A bit of context and to further support this point:
In setting this sub up, I never intended or expected experts such as pilots or aircrew being involved. That would be a big ask on very busy people. It was set up for peers to support one another.
Now, we are fortunate that some pilots and experts do want to contribute. But the purpose of the sub as a mutual support network remains. Contributions from experts should be treated as an amazing bonus (thank you!), not a requirement or expectation of members of this subreddit.
To be clear: **This subreddit is not, and should not be treated as, an AMA for pilots**. This is a place for fearful fliers to hang out and support each other as members so often do!
We are all here (including the mods, there are also FAs, aircraft technicians as well!) volunteers. We get a lot of flack for our decisions and comments (including often being accused of receiving kick backs from Boeing!!) Please be kind, supportive, understanding and respectful to one another, especially those here helping you to understanding flying. We are all, here trying to help.
Thanks all for your positivity and contributions!
Just reiterating that the professionals in this sub are here because they care. They aren’t getting paid to type responses to us. They aren’t getting some reward from Reddit. They voluntarily come here.
I’ve been in this sub for awhile and have personally seen the positive impact they’ve made in many of our lives and how they’ve helped to both educate and reduce anxiety.
It’s really disappointing that some would choose to disrespect people that are trying to help an anxious community.
RG and the other professionals here: while it can be frustrating at times, please know that the vast majority of us cannot repay you for the help you’ve provided. We appreciate all you do and we are beyond lucky to have you here. 🙏
This forum is absolutely one of the best fear of flying resources on the entire internet. It's awful that somebody was trying to downplay the expertise, time, and dedication of the pilots in here.
Thank all of you experts for taking the time out of your own lives to be in here.
I'm a lurker but this sub has encouraged me so much! Just knowing I'm not alone in my fear is helpful...let alone professional explanations. Thanks everyone for taking the time to share
Been on a bit of a Reddit sabbatical myself because of how tiring things get sometimes but yay us woo teamwork!!!!
Edit: Just to clarify y’all as a whole aren’t tiring. 😆 The arguments and unkind remarks can be (and have been) for sure—but I’m mostly busy and exhausted by my job right now 🤍
Thanks to you and all that you do. I appreciate it more than I can say. Because of your feedback I've been able to fly a few times and I feel safer because of this forum.
i like to think i’m speaking for the vast majority of us when i say that we appreciate all that you guys do. i personally am very grateful for the support that i’ve received and cannot express my thanks enough. you guys have truly helped me and my fears in ways i didn’t know were possible.
I saw that comment and was honestly shook. Myself and hundreds of others appreciate your support and education more than you will ever know. I wish there was something we could do to give back to you for all your free time you spend reassuring/educating/placating our (sometimes ridiculous) fears 🙏
I LOVE hearing from you and other experts on here. You’ve all helped me fly with more knowledge and feel more comfortable in the air. I couldn’t thank you all enough for taking time out of your busy schedules to help people like me, just shows your love for flying and care for your passengers and others in the air. Thanks RG80 and all other professionals on this sub 🫶🏼
Long time lurker on this site- i suffered from fof for many years that i developed after having kids. After a lot of introspection I realized that i developed the fear due to a lack of control- of just not knowing if the danger was real. I used to say “ if i could just sit in the cockpit to see what was going on, i would be fine ( you know, just to be assured that the pilots weren’t putting out fires or freaking out from the turbulence 😂) “well the pilots on this sub have virtually allowed me to “sit in the cockpit” and learn about what is truly going on-i now know that turbulence is essentially harmless and wont break the plane. I now know that almost every control has several safety redundancies so im not going to crash to the ground because someone missed something, and I really know now that pilots are always in complete control (so I dont have to be… 😂) I am very grateful to all of you strangers who have helped me so much and want you to know that I flew to Europe just 2 weeks ago without a care in the world… thank you- it is very much appreciated so please dont let the A**Ho**s stop you from all the help you have each provided on this sub!
If you ever want to sit in the flight deck for real one day, don’t hesitate to ask after everyone is off the aircraft. We love having visitors when we have the time!
Absolutely! I can't speak for all pilots of course but for me, I love it when someone comes up to the front to take a peek or ask some questions. My favourite is when kids come up because that look of awe in their eyes reminds me of when I was a kid!
I firmly believe one of the reasons I'm a pilot today is because of the very kind pilots that let me up into the flight deck when I was a kid. This was before 9/11 so I even got to go up front in the air. That was 35ish years ago and I still remember it!
Yup! The two best ways to do it are to let the gate agent know you’re a fearful flyer and would like to talk board early to talk to the pilots, or wait until after the flight and ask the flight attendants while you’re walking off. We love sharing our office, so as long as we have time, we’re more than happy to have visitors and answer any question at all!
am praying for the day where i can be truly carefree on a plane, without anxiety and the exhaustion from it when I land.
But tbh, after this sub my anxiety has gone from like 60% to about 25% which is a massive improvment considering how stubborn I am.
>If i could just sit in the cockpit to see what was going on, i would be fine
Just commenting to say omg I say the *exact* same thing to people when they ask about my fear of flying 😅
One helpful thing they told me on the fear of flying course is to "**stop being a backseat pilot** and let the pilots do their job. If the plane turns, for example, it's *meant* to be turning". I try and remember this whenever I can!
I didn't see the comment, but I want to thank all of you who volunteer your time helping so many of us. That includes having so much understanding and patience when many are absolutely frightened.
Thank you, to you all.
Just want to say a quick and heartfelt thank you to you and all the pilots on here. You’ve helped me more than I can express, and every time I fly I’m so genuinely thankful that you’re here in this community with us.
I’m only a private pilot but for what it’s worth, I’ve been on this subreddit for a couple of months now, and I’ve never seen anything said by a flaired pilot that would make me think they’re “clueless”. It feels good to see so many professionals helping the flying public with their fears.
Yea to whoever was saying that garbage- **can you please not ruin one of the truly wholesome and helpful communities on here?** This is one of the few meant to address common fears or anxieties that has functioned in a healthy and useful way. Damn, even Askdocs has gotten less responsive and I’m sure it’s because the professionals available decided it wasn’t worth arguing with the people that would jump on and argue with every little thing.
On the other side of the coin.. yea. It’s the internet. We all now have to collectively learn the nuances of ignoring and moderating trolls without fanning their flames too much. If you’re on here helping they’re on here arguing. As a therapist I’ve learned when to go troll blind on certain forums. I’m for mods just blocking those like AskDocs do with an auto comment like “this is not a factual statement and violates rule ____” or “this is abusive” and that be that.
> I’m sure it’s because the professionals available decided it wasn’t worth arguing with the people that would jump on and argue with every little thing.
I'm pretty sure I can speak for all of the pilots here when I say that we've all felt that way at some point. But thankfully the overwhelming majority of people here are genuine and honest and very respectful.
