoes_2

tracie_80 wrote: »

Myself and my family are frequent fliers. Being frequent fliers, of course we have encountered turbulence before. It's always made me feel a little queasy but I get stuck into reading a book, until it passes.

In March this year, myself & my husband went on a flight to Jamaica, 6 hours into the flight, turbulence started, but this wasn't like any other turbulence I have ever experienced. The plane started shaking and things were moving around the cabin. The seat belt signs were on and the pilot said we would be experiencing some heavy turbulence for the next 20 minutes or so. Suddenly the plane started dropping, it felt like I was on a rollercoaster. I was in sat at the side of the window seat and the sea was looking closer and closer each second that went past. I had the flight map on the screen in front of me, which had been showing whereabouts we was on the map, the speed of the plane and the outside temp. I started to feel panic and then the plane plunged again, this time the plane went very low, and I could see the sea very clearly. Other passengers were screaming & crying, children were crying & some people were being sick. I became shaky and very scared. I really believed that the pilot had lost control of the plane and that we was heading into the ocean.
40 minutes later the pilot announced that the worst was over and that it had not been predicted. He used a term to describe it (but I forgot what he called it).
When we landed I was so happy to be standing on land.

The experience has left me too scared to fly again. It was so hard for me to get on the return flight home.
We had an holiday planned for January 2015 but I can't go, I'm too scared, just the thought of being on a plane causes me to shake.
Lastnight I overheard my husband talking to his friend on the phone. He was saying that I have now restricted him from travelling and he wished I would sort myself out. He doesn't know that I overheard the conversation. It's left me feeling really bad He clearly doesn't understand how bad i feel about flying. The thought of it makes my heart bang, my forehead break out in a sweat & my hands start shaking.
Has anyone else experienced turbulence to this degree before?

No, but I was terrified of flying for a long time, to the point where I didnt fly for years and if I did I was in a terrible state.

What helped me was EFT, emotional freedom technique and also everytime I touch land still I think, thats me Ive landed safely and Im done, but as soon as I get home I book another flight. Ive probably flown about 30 times in the last 8 years which is nothing compared to some people but really good for me.

When I get on the plane I think, this is their job, they want to fly and get home like the rest of us. The last time I flew home from spain I was looking out the window at the Pyrenees, years ago Id have been sitting shaking, its possible to get over a fear of flying. I dont think I'll ever love it like some people, but I do it, and thats a big thing for me and believe me if you had seen the state of me ten years ago or so, you'd have said don't fly again.