Note: the clients who volunteered to participate in this course which was video taped did NOT have the benefit of the Strengthening Exercise, which was developed later. Though these volunteers did well, present-day clients who have learned and practiced the Strengthening Exercise can expect to do even better, since this exercise is designed to stop high anxiety, claustrophobia and panic before it can start
Because of all the noise on the flight, it is hard to pick out everything being said. So I have transcribed what was said and am sending you a copy now.
I hope this will help you get the maximum benefit from this DVD. The time code is included for reference. You can make a selection on your DVD player that will show the time code on the screen.
00:01:32
(Vicki) Umm . . I went through a lot of stuff last night and this morning.
00:01:35
I mean really why I couldn’t fly
00:01:38
and I really did imagery and
00:01:40
I really created myself
00:01:43
you know . . . in disaster.
00:01:47
and I feel my stomach is in knots
00:01:50
I feel nervous
00:01:52
but other than that
00:01:56
I keep saying to myself
00:00:57
is it OK . . . I mean, like . . .
00:01:59
I’m alright, I’m anticipating
00:02:02
I cannot say in all honestly ‘I’m – like – excited’
00:02:05
Umm . . . anxious
00:02:07
I’m anticipating
00:02:08
I’m glad it’s here finally
00:02:10
not doing it tonight
00:02:12
Um . . . and I feel a lot better
00:01:15
than I did when I left here yesterday
00:02:17
I feel like I’ve kind of worked through it,
00:02:19
a lot of stuff
00:02:21
and I know that a lot more to come on the plane
00:02:24
I know that that’s true, and I’m just leaving myself open
00:02:29
(Tom) It’s working out good
00:02:31
I don’t want to punch in anything . . .
00:02:36
You know what
00:02:38
I don’t know what I want them to fly us like
00:02:39
I’m going to check it out here.
00:02:42
I think I’m just going to give them (the pilots) a report card
00:02:44
I am.
00:02:45
That’s right – going to check it off and see if they did good.
00:02:49
I want to see, I want to see this
00:02:52
They were very nice, Alan, weren’t they nice?
00:02:55
See this lady here? See this lady?
00:03:06
“You are on a Boeing 737 airplane”
00:03:09
“This aircraft has four exit doors”
00:03:12
“One on each side of the front of the airplane”
00:03:14
“and one on each side in the back”
00:03:16
(Georgia) I’m fine. I can’t believe it
00:03:20
(laughter at Georgia who can’t believe she feels fine)
00:03:30
Oh, you’re a ‘plant’
00:03:32
Tom planted you in this group
00:03:41
We can even enjoy this
00:03:49
Did you enjoy it.
00:03:51
How do you feel now?
00:03:52
I feel terrific
00:03:54
I feel like there’s a big burden lifted
00:03:57
and I’m going to be fine
00:03:59
We’ve learned that the plane is safe
00:04:01
Everyone knows what they are doing
00:04:03
You might as well enjoy it
00:04:07
So that’s it, you know . . .
00:04:10
You get an ear-block
00:04:12
You just have to see an ENT (ear, nose and throat doctor)
00:04:14
and see if he can clear it for you
00:04:16
This is where I’m going to plan our next trip?
00:04:20
They are planning their next trip already
00:04:23
Yeah, we are planning our next trip for next month
00:04:25
I’m serious
00:04:26
We are going to have our own travel club going
00:04:29
Ah, yeah, the door is closed
00:04:31
Yep, we are all set with the door
00:04:33
(Georgia) We’re over the wing
00:04:35
Right over the wing – and look
00:04:37
(Tom) If you look out – can everybody look out on the wing
for a minute?