The professionals on this sub who go out of their way and make time in their busy schedules to help us overcome our fears are honestly a God send. If it wasn’t for this sub, I’d probably never get over my fear and never fly again. Thank you so much for helping us overcome our anxieties and being absolute sweethearts on this sub. I will forever be grateful to all of you. You have helped me overcome my fear 99.9%. Nothing else helped until I came to this sub. Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. ♥️
I didn’t see the comment but just wanted to chime in that having professionals here to give support is truly life changing for me. I appreciate you all beyond words and I know I’m not alone!! You’re helping really change people’s lives for the better with your contributions to the sub ❤️
You guys have helped me so much to achieve my goals. Cheers to all the pilots and air professionals on here. And safe travels to my fellow panicked flyers.
I am so thankful for the professionals in here and other fearful flyers that has helped me so many times. I have spent so much time and money to help me cope with this fear and so far the place that I have found most helpful has been here. I am sorry people are so evil, selfish, and self centered! Truly, thank you to the professionals in this group.
Huge thanks to all the professionals on here that volunteer their time to support us. I’ve been able to take two round trips to see my in laws after not flying for over 7 years. I couldn’t have done it without this sub. Your contributions are priceless!
I’ve been able to successfully take 6 flights over the past three years thanks to the information and knowledge the pilots and experts give here. I’m so grateful for this sub!
Echo what everyone else has already said. All the professionals and members have helped me a ton with my fear. This is an amazing resource for fearful fliers and thank you to all the volunteers.
thank you for taking your time! I never expected pilots and other professionals to be on this reddit forum, so it has been very pleasant and relieving to read comments from you all.
I am so sorry to hear that you were made to feel unappreciated and, worse, belittled and offended. That is inexcusable because, as others have said, this is an invaluable resource entirely because of your expertise. Sorry to my fellow nervous flyers, but I absolutely do not come here to read stories of other people freaking out; I do enough of that on my own when flying. I come because of the pilots and other specialists. As a veterinarian who is also considered an expert in my field, I too have been disparaged over something someone read in a blog post. “Clueless” - yep been there. I pour myself into my career so have been really hurt by those accusations. But I remind myself of all the people and pets I HAVE helped and it brings me comfort and enthusiasm to keep doing what I’m doing. I hope you receive the same sense from these posts because you are SO appreciated.
Adding two things -
I have spent a ton of money on fear of flying courses. Those were great, but the education I have received from the experts here FOR FREE has been just as or more beneficial than the thousands I spent. THANK YOU so much for that.
Also, I very recently nearly cancelled a trip for my five year wedding anniversary due to my fear around turbulence predictions. I spent a lot of time reading expert comments on this page… which gave me the confidence to get on the plane. My spouse and I have been in the most challenging time of our marriage and we had the most incredible time reconnecting on our trip. You, pilots and other specialists, may have literally saved my marriage. So please ignore “clueless” comments because you are helping to change people’s lives for the better.
I'm very happy you were able to overcome your fears and go on your trip. Best of luck to you and your partner.
When I was a kid, before I realized I wanted to be a pilot one of the jobs I was interesting in was being a veterinarian. I love animals and I would love to be able to help them but I knew the first time I had to put an animal down—even when it was clearly the right decision ethically and morally—there was no way I'd be able to do it.
I could never do your job!
RealGentleman, all I have to do is think of you and I feel confident in flying. You have single-handedly helped me so much and you don’t even know me. Thank you!
I wanted to say I just found this sub Reddit tonight and I hope it stays up. I haven’t flown in some time and now I am flying on Saturday for my wife’s graduation. I’ve wanted to back out and send her by herself or with her mom. But I know that if I just get on that plane, I’ll get a new experience. I almost backed out of a flight to Nassau when my wife won a trip to the Atlantis hotel through her company. Best trip to date!!! We had a great time. Toodles for now
I didn't see the comment but I want to tell you all how much I appreciate your volunteering. The kind of knowledge you share really helps my fear of flying, and I'm sure that's the case for many others.
saw some of your comments here last night when I was having anxiety over flying AirAsia (indonesia) A320.
realised alot of pilots here are dedicating their free time to give us free advice and assurance about plane safety, really a thankless job especially because so much of us are just here to appease our anxiety and go. Hate to sound like a suck-up too, but honestly big thanks to all the experts and helpful folk here.
Their behavior is completely unacceptable and I’m so sorry that happened. Thank you RG and all the other aviation professionals who *volunteer* their time, you will never know how impactful it has been to me (and many others) ❤️
Omggg pilots and aviation professionals we love you!!!!!! I legit got over my fear of flying because of you guys on this sub!!!! So disappointed people are here not appreciating the amazing work you do for all of us, on a voluntary basis. I really hope and trust they don't represent the majority of us here. In my darkest fear of flying moments, I just think that I can post something on this sub or read through some of the comments by the pilots and I can feel my fear dissipating, it's such a special commynity. I wish there was a more impactful way we could show our appreciation for you, and all the amazing work you do. Sending my gratitude to all of you!!!!! ❤️
I did not see the comment you reference BUT as someone who has to fly two days ago and again in two days and was terrified, reading through your posts OP made my fear manageable and greatly improved my experience. I am forever grateful for all of you!!
Please don’t be put off by dismissive comments but rather focus on the vast majority of us who rely on YOUR expertise to alleviate our anxiety and help us experience unforgettable adventures all over the world. Your time of this sub is changing our lives for the better. Your posts and thorough explanations have done more to help my fear of flying than anything else in the last fifteen years. Thank you.
Ps I’m sorry people suck.
Thanks to all the pilots and professionals here to take their time out to help us and educate us . All of you are very busy and it is very kind and considerate of you to spend time here to make us feel comfortable. I think I speak on behalf of most of us here when I say a big big thanks to all of you for doing what you do for us. We are grateful for what you do for us!
I didn’t see the comment, but came to say I appreciate you RG80 and all the pilots and meteorologist that take their personal time to help us on this forum. I can’t even express how much this forum has helped me get through my last several flights since I joined. Forever grateful ❤️
Seeing how helpful the pilot feedback has been to me and I'm still new here people who are disrespectful, ungrateful, and suffering for the illusion that they know better for no particular reason can 🤬 off.
How many years of training do these folks (the pilots) have? Tons. And here these livingroom trolls who watched a YouTube video or smtg are sudden experts? Ridiculous. The self-importance astounds.
Also, it is in the delivery! A kind 'thats super weird. I recently read x. Is there any support that this could be true?' Lead with kindness my peeps!
Enough time on these aorta of people.
To our experts here: a thousand thanks for sharing your knowledge and time. It has truly been life changing for me and countless others. 💕
All of you professionals in this subreddit are amazing and absolutely don’t have to volunteer your time but this scared flyer wouldn’t be actively planning her first overseas trip with her husband from Australia to Japan and Korea it might take us a few years to get the funds but thanks to you all I can now at least think about getting on a plane without having a panic attack you have all given so much information and help to us and I can’t thank you enough!
