Skip to main content

Coping with turbulence



I'll share what I've done to overcome my turbulence anxiety in the past as it was really getting to the point of interfering with my flying.

It comes down to visualising flying and visualising your feelings. I remember my early experiences of flying, about twenty years ago. I was very excited about it and often used to sit in the rear of the aircraft for the view, not knowing or caring that this is the worst spot for turbulence. I have no memory of being particularly concerned about turbulence. I even flew all the way to the UK and back without being worried.

Okay, so I have established that there was a time I didn't worry. Hold that thought.

Then I think back to those times when I did experience bad turbulence. I know when it started - flying back from NZ and the seatbelt lights were illuminated mid-flight with a warning from the pilot. I remember flying so many times between Sydney and Canberra, a short trip of maybe 25 minutes airborne, yet so often bumpy. It got to the point where I once caught a bus back rather than catch my flight. But one day I did arrive at the airport in Canberra to see a storm approaching. And we duly took off right into the storm front. It was terribly bumpy, but I survived it and subsequent episodes of bad turbulence.

So there's the knowledge that you can experience bad turbulence, yet have a pleasant remainder of the flight. Visualise that too. Think about all the wonderful flights you have had.

There was a time when the seatbelt light seemed to go on every flight. Then it seemed that there were a couple of years when the flights were smooth. Then in the last 12 months we were skirting typhoons, cyclones and weatherfronts and even the aviation authority noticed that turbulence was bad around Sydney. Then these Qantas flights were pretty smooth again. In other words, just because you have had bad experiences doesn't mean that every flight will be the same. Fly with hope.

Finally, follow what steps you can to make your flight as comfortable as possible. Try to book seats just forward of or over the wing - near the centre of gravity. These are the most stable. Try to avoid, until your confidence rebuilds, flights at times of day or year when turbulence is likely to be worst - eg storm season. You can try looking at maps on places like Turbulence Forecast and this wind map, but they often generate false fears. Fly during the day so you can look out the window. Sure clear air turbulence is difficult to predict, but in my experience most bumps come from flying through cloud (especially high cloud on long-haul) so understanding why the aircraft is shaking can help, especially if you can see the clear sky coming up!

And if your anxiety is too strong do see a psychologist because anxiety attacks are a real condition which some people close to me have suffered and one that can be treated with a variety of techniques.

Good luck!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My first overseas trip: Singapore and Malaysia

I've always loved to travel. My first memory is of sitting in a an aircraft, aged 18 months or so. Yet I never believed that I could travel overseas. To me, it seemed like something you did when you retired, or if you were rich. That all changed when I met B. She had not only travelled overseas, she was from overseas . B was born in Malaysia and arrived in Australia, with her family, in 1988. She still had relatives and friends in Malaysia and Singapore and she, along with the remainder of her family, planned to return for a visit during the Australian summer of 1995. At the time I was staying in B's mother's house while we were studying at university. After B's father passed away the year before I was the nominal "man" of the house and its high maintenance garden; her brother Michael was studying up in Queensland. B and I were quite inseparable and her mother kindly offered to pay for me to join them on their vacation. So it was that I obtained my very firs...
Post a Comment
Read more

One night in Canberra

It's the April school holidays and we are too busy to have a break but need one because of that. And because it's the Easter weekend the options are limited, so we just drive down to Canberra for the night. No, this isn't our first trip for 2023. I wrote about Japan on another site .  I refuse to wake up early so we depart after 8.30 AM. There is not much to say about the drive except that the clouds seem so low and Lake George is very full. We stop at a rest area and at the lookout up the hill to take it all in. Everyone is hungry so we first stop in Dickson and then can't think of anything to eat, so I drive us to Civic, where we can't decide and end up eating at the Singaporean Killiney Kopitiam branch.  The Canberra Centre has nice shops. I dream of getting an iPad from the Apple Store, we buy a blanket and toothbrushes from Muji and wish that Lego wasn't so expensive. Nothing we can't get in Sydney, but then we rarely go out shopping in the city. It...
Post a Comment
Read more