fear of flying

I always tell myself the pilot ,the flight crew fly every day.I always watch the crew on take off if they don't panic neither do i. Your doctor can get you something to calm you down before you go.

flight time

The flight time depends on the route you're taking. I don't know how long the flight from Rochester to JFK is but I am going to say 1 1/2 hours at most and then from JFK to DR 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Of course that's going to vary depending on where you make the connecting flight. Check your itinerary and it should tell you travel time.

About your fear - you can try taking Amtrak or driving into NYC and then catching a flight from either JFK or Newark. The less time you spend on a plane the better so make sure you catch a direct flight ( try Continental from Newark... American tends to have connecting flights in Miami). I would also take John Harpers advice and look into getting something to calm you down. I recently flew with a friend with the same problem and the doctor gave him a sleeping aid so that he could sleep through the flight. The only drawback is that sleeping pills can stay in your system for up to 8 hours so you'll need someone to wake you up and you'll be dragging after that.

G'Luck with whatever you decide on.

I know this sounds crazy but also bring some food along stop at a place that seels the kind you like and occupie your mind with eaing the food it will make the time flu faster(no pun intended)I also dont like to fly but the more ya do it the better it gets. they if you pefer do sell drinks on board so you can have a few and relax yourself that way.good luck and have fun when you get to the DR.....

jessica...

Even though I've been flying since I was a little girl I'm still scared to death, but I do it anyways. I went down to DR last month for semana santa and what I did was burn my favorite songs on a couple of cd's and brought my diskman along, I also had a word search puzzle book, it took my mind off thinking the worse...maybe you should bring something along that relaxes you...

jessica__78 said:

I would more than likley have to get drunk!!!!! Not so nice thought to met his family for the first time. I'll have to go to the doc and get some tranqulizers!!!!!!

Click to expand...

In my opinion no one in this world would understand a fear of flying more than his Dominican family. Every time I land in the DR all the Dominicans applaud. It cracks me up. Never seen so many people cross themselves more than in a Church before that.

More likely than not "clapping after landing" would also fit into Chopoism! lol Where the hell is Golo when I need a definition

Jessica, flying is just crap. You are making much more of it than it is worth. Heck even with recent events since 9-11 it is still the safest way to travel. I fly at least once a month and my ten year old daughter doesn't even stop reading when we land. She hardly even pays attention.

Don't worry about the tranquilizers, forget the alchohol and just relax. Nothing to it. Hey, when it is your time you won't be in control anyway.

Another thought is dumping the Dominican and just driving down to Woodstock NY to visit me

Regards

I thought the clapping was a Dominican thing but people do the same thing in Puerto Rico. I even heard the people seating behind me praying and thanking God when we landed. It's almost as if they're expecting something to happen the entire way there.

DRtechie said:

I thought the clapping was a Dominican thing but people do the same thing in Puerto Rico. I even heard the people seating behind me praying and thanking God when we landed. It's almost as if they're expecting something to happen the entire way there.

Click to expand...

When your life is without meaning and you have no control over your own destiny you will find that religion is a easy way to carry you through life. Why do you think that so many criminals find God when they are in prison? Even Noriega is a Born again Christian!

Tony C.

I am going to ask Adriano Miguel for his wonderful article on why dominican clap. It is a classic treatise on the Dominican psyche...

As for you young lady, fear of flying is generally treatable. Flying is not natural but is does have a fascination for us all.

Having flown all around the world, in just about anything with wings, let me say that it is the safest way to get anywhere.

Some dos and donts:
1) Do see your doctor who can prescribe a little tranquilizer for you.
2) don't drink on the flight since the air is very dry and thin and will get you silly and hung over.
3)Do take some reading materiel, wear comfortable clothes, don't carry a lot of stuff that you have to worry about.
4) Once checked in, take your boarding pass and passport and keep them tucked where you can get them easily but where they will be very safe.
5) Breathe deeply on take-off. See if you can recognize when the wheels leave the ground and get tucked up in the plane. If by a window seat, try and recognize the places on the ground. Just about anything will take your mind off flying..

BTW, the flight to JFK should be about an hour, its not that far.
JFK to the DR is only 3 1/2 hrs and is a wonderful flight. the last 45 minutes you are flying over the Bahamas and can see boats and fish and off in the distance, Cuba. Then the North Coast of Haiti and the DR...really cool..

Hey, millions of people do this every day....you can too!

HB

Flying will be OK

Jessica, being scared of flying is not unnatural, especially for a first timer. I feel you will be able to overcome it.

It would be nice to say to you, just relax. That is not the case, because you will be preoccupied, anxious with thoughts of Higuey, your new family and many other related matters. I would recommend occupying yourself with your daughter's needs and amusement during the flight. It will take your mind off the flight itself.

Best wishes and good luck.

Regards, PJT

Echoing jazzcom's writing, I asked my nephew serving with the Marines on the USS Wasp, "Is it true when the helo (helicopter) transporting Dominican born Marines lands on on the roof (flight deck) everybody aboard ship knows it is the one with the Dominicans? " "Yes" he says, "they're the only ones that clap when it sets down."

Jessica don't take this the wrong way.

I see that what I am about to say will most likely
cause another escandolo for me but you all know by
now that I will say what I wish.

The High and self Appointed Policemen of Proper
etiquette are just all over them selves about CHOPO THIS AND CHOPA that. Yes I admit that I offered my chopo experience when I was in the DR re:6 cell phones per Dominican per capita.


This flying business is something else (Think about our fellow Dominicanos on Fl.587 who will
never get a chance to clap for anything ever again. The fact that Dominicans clap is a sign
of how greatful one is to have landed safely,
in a world of uncertainty it is necessary to give
praise where it is do, and if anybody thinks that
clapping upon landing is chopo-like I do it
and to "hell with anyone of you here that believes
me to be a chopo".


Jessica best wishes for a safe flight, just think about the DR and you will be there in no time.

Jessica- remember to clap when you land at Las Americas.

Jessica you will be fine...

Just what Jessica needed to hear Isaac, FL587.

Some advice Issac, if you think is going to cause another "escandolo", don't say it. I just don't get some people...

Jessica you will be fine, have fun. I have been on hundreds of flights all over the world, never had a problem. Make sure you get yourself a window seat, it helps with the fear factor.
You have something to look at and your eyes have some reference to relate to, unlike sitting in the middle.

You can upload a pic via the media gallery
http://dr1.com/media/cgi-bin/media.cgi
or email it to me directly and I will post it.
webmaster@dr1.com

Have fun in the DR! Overcoming the fear is all part of the experience, a paradise awaits you at the other end.

Jessica

Always remeber that NO ONE wants to get to their destination safely more than those people sitting up front in the cockpit! It it were not safe, they (pilots) would not be flying

Janice

And Robert I do not understand your occasional duplicity.

As I had stated in my preface to my post this was
not intended to be taken the wrong way, apparently
Robert I should have also addressed a caption to
you.

The point I was making was not to make Jessica
uneasy it was to respond to others on this same
thread that in my opinion "seek to trivialize the
importance of acknowledging there religious higher
power in public". I don't find anything chopo-ish
about people being happy to have landed safely
back in there country, why do you think some people are nervous to fly? I'm sure that the
uncertainty factor has a lot to do with it.
Again I'll be clapping right along with the rest of the Dominicans when my plane safely lands at
Cibao, and if anyone thinks that I am a chopo for
doing so well you know how I feel about you.

"SOME PEOPLE I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND"!!