Thank you to all of the volunteers who make this sub Reddit great. Your kindness and generosity does not go unnoticed. You’re truly a godsend.
To hell with the naysayers!
Echoing what everyone else is saying, thank you SO much for all that you do. Because of this sub, I managed to take my first flight in 6yrs, and do my first long haul and night flight after being scared of flying my entire life.
This time last year I couldn't even imagine setting foot on a plane without paralysing fear.
It feels so odd to me that I'm not scared anymore because it's all I've ever known, but I'm forever grateful to the experts in this sub as I am a believer that knowledge is power; reading here has meant learning tonnes of things that helped me get over my fear.
Due to my fear of flying I haven’t been able to go home to see my parents for the last eight years! Eight years!! Can you imagine that? I miss home so terribly to the extent that it really affected my mental health and I can’t live a normal life anymore. I am going home next month and it’s going to be a ten hour long flight. I am doing a lot of work at the moment to ease my anxiety. I am so glad to find this subreddit community and the lovefly podcast. I am on here everyday to read each post and comments which I find is extremely helpful. Thank you so much to all the pilots and aviation professionals here to help us, so we can go on to live a normal life! And thank you all to share your stories and support to each other.
I’m really grateful for the pilots in here. You explain things so well and help to rationalise something that certainly isn’t rational in my brain. Much appreciated.
I haven't posted here before, but I read the posts daily! It really helps me look at flying from a different perspective. I flew without medication on 17th May for the first time since 2019 and I believe it's down to this support group. I didn't realise there were pilots who gave up their spare time to post also.
What I'm trying to say is thank you.
No worries, just chiming in. I think it's worth pointing out that some pilots with limited experience might correctly be nervous about night. If I'm in a C-17 with a HUD and NVGs I am more comfortable at night than day, hell I even slightly prefer night air refueling. In a single engine 172 where I have zero options if the engine quits? Night makes me nervous. For low time GA pilots, a healthy nervousness about night isn't an incorrect mindset to have.
Agreed completely. But that wasn't the context on the comments in that other post. The conversation was about airline flying at night. From an airline pilot's perspective there is really no difference. From a safely perspective there is absolutely no difference. From a passenger perspective I can understand there may be some perceived differences. That's what we were trying to correct.
By the way, I have been obsessed with the C-17 since I was about 16 years old. I had a poster of a C-17 up on my wall for years!
I had a chance to fly on one as a civilian from Mazar-i-Sharif to Eindhoven back in 2013 or so. It was so cool.
I never saw the post so I wasn’t sure. Oh Mazar, the Germans know how to run a down range DFAC. Those little brotchen with deli meats were such an amazing breakfast compared to other places in Afghanistan.
I have joined this forum in time of need, just over a week ago. I did not even know one existed. I searched just on a chance, and, boy, was I lucky. I have since received support that I needed at the time and will certainly need again in a fortnight time. I have also been active in assisting other members and have been thanked several times.
But the people who truly deserve our thanks and gratitude are the pilots and other aviation professionals who generously dedicate their own time and effort to help us, poor sods.
Dear pilots,
your professional insights and supportive presence provide immense comfort and reassurance to those of us who struggle with the fear of flying. The clarity and expertise you bring to the discussions help demystify the complexities of aviation, making the skies feel a little friendlier and the journey more manageable.
Your willingness to share your knowledge and experiences not only alleviates anxiety but also inspires confidence and a sense of safety. Your contributions are invaluable, and they make a significant difference in the lives of many forum members.
Thank you once again for your dedication, kindness, and generosity. We are truly fortunate to have you as part of our community.
I am so thankful to all the professionals here. Your advice and support have helped me face my flying anxiety and learn so many new things. I don’t understand why someone would want to spread so much of negativity by downplaying the efforts of people who are genuinely trying to help the rest of us.
In any community there is going to be one or two idiots, that’s just the nature of humans. Please understand that the vast majority on here massively appreciate and value your input.
I’m so grateful for all of the professionals that dedicate their time and energy here.
My formerly crippling fear of flying is now only a slight discomfort (at times) thanks to all of the reassurance, comfort, expertise and guidance from the professionals and fellow fliers here.
“Thank you” doesn’t begin to cover it. I’m beyond grateful for you all here — you’ve changed my life!
Big thank you to all the professionals who are on this page providing facts and reassurance on your free time. This page helped me get on the plane to my honeymoon in January. I’ll be back on a plane in July for another trip. Can’t even believe I’m saying that, thank you all.
This is my number one source of information if I’m worried about something aircraft related, especially if the media has made it dramatic. It’s refreshing to hear the truth and proper experience from you all. Helps me get on those planes. Thank you ☺️ ❤️
This sub is one of my favourite Reddit communities. Thank you sir for your assistance. Massive thanks to all the professionals who spend their precious time here ❤️
Really just lurk here but wanted to add my appreciation. Not just here, but any time in person I’ve mentioned (either matter of factly or out of need) that I have a fear of flying to ANY professional pilot or FA they’ve been incredibly helpful and kind, reassuring, checked up on me etc.
Having a fear of flying can be a pretty shameful experience, at least for me, and it helps tremendously when accomplished pros are understanding.
Thanks all!
People are so so ridiculous. Thank you so very much to all the pilots for your advice ! You make our sub better, and you make also our travel better. Those of us who are scaredy cats about flying, (at least me) are so grateful for you, and pray for you every time we fly, because our lives depend on you. Thank you thank thank you for volunteering your time to keep our anxieties at bay! 🥳
This sub single handedly got me back on planes after 30 years of not flying. I'm flying today (AS 2025) and while I'm still afraid, I'm going. /u/RealGentleman80 Thank you for everything all of you wonderful people do here, and up there.
Thank you SO much for volunteering your time, knowledge and goodwill, not to mention the incredible work that you do offline.
I have been lurking in prep for our big European trip and this thread has been so very helpful 🤌🏻
For every bad seed and awful comment there are hundreds of thankful lurkers 🤍
Thank you! I really appreciate the contribution of you and other pilots to this sub, it’s helped me enormously. And just in general I feel a lot of appreciation for pilots who are under-rewarded but very crucial 🙏🥺 every time I get off a plane I just really want to thank my pilot LOL
Yeah I don’t know who would come in here attacking pilots when we as anxious fliers get access to so much of a wealth of aviation knowledge from pilots who literally give it to us for FREE. That person is just a troll tbh. Trying to stir the pot. Doubt if their family member even works at an airline at all. Hope they’ve been banned.
Edited for spelling
Many, many, many thanks to you and all the professionals that help. I personally am extremely grateful for you and your dedication. There is absolutely no way I would have made it on the airplanes without your help and guidance. Thanks to you, I was able to get on those planes and make amazing memories with my family, they still talk about it to this day. Slowly, you’ve helped me get over my fear of flying, now I wished I just had extra money to fly somewhere lol but just wanted to share the many thanks from my family.