00:04:41
there are some panels out there
00:04:43
that are this long
00:04:44
and about this wide
00:04:46
Yeah, show them the “spoilers” , the “speed brakes” there, Van
00:04:51
If you are on the airplane and you feel its like going across
00:04:54
the Fifty-ninth Street Bridge (bridge with metal grid surface)
00:04:56
a metal bridge – it has a vibration in it
00:04:57
look out on the wing and you will probably see
00:04:59
that those flaps – those are the speed brakes – are up
00:05:03
Look out on the wing and you’ll probably see those
speed brakes are up
00:05:05
And that’s what is causing the airplane to slow down
00:05:08
or go down steeper
00:05:11
and what it does is it disturbs the airflow
00:05:13
and causes that sensation
00:05:15
the other thing it could be
00:05:17
is that the flaps may be being moved
00:05:19
up or down
00:05:21
that will also cause that
00:05:23
(Linda) Do you hear that? The flaps going down?
00:05:25
(Tom) In fact, while we taxi out
00:05:27
you want to know, you want to know the flaps are
out for sure
00:05:29
right here you can see it – the flaps you’ll see them
go down – you can
00:05:33
also hear them go down – I’ll point out the noise
00:05:35
(Linda) This isn’t the position we are supposed to
be in – when . . .
00:05:38
(Tom) This is the position for regular flight – not
for takeoff
00:05:41
This is not the takeoff position
00:05:43
(Linda) Where is that?
00:05:44
(Tom) I’ll show you that when the flaps go down
00:05:46
to the takeoff position I’ll show you that
00:05:47
(Linda) Alright
00:05:54
(Captain) “There’s two airplanes that have to push
back into the gate in the area behind us.”
00:06:00
“and we have to wait for the second airplane”
00:06:02
“to be cleared in”
00:06:07
(Alan) Well, unless we know how to fly backwards
00:06:09
I’m not worried about taking off right yet
00:06:18
(Tom) This one back here, see that door exit back there
00:06:21
Take another look around to your left there
00:06:23
You see that door? Look around to your left there
00:06:25
You see that door OK. That’s another way out
00:06:29
You just run back there
00:06:31
The stewardess opens the door
00:06:33
There is an escape slide – just slide down the slide
00:06:38
So that is the closest exit to us
00:06:40
This is the next closest – and over the wing
00:06:43
Remember – the one “over the wing exit” is something
you can open yourself
00:06:48
If you want to take care of yourself on an airplane
00:06:51
the safest place to sit is by that over-wing emergency exit
00:06:56
In a crash, very, very seldom
00:07:00
are people killed by impact
00:07:02
but are killed by smoke because they don’t get out of the
airplane fast enough
00:7:21
(Van) Yeah, you can stand up – you can stretch your legs
00:07:25
You can’t – but you gotta understand
00:07:28
that this airplane is only going to be flying
00:07:31
for an hour and a little bit
00:07:38
(Georgia) What are they?
00:07:43
(Tom) The over-wing exit is the safest place to sit
on the airplane
00:07:47
(Tom) Just tell them that (you want the over-wing exit)
00:07:50
and they will give it to you
00:07:51
and therefore you will know you have
00:07:53
your own personal way out of the airplane
00:07:55
(Marguerette) But, I know that the . . .
00:07:56
(Tom) He’s starting the engines
00:07:57
(Tom) You know what?
00:07:59
(Marguerette) I know that the pilots’ windows open –
you can get out there
00:08:06
(Tom) Hey everybody
00:08:08
take a look out on the wing, the flaps – they are in
the take-off position
08:08:10
(Linda) That’s the slice position
08:08:12
(Tom) The takeoff position and there’s kind of a
split between them
00:08:16
That’s the take-off position on this airplane
00:08:18
Every airplane is a little different
00:08:20
But they are set for take-off now
00:08: 24
(Linda) Did you see that?
00:08:26
Take a look at the flaps
00:08:28
you can see they’re in the take-off position
00:08:32
(Linda) Ah, good
(Tom) Good
00:08:34
I like this – I like taxi – Isn’t this fun?
00:08:37
(Tom, kidding) Can we go back now?
