Fear

[galaxy]

If you are flying a A320-family,don't worry about a barking noise. It's not a dog barking in the cargo. It is the notorious barking caused by the Pneumatic Transfer Unit. It is active when only one of the hydraulic circuits is pressurized and serves to equalize pressure.
Here a video with the barking noise :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... bmQhUNFeFU

[regi]

To be honest lately I've been having very bad thoughts too about my next flight to the US, so you're not alone. It's going to be a family trip but we're departing from LHR to LAX on a VS747 in september. I've never really had a fear of flying but lately I've been thinking about it too much (must be my OCD probably). It's extremely stupid but I can't shake the feeling something bad might happen (terror related). I rarely have troubles flying long-haul, but flying to the states after 9/11 has always been a bit scary to me.

Good to hear from you again !
To LA this time ! Wow. What would scare me more than the actual flying is the administrative BS to enter the US. Don't forget to anounce your arrival beforehand.
I suppose you have read this:
http://dutch.belgium.usembassy.gov/visa ... ogram.html
So living in a country falling under the visa waiver program is not enough: you must also be a citizen (nationality ) of that country.
Just the idea that you can arrive in the USA, be arrested without legal case and sent to Guantanamo Bay is scarying me a bit.
Remember that prince Filip was sent back because he did not carry his pasport...

[earthman]

You just need to register with ESTA before your trip, and pay up the 14 dollars. Then fill out the customs declaration before entering the USA. Oh and leave some fingerprints with them.

And the 14 dollar fee apparently is used for ... wait for it ... promoting tourism to the USA! Because nothing says welcome like having to pay before you even get there. Then again, it does a good job of preparing you for having to tip everybody for every silly little thing they do for you, even though they are simply doing their job. If that is not your thing then you should probably not go to the USA anyway.

Still entering the USA is better than the Australian immigration and customs service, which will happily send you to work 20 years in an uranium mine for trying to bring a sandwich into the country.

Or at least that is the idea you get from watching "Border Patrol Australia".

[regi]

which will happily send you to work 20 years in an uranium mine for trying to bring a sandwich into the country.

you made my day with that one.

[Comet]

Also take a look at the flight radar: http://www.flightradar24.com to see how many planes are in the air, even above the atlantic! The sky is never empty.

Flightradar doesn't show ALL flights, some airlines don't show up at all, so the skies are fuller than you think Also it has an irritating habit of sticking and not updating, so planes which have taken off minutes before will still be shown as static at the airport.

[earthman]

...and for some airlines some of their planes/plane types do not show up.

Sent from my S500 using Tapatalk 4

[andorra-airport]

I always use this one, if flights don't show up on flightradar24

[Comet]

Some airports don't appear on Flightradar either.

[galaxy]

And don't forget all military aircraft and in particular the stealth , UFO and unmanned aircraft all over the world and outside ,who are not on radar.

[Girl with fear]

Yeah! I survived! Thanks for all your support!
I told myself across the ocean you are safe, and just around Cabo Verde was a big turbulence area.
But the TAP captain did a good job and we could land safely at Lisbon Airport, I was really happy. There was also a man sitting in my row, who was really relaxed and he gave me some relaxing smiles and waves during the flight. The second flight from Lisbon felt more comfortable (above land), but when we landed, tears from happiness appeared on my face and trembling knees to control...

The planes of TAP were nice and clean, new interior, and nice entertainment.

I noticed on flightradar not all planes were there (i found the plane that came to Brazil to pick us up and then it was disappeared, first I was "in shock" thrn I found the notification not every plane was in the radar...)but it is a nice site/app. I love planes and airports, but not to fly.
I also can imagine that the fact of terrorism gives fear to you. The newspapers and television give so much information about all new possibilities of attacks that it is difficult to relax and to believe the level of security is high enough.
Thanks again, i will be back on the forum.

Oh, I have one question. Just before or during taxi the cabin crew sprayed something in the plane, the sprayed a lot. What kind of spray is that? On the way to Brazil, nobody was spraying....

Bye bye!

Girl with less (!) fear

[fretn]

Well, If you head to the tropics there are usually lots of little bugs that could find their way to Europe and endanger local fauna and flora. Also I wouldn't like to be stung by a tropical insect on an airplane, imagine if someone got an allergic reaction at 10.000 ft!

In any case, glad you found your way back home in one piece. Afterwards it's funny how pathetic the entire situation was, but hey, a little bit of caution or worrying doesn't hurt at all. But in the end it's logical, as humans this is not our normal habitat, people like to have firm ground beneath them.

Safe & happy flights!

[regi]

I always use this one, if flights don't show up on flightradar24

imagine this guy put this picture in his CV for traffic controller application.

[galaxy]

imagine this guy put this picture in his CV for traffic controller application.

I don't think there is much traffic controller needed on the red planet at this time.