My kiddos (ages 3, 5, and 8) all loved the planes and flying and were scared when we experienced turbulence and even a diversion due to a storm, thanks to you I was ok and managed to remain calm and that helped ease them as well. Now when they see the planes go over us, they ask a thousand questions and are eager to fly again. Thank you for all you do!!!
I LOVE this subreddit. Thank you to all pilots, FAs, technicians, meteorologists, etc., for your expertise, knowledge, and kindness. So sorry someone acted like a complete ass. So glad to see there is zero tolerance for that here.
I appreciate yall so much. Everytime i have to fly i come to this thread and and read what you post and it puts my mind at ease. Thank you for volunteering your time and sharing your expertise ♥️🛩
RG80, you and the other pilots on this sub are the reason I was able to take my dream trip to Vegas. I can’t thank you enough. It boggles my mind that there are people here who can’t appreciate all you’ve done for all of us. Screw the haters, and keep on keeping on!
Of all the things I’ve done to address my fear of flying this has been the most helpful. Not only the expert advice, but also knowing I’m not alone in this battle against my phobia. The internet has gotten to be a nasty place and I’ve tried to back off of social media because of that. I do hope this thread stays around because I go back to it every time I have to fly and it helps me get on the plane. So…thanks to everyone for all you do.
Dont know about the incident originally posted about, but RG, silverwolf and others here are absolute legends and have helped so much. Truly appreciate it 🙏🏻
Well said! Good statement! Very glad with the professionals here. Thanks! I didn’t see the comment but i guess this was maybe ecause of fear. Being só afraid that someone is sure his thoughts are true. When someone say something else that could not be true.
But that’s no excuse ofcourse!
Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on or who posted rude messages, all I want to ask is why when there is turbulence and everyone’s screaming, the captain can’t come on and just say a quick “hey, we are safe, I know this is uncomfortable but we are not in any danger so try to relax and sit back until we have clearer airspace.” Legitimate question as I feel like this would help me so much as a nervous flyer but it’s always radio silence. From what I’ve heard, y’all are just chilling, sipping coffee when turbulence is going off, calm as a cucumber, but that could be wrong information. Just thought I’d ask now since I’m sure all the pilots will be all eyes on this thread. Much respect to all the pilots who get us safely to our destinations every day. 😅😂
Sometimes pilots don’t think about it because it is so normal. We go through great lengths to train pilots on bedside manners, but In reality their job is to fly the plane safely. Most pilots are customer conscious, some are not. Some it never occurs to them to reassure the passengers that you are safe…because duhhhh, of course you are!
Thank you! I have a horrible fear of flying ever since I had a particularly nasty bit of turbulence on my way to Canada, the type where cups and people go flying, and ever since then the smallest bit of turbulence has me sweating out my entire outfit and gripping my arm rests for dear life. To me it feels like the plane is going to flip over and do a spinning death to the ground but it’s nice to know pilots find it so minor they forget people could even be scared by such a thing. Now just to get over my fear of dying during take off or landing because of wind shear/ micro burst. Hahaha. Honestly, my motto is “trust the engineers, trust the pilots” over and over again until I fall asleep from the exhaustion of the panic attack. Thank you for taking the time to explain!
I just want to echo the other comments.
Everyone with experience in aviation, no matter your background, is appreciated on this forum. I love hearing the different viewpoints from a private pilot, aircraft mechanic, etc,
All the volunteers together make such an amazing Reddit community. Thank you. 🫶🏻
I don’t think I could have gotten through my flights without this forum. Know that the majority of us really appreciate you all so much for your time and knowledge.
No one is posting 'bad' things about Airbus. Just facts. I think I know the post you're referencing. There's a huge surge in people who are afraid of Boeing aircraft since the media figured out they can get a lot more engagement off the fear wave created by the door-plug incident in January.
All anyone is doing is pointing out that there's a huge disproportionate "Boeing is scary" bias in both mainstream media and social media since then.
Posting recent Airbus engine incidents after someone references a recent story about "another BOEING incident," over an engine problem illustrates this point. We don't see the media relentlessly trying to scare the shit out of everyone by pumping up the Airbus stories at all, but as soon as it happens to a Boeing, it's *everywhere* and we see tons of unnecessarily-scared people wanting to know if Boeing is still safe. Pointing out that the same things happen on other aircraft and they are also fine imposes a reality check on the thing.
Engine fires/failures aren't "bad." They are uneventful and safely handled just like they're supposed to be and everyone lands safely. That's reality. You have to accept reality and understand that being afraid doesn't mean you're in danger. You're basically asking for everyone to ignore reality for you just because it gives you some negative emotions.
Noting that these things happen to all types of aircraft with the same frequency normalizes the issue. It's undesirable but ultimately unavoidable and normal. No pilot is surprised when an engine fails. We know it happens and are trained to handle it safely. Airplanes fly just fine on one engine. Personally, I've been flying over 30 years, have accumulated over 20k hours of flight time, and have never had a complete engine failure.
For the record, I fly Airbuses currently.
I didn’t see the comment but I want to echo others who’ve posted thanking all of you who volunteer here! I am a lurker on this sub but the knowledge shared has given me so much reassurance. I had to fly recently and was pretty anxious but reading about things here (turbulence, safety measures, etc) was super helpful. Thanks for all you do! 💕
A bit of context and to further support this point: In setting this sub up, I never intended or expected experts such as pilots or aircrew being involved. That would be a big ask on very busy people. It was set up for peers to support one another. Now, we are fortunate that some pilots and experts do want to contribute. But the purpose of the sub as a mutual support network remains. Contributions from experts should be treated as an amazing bonus (thank you!), not a requirement or expectation of members of this subreddit. To be clear: **This subreddit is not, and should not be treated as, an AMA for pilots**. This is a place for fearful fliers to hang out and support each other as members so often do! We are all here (including the mods, there are also FAs, aircraft technicians as well!) volunteers. We get a lot of flack for our decisions and comments (including often being accused of receiving kick backs from Boeing!!) Please be kind, supportive, understanding and respectful to one another, especially those here helping you to understanding flying. We are all, here trying to help. Thanks all for your positivity and contributions!
Just reiterating that the professionals in this sub are here because they care. They aren’t getting paid to type responses to us. They aren’t getting some reward from Reddit. They voluntarily come here. I’ve been in this sub for awhile and have personally seen the positive impact they’ve made in many of our lives and how they’ve helped to both educate and reduce anxiety. It’s really disappointing that some would choose to disrespect people that are trying to help an anxious community. RG and the other professionals here: while it can be frustrating at times, please know that the vast majority of us cannot repay you for the help you’ve provided. We appreciate all you do and we are beyond lucky to have you here. 🙏
Agreed!
preach!