00:08:38
(Linda) This is when I want to say to the captain
00:08:40
(Linda) I’ve had enough you can take me back now
(Tom) What are you smiling about?
00:08:42
(Vicki) Huh?
(Tom) You’re looking good now
00:08:44
(Vicki) I feel really good.
(Van) Yah, yah, yah
00:08:46
I can’t believe I’m really here
00:08:49
but when we get . . . up
00:08:51
I’ll let you know later – I’ll let you know
00:08:53
but it’s like legal to have an OK flight
00:08:57
That’s alright
00:08:03
(Capt) Flight attendants prepare for takeoff
00:09:05
What did he say?
00:09:06
Flight attendants prepare for takeoff
00:09:08
that means if they were up walking around in the
aisles, to sit
00:09:11
(baby makes noise)
You’re going to be in the movies now
00:09:39
(Vicki) That’s the end already – that’s already
the end
00:09:47
(Alan) Let’s see what’s in the magazine
00:09:50
(Vicki) . . . in Korea
00:09:52
(Vicki) Talking about Korea . . .
did you watch any of the Olympics?
00:09:56
(Alan) Well, the “open”.
00:10:00
(Linda) Now, this is it, huh?
00:10:02
(Tom) Almost it. OK.
00:10:03
(Linda) Fifteen seconds
00:10:05
(Tom) OK, we’re going to be rolling in
about fifteen seconds
00:10:07
Now listen, everybody, he’s going to push
the throttles up
00:10:11
It’s going to push you back in your seat
00:10:13
Then look out the window, see if you can
estimate out speed
00:10:16
When we get up to about 120
00:10:18
He’s going to pull back on the wheel
00:10:20
the nose is going to go into the air and
off we go
00:10:22
so look out the window when we start
rolling
00:10:31
(Linda) This is loud
00:10:33
(Tom) Lots of noise
00:10:35
OK how fast are we going now?
00:10;37
Take a look out the window and see how
fast we are going
00:10:40
(Linda) FAST (and laughs)
00:10:42
(Tom) Fast, OK – How fast?
00:10:44
(Linda) Eighty – you think?
00:10:46
(Tom) Yep – that’s good, right?
00:10:50
(Tom) We’re just about ready to bring
the nose up
00:10:52
(Tom) OK reach out and bring the nose
up, pull back
on the wheel
00:10:56
There we go, here we go
00:11:00
(Linda) Whoo hoo (aughts)
00:11:03
(Tom) Making a turn to the right – making
a turn to the right
00:11:07
(Linda) I can see my house
00:11:09
(Tom) Where do you live?
00: 11:16
(Tom) It’s just that that there was much happening
– like there is for you right now
00:11:21
(Tom) OK, what they just did is they reduced the power
00:11:24
Did you hear it get a little quieter?
00:11:26
They pull back the throttles to make it quieter for people
00:11:29
who live below this airport area
00:11:34
(Van) Yankee Stadium
00:11:36
(Tom) Why don’t you ask how Alan is doing?
00:11:38
(Linda) Alan, Alan, how are you doing?
00:11:42
(Alan) Fine, but you know there’s nothing to
worry about right now
00:11:45
It was bumpier going to LaGuardia (airport)
00:12:01
(Georgia) This is the turbulence
00:12:07
(Tom) Yeah, that was turbulence
00:12:17
(Vicki) Hey, Alan
00:12:20
(Alan) I can see my house – I can see my apartment house
00:12:31
(Tom) That was just a little bump in the air
00:12:33
That was turbulence
00:12:35
(Linda) Yeah
00:12:36
Comfortable
00:12:38
(Tom) Just like going down the road in your car and
you hit a little bump
00:12:40
(Linda) It’s almost, it’s almost like a train, you know,
because
00:12:43
It took a long time for me to get on a train
00:12:46
And when I’m on a train – it looks like McDonald’s
they are serving
00:12:50
And I, uhh, it’s like a train, it’s almost like a train
00:12:54
(Tom) Except a train usually goes sideways
00:12: 56
(Linda) Yeah, I like that, tut-su, tut-su. It’s like being
rocked in your mother’s arms
00:12:58
(Tom) Yeah, up and down, that’s different stuff
00:13:00
(Linda) Yeah, that’s not too good
00:13:01
(Tom) Every time you start to feel down . . .
