Saturday BA flight to Ibiza

[Caro]

Hi everyone,

Well am off again...this time a tiny bit further than Amsterdam....gulp....ok ok not that much further...am very glad I did those test flights earlier this year but I wish I didn't still feel so terrified with that sinking feeling of doom....I get so annoyed with myself. I just want it to go away but I guess that's a tad unrealistic :( It doesn't help that the news is full of stories about some plane crash recently....I haven't read anything I have been very good although my imagination is doing overtime as usual. Instead, I have been reading all the stories on here and am much calmer. I know I can do this but it feels very daunting! Am very nervous and its only Monday....eeek :)

 

[Jim]

Hi Caro,

Booking yourself another flight is a positive step forward so congratulations on that. 

You've got a trip to Ibiza to look forward to as well which is a double bonus! Think of all the fun you'll have whilst you are there, I'm sure it will be great fun.

Look forward to hearing your success story on your return

Jim

[Caro]

Thanks Jim - that is the absolutely the way I am going to look at it...am determined! Thanks for the support :)

Jim said:

Hi Caro,

Booking yourself another flight is a positive step forward so congratulations on that. 

You've got a trip to Ibiza to look forward to as well which is a double bonus! Think of all the fun you'll have whilst you are there, I'm sure it will be great fun.

Look forward to hearing your success story on your return

Jim

[Caro]

I was just looking at seats and noticed that I cant seem to reserve a seat closer to the front which is stressing me out a bit....I rang BA and they said they are all reserved until 24 hours before and then no guarantee there will be seats near the front. EEk ok first major panic.

Secondly I am flying back into London City airport and looked at the plane facts and it said this:

The Embraer 190 had to make over 40 landings at London City Airport to be certified to land on the steep (5.5 degree) approach to the airport.

OK what does that mean? How steep is this landing going to be? Any one flown into London City can anybody give me any tips? I have to be prepared.

Thanks.

Losing my cool a bit here, I hope I can sit near the front.

[Jim]

Hi
A few years back I flew with BA to Switzerland. I told them I was a nervous flyer and they let me sit right at the front as the seats were free. My allocated seats were about 10 rows back but they just let me move. They even let me board the plane early now I think about it !

To me I would read that the plane had to do 40 landings as a good thing! It shows how tough the aviation industry is and that the plane is fully up to the job!

[Captain Keith]

Hi Caro

As an outside observer I see a pattern with you ... and I think you do too. You get these feelings before you fly and then you do the flight and you are pleased with how it went and explain how it wasn't perfect but .... and so on.

Perhaps this is a ritual that you go thru' now  because it has become a habit. Time to put these thoughts away for good. No harm will come to you if you relax. In fact a whole lot of good will come from it. What do you think ?

Keith

[Captain Keith]

OK Stop hoping and do something realistic. Like having a plan to control your worries if you don't get the seats you want. It won't be the end of the world will it. All the seats arrive at the same time. So you won't get there any quicker sitting at the front.

5.5 degree approach is just steeper than the normal 3.0 degrees. it's no problem to fly it. Aren't you pleased that these trials and tests take place .  You won't notice any difference.

BTW you work out the rate of descent by halving the groundspeed so if the G/s is 120 knots the ROD will be 600 feet per minute. For a 5.5 approach the ROD will be about 1100 fpm which just requires less thrust. The pitch attitude will be slightly lower.

Does that help? I doubt it.  Just leave the pilots to it and enjoy  the views.

Keith

Caro said:

I was just looking at seats and noticed that I cant seem to reserve a seat closer to the front which is stressing me out a bit....I rang BA and they said they are all reserved until 24 hours before and then no guarantee there will be seats near the front. EEk ok first major panic.

Secondly I am flying back into London City airport and looked at the plane facts and it said this:

The Embraer 190 had to make over 40 landings at London City Airport to be certified to land on the steep (5.5 degree) approach to the airport.

OK what does that mean? How steep is this landing going to be? Any one flown into London City can anybody give me any tips? I have to be prepared.

Thanks.

Losing my cool a bit here, I hope I can sit near the front.

[Caro]

Thanks Jim - that helps and its true I should be reassured by those comments about the landings, very true. The anticipatory worrying before is always so much worse and Keith....how right you are! My god you must be so sick of me by now...you are absolutely on the button too, I get these same terrors each time yet somehow manage it then feel happy then forget about it its like a ritual or habit you are right. Trick is...how do I change it so I don't make myself so ill and exhausted before I go anywhere...that's what I have to try and work on now I know!!

I suppose I want to be prepared and I certainly don't know enough pilot stuff to work out descents and speeds etc and even if I do notice something I will tell myself its normal as we are flying into London City which is a bit different that's all.

OK will try to relax....thanks again :)
 
Jim said:

Hi
A few years back I flew with BA to Switzerland. I told them I was a nervous flyer and they let me sit right at the front as the seats were free. My allocated seats were about 10 rows back but they just let me move. They even let me board the plane early now I think about it !

To me I would read that the plane had to do 40 landings as a good thing! It shows how tough the aviation industry is and that the plane is fully up to the job!

[Caro]

PS: also what you said "no harm will come to me if I relax" for some reason that is so important, I think I somewhere think if I am tense and on guard I am prepared but actually its worse its true...I will try and enjoy the views :)
 
Captain Keith said:

Hi Caro

As an outside observer I see a pattern with you ... and I think you do too. You get these feelings before you fly and then you do the flight and you are pleased with how it went and explain how it wasn't perfect but .... and so on.

Perhaps this is a ritual that you go thru' now  because it has become a habit. Time to put these thoughts away for good. No harm will come to you if you relax. In fact a whole lot of good will come from it. What do you think ?

Keith

[Captain Keith]

Being tense is how you 'cope' but it has a downside ... it doesn't work.

Keith

[Caro]

True!!! I will look at this picture and relax instead.....tense so doesn't work

[Jim]

It put a smile on my face!

[Captain Keith]

i think that picture isn't real ... the duck would need to be on oxygen at that height   and its feathers are not ruffled at all....