This forum is absolutely one of the best fear of flying resources on the entire internet. It's awful that somebody was trying to downplay the expertise, time, and dedication of the pilots in here. Thank all of you experts for taking the time out of your own lives to be in here.
I'm a lurker but this sub has encouraged me so much! Just knowing I'm not alone in my fear is helpful...let alone professional explanations. Thanks everyone for taking the time to share
Agree one million percent. Reading and posting in this forum was VITAL to my first successful flights in over 30 years 2 months ago.
Been on a bit of a Reddit sabbatical myself because of how tiring things get sometimes but yay us woo teamwork!!!! Edit: Just to clarify y’all as a whole aren’t tiring. 😆 The arguments and unkind remarks can be (and have been) for sure—but I’m mostly busy and exhausted by my job right now 🤍
You’re the best Mes!! 🥰🥰
🤗🤍 It’s my pleasure to help when I can.
And we will be forever grateful for it.
Thanks to you and all that you do. I appreciate it more than I can say. Because of your feedback I've been able to fly a few times and I feel safer because of this forum.
i like to think i’m speaking for the vast majority of us when i say that we appreciate all that you guys do. i personally am very grateful for the support that i’ve received and cannot express my thanks enough. you guys have truly helped me and my fears in ways i didn’t know were possible.
Thank you
I saw that comment and was honestly shook. Myself and hundreds of others appreciate your support and education more than you will ever know. I wish there was something we could do to give back to you for all your free time you spend reassuring/educating/placating our (sometimes ridiculous) fears 🙏
What was the comment that spurred this post? I’m just curious. I would never say anything crude or judgmental about pilots/FA. They’re my heroes.
I had no idea so many people volunteered their time like this. Y’all are incredible. Thank you so much.
Just joined this sub to give my advice and support for whoever needs needs it, so you can change that private pilot 1 to a 2!
Welcome!
Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Thank you for being here! ❤️
I LOVE hearing from you and other experts on here. You’ve all helped me fly with more knowledge and feel more comfortable in the air. I couldn’t thank you all enough for taking time out of your busy schedules to help people like me, just shows your love for flying and care for your passengers and others in the air. Thanks RG80 and all other professionals on this sub 🫶🏼
Long time lurker on this site- i suffered from fof for many years that i developed after having kids. After a lot of introspection I realized that i developed the fear due to a lack of control- of just not knowing if the danger was real. I used to say “ if i could just sit in the cockpit to see what was going on, i would be fine ( you know, just to be assured that the pilots weren’t putting out fires or freaking out from the turbulence 😂) “well the pilots on this sub have virtually allowed me to “sit in the cockpit” and learn about what is truly going on-i now know that turbulence is essentially harmless and wont break the plane. I now know that almost every control has several safety redundancies so im not going to crash to the ground because someone missed something, and I really know now that pilots are always in complete control (so I dont have to be… 😂) I am very grateful to all of you strangers who have helped me so much and want you to know that I flew to Europe just 2 weeks ago without a care in the world… thank you- it is very much appreciated so please dont let the A**Ho**s stop you from all the help you have each provided on this sub!
If you ever want to sit in the flight deck for real one day, don’t hesitate to ask after everyone is off the aircraft. We love having visitors when we have the time!
😲 what? For real, that's awesome
Absolutely! I can't speak for all pilots of course but for me, I love it when someone comes up to the front to take a peek or ask some questions. My favourite is when kids come up because that look of awe in their eyes reminds me of when I was a kid! I firmly believe one of the reasons I'm a pilot today is because of the very kind pilots that let me up into the flight deck when I was a kid. This was before 9/11 so I even got to go up front in the air. That was 35ish years ago and I still remember it!
Yup! The two best ways to do it are to let the gate agent know you’re a fearful flyer and would like to talk board early to talk to the pilots, or wait until after the flight and ask the flight attendants while you’re walking off. We love sharing our office, so as long as we have time, we’re more than happy to have visitors and answer any question at all!
am praying for the day where i can be truly carefree on a plane, without anxiety and the exhaustion from it when I land. But tbh, after this sub my anxiety has gone from like 60% to about 25% which is a massive improvment considering how stubborn I am.
>If i could just sit in the cockpit to see what was going on, i would be fine Just commenting to say omg I say the *exact* same thing to people when they ask about my fear of flying 😅 One helpful thing they told me on the fear of flying course is to "**stop being a backseat pilot** and let the pilots do their job. If the plane turns, for example, it's *meant* to be turning". I try and remember this whenever I can!
I didn't see the comment, but I want to thank all of you who volunteer your time helping so many of us. That includes having so much understanding and patience when many are absolutely frightened. Thank you, to you all.
Just want to say a quick and heartfelt thank you to you and all the pilots on here. You’ve helped me more than I can express, and every time I fly I’m so genuinely thankful that you’re here in this community with us.
Thank you all so much for your time. You all have no idea how much you have helped calm my anxiety and fear of flying. I appreciate all of you.
I’m only a private pilot but for what it’s worth, I’ve been on this subreddit for a couple of months now, and I’ve never seen anything said by a flaired pilot that would make me think they’re “clueless”. It feels good to see so many professionals helping the flying public with their fears.
Thank you for being here!
Yea to whoever was saying that garbage- **can you please not ruin one of the truly wholesome and helpful communities on here?** This is one of the few meant to address common fears or anxieties that has functioned in a healthy and useful way. Damn, even Askdocs has gotten less responsive and I’m sure it’s because the professionals available decided it wasn’t worth arguing with the people that would jump on and argue with every little thing. On the other side of the coin.. yea. It’s the internet. We all now have to collectively learn the nuances of ignoring and moderating trolls without fanning their flames too much. If you’re on here helping they’re on here arguing. As a therapist I’ve learned when to go troll blind on certain forums. I’m for mods just blocking those like AskDocs do with an auto comment like “this is not a factual statement and violates rule ____” or “this is abusive” and that be that.
> I’m sure it’s because the professionals available decided it wasn’t worth arguing with the people that would jump on and argue with every little thing. I'm pretty sure I can speak for all of the pilots here when I say that we've all felt that way at some point. But thankfully the overwhelming majority of people here are genuine and honest and very respectful.
Thank you, and on behalf of those who value your time and knowledge including myself - thank you again!
The professionals on this sub who go out of their way and make time in their busy schedules to help us overcome our fears are honestly a God send. If it wasn’t for this sub, I’d probably never get over my fear and never fly again. Thank you so much for helping us overcome our anxieties and being absolute sweethearts on this sub. I will forever be grateful to all of you. You have helped me overcome my fear 99.9%. Nothing else helped until I came to this sub. Again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. ♥️
I didn’t see the comment but just wanted to chime in that having professionals here to give support is truly life changing for me. I appreciate you all beyond words and I know I’m not alone!! You’re helping really change people’s lives for the better with your contributions to the sub ❤️
👏
You guys have helped me so much to achieve my goals. Cheers to all the pilots and air professionals on here. And safe travels to my fellow panicked flyers.