00:13:03
(Linda) Why are we doing that?
00:13:05
(Georgia) What is that?
00:13:07
(Georgia) Why do we need to . . . why can’t we just
go in a straight line?
00:13:09
Why are we turning?
00:13:11
(Tom) Because . . .
00:13:12
(Georgia) We’re turning
00:13:14
(Tom) We’re making a little turn
00:13:16
(Tom) What happens is they have these highways
built in the sky
00:13:19
So that traffic going down to Washington goes
one route
00:13:22
The traffic coming back goes a different route
00:13:24
It’s like a one-way highway, so they go out this way
and make some turns
00:13:27
The ones coming back from Washington make some
turns just to stay out
of each other’s way
00:13:31
(Georgia) So we are going to be doing that every so often
00:13:33
(Tom) Once in a while, yeah, and then also the
navigation stuff . . .
00:13:37
You know, the wind changes, and sometime you have
to make a little turn left or right
00:13:40
Just to keep on the highway – actually its an airway –
but you know, it’s like a highway
00:13:46
And wind blows it a bit
00:13:49
You know, actually when you are driving your car,
you make a little adjustment now and then
00:13:52
(Georgia) Right
00:13:53
(Tom) It’s the same thing in the air
00:13:59
(Tom) You must be down to a “two” (anxiety scale
of zero to ten)
00:14:00
(Georgia) I would, I would like to know – right now –
what’s your anxiety level
00:14:02
(Linda shakes her head)
00:14:04
(Georgia) None?
00:14:06
(Linda) Fine!
00:14:07
(Tom) What does that mean?
00:14:08
(Georgia) You look fine
00:14:10
(Linda) Better? Did it look like I was going to l
lose it back there for a while?
00:14:12
(Tom) It wasn’t that bad. Not that bad. What are
you at now?
00:14:16
(Linda) I’m fine, I . . .
00:14:18
(Tom) So what’s fine? A “zero”?
00:14:20
(Linda) No I feel like
00:14:21
(Tom) Zero?
00:14:22
(Linda) About a “one”
00:14:23
(Tom) You’re kidding!
00:14:24
(Linda) Matter of fact, I’m mad at myself
00:14:29
For not feeling though . . . I thought this whole trip
00:14:33
so far was going to be a “ten”.
00:14:38
(Tom) . . . asking how long this (turbulence) is going to last
00:14:40
(Linda) I really . . . I really just – I feel like my brain was
going to explode
00:14:43
(Tom) What did I tell you?
00:14:45
You remember what I said, as long as you stay in
your movie
00:14:47
so let’s go ahead.
00:14:48
You didn’t want to come out of your movie
00:14:50
So I went ahead and what? To supported your movie
00:14:52
(Linda) Yeah
00:14:53
You went to the end of your movie
00:14:55
And then what do you do at the end of a movie?
00:14:56
You walk out of the theater
00:14:58
(Linda) Yeah
00:15:24
(Vicki) What would you like to know?
00:15:26
(Interviewer) How do you feel? What was the takeoff like?
00:15:30
(Vicki) The takeoff was . . . ah
00:15:32
I mean I was scared during the takeoff
00:15:34
I have to say that I was not really – I mean – you sat next
to me – I wasn’t panicky was I during takeoff?
00:15:38
Nervous
00:15;39
(Alan) No but you had going down your face
00:15:41
(Vicki) Yeah I was nervous during the takeoff – until we
finally hit elevation
00:15:45
When we hit elevation, I – you know – my body started to relax
00:1:49
I didn’t panic and I didn’t have a panic attack – I didn’t have
any of those things
00:15:53
(Interviewer) What was the worst part
00:15:55
(Vicki) The takeoff – getting – making – having the flight go
00:16:00
faster and faster and faster until it reaches up – until it levels
00:16:04
(Interviewer) You think it would be that easy?
