A 65% chance of walking away from an aircrash?????? Are you bonkers???? Or are you one of those AOPA fanatics and are lumping in all the "crashes" of light craft, experimental bicycle-powered planes, etc.?<BR><BR>I realize this isn't in the spirit of this post, but the "walkaway" rate for crashes of commercial airliners is nowhere near 65% and you have no credibility when you quote a statistic like that to try to "reason" with someone afraid of crashing. <BR><BR>The best advice to someone fearful about flying is not to be patronizing with all sorts of facts and figures, which have about as much meaningfulness as percentages for craps tables or getting a rare disease. Closest I've ever come to a "statistical reassurance" is looking at everyone in a gridlock traffic jam on a major highway, or everyone crowding into a ballpark or rock concert, and think that about as many probably flew in the last day or so without incident.<BR><BR>But when you are fearful, it's not how many of THEM survived, it's what's going to happen to YOU. And the only way to cope with that is to quit thinking about YOU and start thinking about something unrelated to flying -- distraction distraction distraction. Music, comedy, puzzles, write that novel you've always wanted to write, ready that totally trashy novel you'd never waste time on at home, do your taxes (kidding....), anything to be so engrossing that it's more important than obsessing through the whole flight.<BR><BR>What did it for me? Taking my child on his first flight and being determined not to let him see and "catch" my fear, while keeping him entertained.<BR><BR>

Actually I think 65% is about right - most "crashes" are NOT planes plummeting out of the sky - they are aircraft that roll off the end of the runway or experience udnercarriage failure - which you CAN and WILL walk away from (check out the NTSB website) -planes that crash straight into the ground are rare indeed.....<BR><BR>But then again, anyone who flys is bonkers! Just can't get my head round the aerodynamics of a jumbo jet getting off the ground......The skywalk seems to have more of a chance!<BR><BR><BR><BR>

KC, what ARE you talking about? My point was that the 65% figure cannot possibly apply to commercial air crashes, only to general/private aviation. I'll be glad to concede if you can find me reliable stats on _commercial_ crashes over the last 10 years that show how many of them could be walked away from, but frankly I'd bet a month's salary that it's in the single digit percentages. Remember the crash near Sioux City -- that made history _because_ a few people could walk away. Out of the last 100 crashes involving commercial airlines, can you remember any other reports of people walking away from them? Not many, I'll bet.

So....what are the statistics on "crawl-aways?" and another plane with turbulence falling on your head just as you start crawling out of the wreckage?

<BR>Gail<BR>"over tired drug addicted fake mechanics"? Tsk, tsk, tsk. What an ugly remark. How could you ever get on a plane if this is what you believe?

Suzie-Q, she's not as far wrong as should be the case. And she is asking for help in how to think about things so she ISN'T afraid to board a plane -- not for someone to tell her how screwed up she is. Be helpful or stuff it.

I hate turbulence. I flew on southwest last month and they tell you to bring your own food, and this guy next to me has 3 burritos and sure enough all of us suffered from the awful turbulence. I thought i was gonna get sick but i am not afraid of turbulance I just don't like it.

duh, that's not funny. This is a serious topic here, and people are trying to cope with their deepest fears. I recommend yoga. Also, don't watch Alive, Castaway, Fearless, or any other movie with a big jet wreck anytime before flying.