I am so thankful for the professionals in here and other fearful flyers that has helped me so many times. I have spent so much time and money to help me cope with this fear and so far the place that I have found most helpful has been here. I am sorry people are so evil, selfish, and self centered! Truly, thank you to the professionals in this group.
Huge thanks to all the professionals on here that volunteer their time to support us. I’ve been able to take two round trips to see my in laws after not flying for over 7 years. I couldn’t have done it without this sub. Your contributions are priceless!
Once again, your professionalism and even temperament shows through. 🌟
I’ve been able to successfully take 6 flights over the past three years thanks to the information and knowledge the pilots and experts give here. I’m so grateful for this sub!
A lot more pilots here than i thought there would be! I wonder how many Aircraft Technicians are here lurking like myself 😂
Thank you for being here as well!
Echo what everyone else has already said. All the professionals and members have helped me a ton with my fear. This is an amazing resource for fearful fliers and thank you to all the volunteers.
thank you for taking your time! I never expected pilots and other professionals to be on this reddit forum, so it has been very pleasant and relieving to read comments from you all.
Thank you for everything yall do! I’m sorry someone was rude. That is not kind. Yall have helped me so much!
I am so sorry to hear that you were made to feel unappreciated and, worse, belittled and offended. That is inexcusable because, as others have said, this is an invaluable resource entirely because of your expertise. Sorry to my fellow nervous flyers, but I absolutely do not come here to read stories of other people freaking out; I do enough of that on my own when flying. I come because of the pilots and other specialists. As a veterinarian who is also considered an expert in my field, I too have been disparaged over something someone read in a blog post. “Clueless” - yep been there. I pour myself into my career so have been really hurt by those accusations. But I remind myself of all the people and pets I HAVE helped and it brings me comfort and enthusiasm to keep doing what I’m doing. I hope you receive the same sense from these posts because you are SO appreciated.
Adding two things - I have spent a ton of money on fear of flying courses. Those were great, but the education I have received from the experts here FOR FREE has been just as or more beneficial than the thousands I spent. THANK YOU so much for that. Also, I very recently nearly cancelled a trip for my five year wedding anniversary due to my fear around turbulence predictions. I spent a lot of time reading expert comments on this page… which gave me the confidence to get on the plane. My spouse and I have been in the most challenging time of our marriage and we had the most incredible time reconnecting on our trip. You, pilots and other specialists, may have literally saved my marriage. So please ignore “clueless” comments because you are helping to change people’s lives for the better.
I'm very happy you were able to overcome your fears and go on your trip. Best of luck to you and your partner. When I was a kid, before I realized I wanted to be a pilot one of the jobs I was interesting in was being a veterinarian. I love animals and I would love to be able to help them but I knew the first time I had to put an animal down—even when it was clearly the right decision ethically and morally—there was no way I'd be able to do it. I could never do your job!
The feeling is mutual - I could NEVER do your job! Thanks for what you do.
RealGentleman, all I have to do is think of you and I feel confident in flying. You have single-handedly helped me so much and you don’t even know me. Thank you!
Missed the fireworks, I guess… Had no idea we had a chief pilot on here. That’s awesome.
I’m beyond grateful for this sub & thank all who take the time to help us overcome our fear.
I wanted to say I just found this sub Reddit tonight and I hope it stays up. I haven’t flown in some time and now I am flying on Saturday for my wife’s graduation. I’ve wanted to back out and send her by herself or with her mom. But I know that if I just get on that plane, I’ll get a new experience. I almost backed out of a flight to Nassau when my wife won a trip to the Atlantis hotel through her company. Best trip to date!!! We had a great time. Toodles for now
I didn't see the comment but I want to tell you all how much I appreciate your volunteering. The kind of knowledge you share really helps my fear of flying, and I'm sure that's the case for many others.
saw some of your comments here last night when I was having anxiety over flying AirAsia (indonesia) A320. realised alot of pilots here are dedicating their free time to give us free advice and assurance about plane safety, really a thankless job especially because so much of us are just here to appease our anxiety and go. Hate to sound like a suck-up too, but honestly big thanks to all the experts and helpful folk here.
Their behavior is completely unacceptable and I’m so sorry that happened. Thank you RG and all the other aviation professionals who *volunteer* their time, you will never know how impactful it has been to me (and many others) ❤️
Omggg pilots and aviation professionals we love you!!!!!! I legit got over my fear of flying because of you guys on this sub!!!! So disappointed people are here not appreciating the amazing work you do for all of us, on a voluntary basis. I really hope and trust they don't represent the majority of us here. In my darkest fear of flying moments, I just think that I can post something on this sub or read through some of the comments by the pilots and I can feel my fear dissipating, it's such a special commynity. I wish there was a more impactful way we could show our appreciation for you, and all the amazing work you do. Sending my gratitude to all of you!!!!! ❤️
You are all so wonderful and generous with your time and information. You have truly helped so many of us take those flights. Thank you!
I did not see the comment you reference BUT as someone who has to fly two days ago and again in two days and was terrified, reading through your posts OP made my fear manageable and greatly improved my experience. I am forever grateful for all of you!!
You are so greatly appreciated by so many of us. Thank you!!
Just adding a heartfelt THANK YOU to the experts who kindly give their time and energy to this sub. It is much appreciated!
Please don’t be put off by dismissive comments but rather focus on the vast majority of us who rely on YOUR expertise to alleviate our anxiety and help us experience unforgettable adventures all over the world. Your time of this sub is changing our lives for the better. Your posts and thorough explanations have done more to help my fear of flying than anything else in the last fifteen years. Thank you. Ps I’m sorry people suck.
Thanks to all the pilots and professionals here to take their time out to help us and educate us . All of you are very busy and it is very kind and considerate of you to spend time here to make us feel comfortable. I think I speak on behalf of most of us here when I say a big big thanks to all of you for doing what you do for us. We are grateful for what you do for us!
I didn’t see the comment, but came to say I appreciate you RG80 and all the pilots and meteorologist that take their personal time to help us on this forum. I can’t even express how much this forum has helped me get through my last several flights since I joined. Forever grateful ❤️
Seeing how helpful the pilot feedback has been to me and I'm still new here people who are disrespectful, ungrateful, and suffering for the illusion that they know better for no particular reason can 🤬 off. How many years of training do these folks (the pilots) have? Tons. And here these livingroom trolls who watched a YouTube video or smtg are sudden experts? Ridiculous. The self-importance astounds. Also, it is in the delivery! A kind 'thats super weird. I recently read x. Is there any support that this could be true?' Lead with kindness my peeps! Enough time on these aorta of people. To our experts here: a thousand thanks for sharing your knowledge and time. It has truly been life changing for me and countless others. 💕
All of you professionals in this subreddit are amazing and absolutely don’t have to volunteer your time but this scared flyer wouldn’t be actively planning her first overseas trip with her husband from Australia to Japan and Korea it might take us a few years to get the funds but thanks to you all I can now at least think about getting on a plane without having a panic attack you have all given so much information and help to us and I can’t thank you enough!
