Fear Of Flying

[potty64]

My sister returned from France and was worried the plane was going to konk out becos the drone of the engine kept fluctuating. There was a continuous drone on the same 'note' and then it would sound lower but then resume the original pitch.Why is this?

[ChillDoubt]

It's not flying I'm scared of..........it's crashing.

[grasscarp]

Chilldoubt I used to operate simulators which allowed members of the public buy a session in them. Some of these sessions we did were specifically for people suffering a fear of flying. The majority became completely relaxed once they were in control. So its the fear of not being in control I think, like potty's sister in the cabin listening for clues of what was happening.

[Clanad]

Yes, grasscarp, but don't we all know the only people with more control over our flying lives than dispatchers is ATC?

True story... after the crew of a Braniff (now defunct airline) 747 landed at the old Love Field in Dallas, TX, they inexplicably turned down the wrong taxiway after being cleared by a female ATC controller... immediately, she(the ATC person) began berating ... nearly cursing the Braniff crew... during a break in her radio tirade, someone picked up thier mike and said "Wasn't I married to you at one time?" Followed by silence on the frequency...

[grasscarp]

over here at Heathrow one day a female ATC was talking to a female pilot. An unidentified voice then came on the frequency and said: "oh dear. two empty kitchens"

[potty64]

Thx everyone for the positive answers! Hopefully sis will be more relaxed nxt time!

[beegeebee]

For noisy aircraft try a Sunderland!