00:16:07- 00:16:11
(Vicki) It was petty much the way I had pictured it this morning
00:16:12
That’s the toughest part for me, is that takeoff
00:16:15
And now, I mean, I’m relatively, I mean I’m OK
00:16:20
I’m not sitting here totally relaxed
00:16:23
but I think I’m as relaxed as I could possibly be
00:16:25
for my first flight after eight years
00:16:28
(Alan) I didn’t realize it was that long
00:16:29
(Vicki) So, here (points to Alan)
00:16:31
(Interviewer) Alan?
00:16:33
(Alan) Yes
00:16:35
Run the questions by me again – I’m not
00:16:37
(Interviewer) How did you feel taking off?
00:16:38
What went through your mind?
00:16:43
(Alan) I noticed that . . . from my knees down
00:16:49
I felt as though I was weak-kneed
00:16:52
Ahm . . . but I was also surprised by it because the rest of me
00:16:57
didn’t feel too bad
00:16:59
Ah . . .
00:17:02
it – nah – I had people to talk to
00:17:07
which makes it for a little bit of an unread situation
00:17:10
(Linda) I hated the beginning
00:17:13
I really thought I was going to lose it – I thought
00:17:15
. . . ah . . . it was the same exact feelings of
00:17:17
what I had before and I knew I was going to have – I mean
00:17:22
what I went through I had practiced many times
00:17:25
and I didn’t want to go through that
00:17:27
and I thought that I was going to go through this whole movie
00:17:31
of sheer hell
00:17:33
for this whole flight
00:17:36
and I didn’t think my body could take that that sheer
00:17:40
that’s the hardest thing – when I tell you –
that I ever had to do in my whole life
00:17:44
is sit here
00:17:45 – 00:17:47
the hardest thing
00: 17:47
(Captain) We are at twenty thousand feet now, six miles
east of Lancaster Pennsylvania
00:17:52
(Alan) We are almost home
00:17:54
(Captain) We will be passing over Gettysburg . . .
00:17:57
(Linda) I really thought I was going to say, Tom, thank
you but I can’t do it
00:18:00
I, I really . . . and I said to Marguerette, walking down
00:18:05
I said, Marguerette, I want to cry before I get there because
00:18:09
I had so much emotion built up to the top
00:18:12
that I wanted to really cry – just get it out of me, but uh,
00:18:1
and then I thought, well I could control it, you know, and
00:18:20
then, the ‘Old Linda’ came back and said,
00:18:23
You Jerk – why do you have to do this, you know . . .
00:18:26
What are you proving
00:18:28
and I said
00:18:30
Yeah, you’re right, you know, let’s get the hell out of here
00:18:33
Your mother isn’t dying some other state, let’s just
get out of here
00:18:36
Let your husband go on these other flights
00:18:39
(Alan) There were certain points where would
feel like a surge of adrenalin
00:18:45
and then I realized – you know – the thing that he talked
about -that I was making a movie
00:18:49
You know . . . I . . . just find my mind dwelling on
00:18:54
like the vibration under my feet
00:18:56
which . . . why should I
00:19:01
You know, if I dwell on the thought of course I going to start
00:19:04
making a movie out of it
00:19:06
so, then I go into the thing of looking around me
00:19:08
and just really occupying my mind
00:19:10
but not occupying my mind,
00:19:12
thinking of as many different things as I can
00:19:15
ah . . .
00:19:18
(Interviewer) How do you feel now?
00:19:20
(Alan) Fine, and . . . uh . . .
00:19:23
to tell you the truth I’ve been more nervous some nights
00:19:26
on the subways in some neighborhoods
00:19:29
(Interviewer) How do you feel right now?