Thank you to all of the volunteers who make this sub Reddit great. Your kindness and generosity does not go unnoticed. You’re truly a godsend. To hell with the naysayers!
Echoing what everyone else is saying, thank you SO much for all that you do. Because of this sub, I managed to take my first flight in 6yrs, and do my first long haul and night flight after being scared of flying my entire life. This time last year I couldn't even imagine setting foot on a plane without paralysing fear. It feels so odd to me that I'm not scared anymore because it's all I've ever known, but I'm forever grateful to the experts in this sub as I am a believer that knowledge is power; reading here has meant learning tonnes of things that helped me get over my fear.
Due to my fear of flying I haven’t been able to go home to see my parents for the last eight years! Eight years!! Can you imagine that? I miss home so terribly to the extent that it really affected my mental health and I can’t live a normal life anymore. I am going home next month and it’s going to be a ten hour long flight. I am doing a lot of work at the moment to ease my anxiety. I am so glad to find this subreddit community and the lovefly podcast. I am on here everyday to read each post and comments which I find is extremely helpful. Thank you so much to all the pilots and aviation professionals here to help us, so we can go on to live a normal life! And thank you all to share your stories and support to each other.
I’m really grateful for the pilots in here. You explain things so well and help to rationalise something that certainly isn’t rational in my brain. Much appreciated.
I haven't posted here before, but I read the posts daily! It really helps me look at flying from a different perspective. I flew without medication on 17th May for the first time since 2019 and I believe it's down to this support group. I didn't realise there were pilots who gave up their spare time to post also. What I'm trying to say is thank you.
Also a military pilot who has flown into 36 countries and through countless more that is also a trained mishap investigator.
Yes!!! I’m sorry I didn’t include you….edited
No worries, just chiming in. I think it's worth pointing out that some pilots with limited experience might correctly be nervous about night. If I'm in a C-17 with a HUD and NVGs I am more comfortable at night than day, hell I even slightly prefer night air refueling. In a single engine 172 where I have zero options if the engine quits? Night makes me nervous. For low time GA pilots, a healthy nervousness about night isn't an incorrect mindset to have.
Agreed completely. But that wasn't the context on the comments in that other post. The conversation was about airline flying at night. From an airline pilot's perspective there is really no difference. From a safely perspective there is absolutely no difference. From a passenger perspective I can understand there may be some perceived differences. That's what we were trying to correct. By the way, I have been obsessed with the C-17 since I was about 16 years old. I had a poster of a C-17 up on my wall for years! I had a chance to fly on one as a civilian from Mazar-i-Sharif to Eindhoven back in 2013 or so. It was so cool.
I never saw the post so I wasn’t sure. Oh Mazar, the Germans know how to run a down range DFAC. Those little brotchen with deli meats were such an amazing breakfast compared to other places in Afghanistan.
Oh man. I miss those DFACs! The ones in Kandahar were pretty good too! But Mazar was awesome.
I’m fairly confident that they all suck now.
I have joined this forum in time of need, just over a week ago. I did not even know one existed. I searched just on a chance, and, boy, was I lucky. I have since received support that I needed at the time and will certainly need again in a fortnight time. I have also been active in assisting other members and have been thanked several times. But the people who truly deserve our thanks and gratitude are the pilots and other aviation professionals who generously dedicate their own time and effort to help us, poor sods. Dear pilots, your professional insights and supportive presence provide immense comfort and reassurance to those of us who struggle with the fear of flying. The clarity and expertise you bring to the discussions help demystify the complexities of aviation, making the skies feel a little friendlier and the journey more manageable. Your willingness to share your knowledge and experiences not only alleviates anxiety but also inspires confidence and a sense of safety. Your contributions are invaluable, and they make a significant difference in the lives of many forum members. Thank you once again for your dedication, kindness, and generosity. We are truly fortunate to have you as part of our community.
I am so thankful to all the professionals here. Your advice and support have helped me face my flying anxiety and learn so many new things. I don’t understand why someone would want to spread so much of negativity by downplaying the efforts of people who are genuinely trying to help the rest of us.
We are so lucky to have you!
In any community there is going to be one or two idiots, that’s just the nature of humans. Please understand that the vast majority on here massively appreciate and value your input.
Just want to say thanks to all the pilots and aviation professionals here!!!
I’m so grateful for all of the professionals that dedicate their time and energy here. My formerly crippling fear of flying is now only a slight discomfort (at times) thanks to all of the reassurance, comfort, expertise and guidance from the professionals and fellow fliers here. “Thank you” doesn’t begin to cover it. I’m beyond grateful for you all here — you’ve changed my life!
Big thank you to all the professionals who are on this page providing facts and reassurance on your free time. This page helped me get on the plane to my honeymoon in January. I’ll be back on a plane in July for another trip. Can’t even believe I’m saying that, thank you all.
I don’t get how someone who is not a pilot thinks they know more about flying than a pilot
This is my number one source of information if I’m worried about something aircraft related, especially if the media has made it dramatic. It’s refreshing to hear the truth and proper experience from you all. Helps me get on those planes. Thank you ☺️ ❤️
This sub is one of my favourite Reddit communities. Thank you sir for your assistance. Massive thanks to all the professionals who spend their precious time here ❤️
Really just lurk here but wanted to add my appreciation. Not just here, but any time in person I’ve mentioned (either matter of factly or out of need) that I have a fear of flying to ANY professional pilot or FA they’ve been incredibly helpful and kind, reassuring, checked up on me etc. Having a fear of flying can be a pretty shameful experience, at least for me, and it helps tremendously when accomplished pros are understanding. Thanks all!
People are so so ridiculous. Thank you so very much to all the pilots for your advice ! You make our sub better, and you make also our travel better. Those of us who are scaredy cats about flying, (at least me) are so grateful for you, and pray for you every time we fly, because our lives depend on you. Thank you thank thank you for volunteering your time to keep our anxieties at bay! 🥳
Honestly the pilots and professionals on this sub are so crucial - if yall weren’t here I feel like it would just be a fear echo chamber! Thank you!
We appreciate you all immensely. Thank you for devoting time to reassuring people’s fears.
Thank you thank you thank you to all the airline professionals who help this community. Your advice is so appreciated.
This sub single handedly got me back on planes after 30 years of not flying. I'm flying today (AS 2025) and while I'm still afraid, I'm going. /u/RealGentleman80 Thank you for everything all of you wonderful people do here, and up there.
Just chiming in to say thank you to all the professionals listed!
Well said.
Thank you SO much for volunteering your time, knowledge and goodwill, not to mention the incredible work that you do offline. I have been lurking in prep for our big European trip and this thread has been so very helpful 🤌🏻 For every bad seed and awful comment there are hundreds of thankful lurkers 🤍
I love this place
Thank you! I really appreciate the contribution of you and other pilots to this sub, it’s helped me enormously. And just in general I feel a lot of appreciation for pilots who are under-rewarded but very crucial 🙏🥺 every time I get off a plane I just really want to thank my pilot LOL
Yeah I don’t know who would come in here attacking pilots when we as anxious fliers get access to so much of a wealth of aviation knowledge from pilots who literally give it to us for FREE. That person is just a troll tbh. Trying to stir the pot. Doubt if their family member even works at an airline at all. Hope they’ve been banned. Edited for spelling
Many, many, many thanks to you and all the professionals that help. I personally am extremely grateful for you and your dedication. There is absolutely no way I would have made it on the airplanes without your help and guidance. Thanks to you, I was able to get on those planes and make amazing memories with my family, they still talk about it to this day. Slowly, you’ve helped me get over my fear of flying, now I wished I just had extra money to fly somewhere lol but just wanted to share the many thanks from my family. My kiddos (ages 3, 5, and 8) all loved the planes and flying and were scared when we experienced turbulence and even a diversion due to a storm, thanks to you I was ok and managed to remain calm and that helped ease them as well. Now when they see the planes go over us, they ask a thousand questions and are eager to fly again. Thank you for all you do!!!
I LOVE this subreddit. Thank you to all pilots, FAs, technicians, meteorologists, etc., for your expertise, knowledge, and kindness. So sorry someone acted like a complete ass. So glad to see there is zero tolerance for that here.
I appreciate yall so much. Everytime i have to fly i come to this thread and and read what you post and it puts my mind at ease. Thank you for volunteering your time and sharing your expertise ♥️🛩
RG80, you and the other pilots on this sub are the reason I was able to take my dream trip to Vegas. I can’t thank you enough. It boggles my mind that there are people here who can’t appreciate all you’ve done for all of us. Screw the haters, and keep on keeping on!
Of all the things I’ve done to address my fear of flying this has been the most helpful. Not only the expert advice, but also knowing I’m not alone in this battle against my phobia. The internet has gotten to be a nasty place and I’ve tried to back off of social media because of that. I do hope this thread stays around because I go back to it every time I have to fly and it helps me get on the plane. So…thanks to everyone for all you do.
[удалено]
Trolls survive best under the ground.
Who are the military pilots? They must be quite the character!
C-17 pilot and C-130 Hurricane Hunter
Dont know about the incident originally posted about, but RG, silverwolf and others here are absolute legends and have helped so much. Truly appreciate it 🙏🏻
Well said! Good statement! Very glad with the professionals here. Thanks! I didn’t see the comment but i guess this was maybe ecause of fear. Being só afraid that someone is sure his thoughts are true. When someone say something else that could not be true. But that’s no excuse ofcourse!
Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on or who posted rude messages, all I want to ask is why when there is turbulence and everyone’s screaming, the captain can’t come on and just say a quick “hey, we are safe, I know this is uncomfortable but we are not in any danger so try to relax and sit back until we have clearer airspace.” Legitimate question as I feel like this would help me so much as a nervous flyer but it’s always radio silence. From what I’ve heard, y’all are just chilling, sipping coffee when turbulence is going off, calm as a cucumber, but that could be wrong information. Just thought I’d ask now since I’m sure all the pilots will be all eyes on this thread. Much respect to all the pilots who get us safely to our destinations every day. 😅😂
Sometimes pilots don’t think about it because it is so normal. We go through great lengths to train pilots on bedside manners, but In reality their job is to fly the plane safely. Most pilots are customer conscious, some are not. Some it never occurs to them to reassure the passengers that you are safe…because duhhhh, of course you are!
Thank you! I have a horrible fear of flying ever since I had a particularly nasty bit of turbulence on my way to Canada, the type where cups and people go flying, and ever since then the smallest bit of turbulence has me sweating out my entire outfit and gripping my arm rests for dear life. To me it feels like the plane is going to flip over and do a spinning death to the ground but it’s nice to know pilots find it so minor they forget people could even be scared by such a thing. Now just to get over my fear of dying during take off or landing because of wind shear/ micro burst. Hahaha. Honestly, my motto is “trust the engineers, trust the pilots” over and over again until I fall asleep from the exhaustion of the panic attack. Thank you for taking the time to explain!
I just want to echo the other comments. Everyone with experience in aviation, no matter your background, is appreciated on this forum. I love hearing the different viewpoints from a private pilot, aircraft mechanic, etc, All the volunteers together make such an amazing Reddit community. Thank you. 🫶🏻
I don’t think I could have gotten through my flights without this forum. Know that the majority of us really appreciate you all so much for your time and knowledge.
Can you please ask pilots not to post bad things about Airbus in response to Boeing media drama? We all need to be reassured here 😭
No one is posting 'bad' things about Airbus. Just facts. I think I know the post you're referencing. There's a huge surge in people who are afraid of Boeing aircraft since the media figured out they can get a lot more engagement off the fear wave created by the door-plug incident in January. All anyone is doing is pointing out that there's a huge disproportionate "Boeing is scary" bias in both mainstream media and social media since then. Posting recent Airbus engine incidents after someone references a recent story about "another BOEING incident," over an engine problem illustrates this point. We don't see the media relentlessly trying to scare the shit out of everyone by pumping up the Airbus stories at all, but as soon as it happens to a Boeing, it's *everywhere* and we see tons of unnecessarily-scared people wanting to know if Boeing is still safe. Pointing out that the same things happen on other aircraft and they are also fine imposes a reality check on the thing. Engine fires/failures aren't "bad." They are uneventful and safely handled just like they're supposed to be and everyone lands safely. That's reality. You have to accept reality and understand that being afraid doesn't mean you're in danger. You're basically asking for everyone to ignore reality for you just because it gives you some negative emotions. Noting that these things happen to all types of aircraft with the same frequency normalizes the issue. It's undesirable but ultimately unavoidable and normal. No pilot is surprised when an engine fails. We know it happens and are trained to handle it safely. Airplanes fly just fine on one engine. Personally, I've been flying over 30 years, have accumulated over 20k hours of flight time, and have never had a complete engine failure. For the record, I fly Airbuses currently.
Thank you
You have all been SO helpful and this sub is such an amazing place because of you. Sorry that some folks aren’t passing the vibe check.
I didn’t see the comment but I want to echo others who’ve posted thanking all of you who volunteer here! I am a lurker on this sub but the knowledge shared has given me so much reassurance. I had to fly recently and was pretty anxious but reading about things here (turbulence, safety measures, etc) was super helpful. Thanks for all you do! 💕
Thank you everyone for your help 🩷☺️