00:19:30
(Linda) Very good. Am I talking to you? Am I making sense?
00:19:32
I feel good
00:19:34
I like it
00:19:35
(Tom) What?
00:19:36
(Linda) I like it, I like it, it’s nice
00:19:38
But I don’t want to look out the window
00:19:40
(Interviewer) How has the flight been for you so far?
00:19:42
(Georgia) It’s fine
00:19:44
It’s really fine
00:19:46
I’m not having any problems at all
00:19:48
(Interviewer) At any point along the flight, did you
get that nervous feeling back?
00:19:50
(Georgia) I was nervous sitting in the airport
00:19:55
and, uh, but I knew it was something I had to do
for my own self
00:20:00
and once I got on the plane I’m, I’m really trusting
what we learned in the course
00:20:05
and it’s fine, everything is working out fine
00:20:26
(Georgia) OK. Where are we going next?
00:29:28
Well, we have two people here
00:20:31
Where’s the next good second (place to fly)?
00:20:51
(Linda) Now, now we’ve leveled off?
00:20:54
(Tom) Yeah, we’re level but he’s pulled he power back just a little bit
00:20:56
so he may be getting ready to start down again
00:21:00
(Georgia) Now my old movie would have been, we
were speeding up
00:21:03
because we were in trouble and we had to get out of
there real fast
00:21:06
(Tom) Yeah
00:21:09
(Georgia) Out of somebody else’s way because they
were going to hit us
00:21:11
. . . would have been my old movie
00:21:13
(Linda) Is this a lot (of turbulence) – or is this normal?
00:21:16
(Tom) If you asked the captain about this, he would
probably say, “What Turbulence?”
00:21:21
(Linda) It’s foggy because we are going through
clouds, huh?
00:21:23
(Tom) We’re in clouds but we will come out of the clouds
and we’ll be able to see the ground
00:21:26
So right now just notice how much flaps – see it’s kind of
lined up with that edge of the wing –
00:21:31
makes the wing go up and down – that’s how he’s
controlling (the plane)
00:21:33
You feel a little funny feeling there just a moment ago?
00:21:36
(Linda) Yeah
00:21:37
(Tom) Yeah, that’s – the aileron is the thing that makes
the wing go up or down
00:21:41
So if you watch that
00:21:43
you can see that that’s changing
00:21:45
and that’s causing the wing to go up down
00:21:47
or he hit a bump and he’s using that to correct to bring
the plane back to level
00:21:50
(Georgia) See now my movie would have been also
that it’s broken and it’s not working and that’s why we’re bumping . . .
00:21:55
(Linda) Look at that, look at that, look, look, look, look
00:21:58
(Tom) What do you see?
00:22:00
(Linda) Land
00:22:01
(Tom) My God, it’s really there
00:22:03
In a minute, you are going to hear a noise . . .
00:22:05
It’s going to go like this (sound like a blender)
00:21:09
There it is – that’s it
00:22:11
(Linda) Where is it?
00:22:12
(Tom) The flaps are going down
00:22:14
You hear that noise?
00:22:15
(Linda) Yes, I can see them, yes
00:22:16
There are sliding out
00:22:17
(Tom) The wing is getting bigger
00:22:18
It’s like the airplane – you know like a seagull
comes in for a landing –
00:22:21
he puts his feathers out?
00:22:22
That’s the aluminum feathers
00:;22:24
(Linda) Why, why is this, now?
00:22:25
(Tom) This is the airplane’s aluminum feathers
00:22:27
He’s making the wing bigger so we can slow down
00:22:29
and land at a slow speed – not a fast speed
00:22:32
(Linda) OK. Why, why are we going up and down?
00:22:35
Yes, why are we going up and down in the air?
00:22:36
(Tom) When you make the wing bigger – when you make the wing – listen
00:22:39
Listen . . . are you listening?
00:22:42
When you . . . make the wing bigger – it’s more reactive to
those little bumps
00:22:45
(Linda) Yeah
00:22:47
(Tom) You remember your dad’s little airplane – it bounced
around a lot because
00:22:49
it had a big wing on it for its size
00:22:51
(Linda) OK
00:22:52
(Tom) We make the wing bigger – the ride isn’t as good anymore
00:22:55
(Linda) Oh yeah? (NOTE: SOUND OF FLAPS GOING DOWN)
00:22:56
(Tom) That’s right
00:22:57
Now the flaps are getting bigger (NOTE: SOUND OF FLAPS GOING DOWN)
00:22:59
Hear?
00:23:00
(Linda) Yeah . . . yeah (NOTE: SOUND OF FLAPS
GOING DOWN)
00:23:02
(Tom) The wing is getting bigger
00:23:02
(Linda) Yeah
(Tom) That means we can fly slower
00:23:04
(Tom) Now he going to slow the airplane down
(Linda) It’s almost like we stopped in mid-air
00:23:07
(Tom) It’s floating along
00:23:08 (“UNITED 9560 TOWER AT THE MARKER 119.1)
00:23:11 (PILOT REACHES DOWN TO CHANGE
RADIO FREQUENCY
00:23:13 (“GLIDE SLOPE ALIVE”)
00:23:15 (COPILOT REACHES FOR GEAR HANDLE)
00:2315 (“GEAR DOWN”)
00:23:16 (“FLAPS 30”)
00:23:18 (NOTE: SOUND OF GEAR GOING DOWN)
00:23:19 (“FINAL DESCENT CHECKLIST COMPLETE”)
00:23:21 (NOTE: SOUND OF GEAR GOING DOWN)
(Tom) This is the gear going down
00:223:23
(Linda) This is the gear going down
00:23:24
(Tom) That’s the gear going down
00:23:25
(Linda) Do you hear that, Alan? That’s the gear
00:23:27
(Tom) OK.
00:23:29
(Tom) Now, we’re going about 135 – 140 miles an hour
00:23:35
Now he pushed up the power – he’s got this airplane
00:23:37
exactly where he wants it to hold this speed to
go down and land
00:23:41
All set up
00:23:43
(Georgia) This is the way it’s supposed to be?
00:23:44
(Tom) This is exactly the way it’s supposed to be
00:23:48
(Pilot) OK, speed’s good
00:23:49 – 00:23:51
(Pilot) Flaps verified at 30 – you’re on profile
00:23:51
(Pilot) Looking good
00:24:08
(Pilot) Looking good
00:24:19
(Pilot) Fifty (feet above the runway)
00:24:21
(Pilot) Thirty (feet above the runway)
00:24:25
(Pilot) OK
00:24:27
(Pilot) OK
00:24:29
(Pilot) OK
00:24:30
(Linda) Son of a gun, I did it
00:24:34
(Linda) Alright
00:24:35
I didn’t think I was going to do it
00:24:37
(Tom) There’s the speed brakes
00:24:39
Look out the wing
00:24:40
(Linda) Yeah
(Tom) That’s the speed brakes
00:24:42
(Linda) That’s the who?
(Tom) Speed brakes
00:24:43
(Tom) That helps us slow down
00:24:48
(Clicks: flap lever being moved up, forward, then stowed)
00:24:51 (“CLEAR ON THE RIGHT”)
00:24:52 (Flap Warning Horn sounds)
00:24:58 (“TAXIWAY’S CLEAR”)
00:25:01
(Vicki) I know, it’s hard to believe I really did it
00:25:03
(Alan) I know, I, I
00:25:05
(Vicki) I know . . . it’s a really nice feeling
00:25:08
(Alan) This is going to be the first plane ride in years
that I don’t need
00:25:11
a couple of days to recuperate from
00:25:13
Yeah, I just . . . ah . . . I feel great
00:25:18
I think going back – like I hope I can go through it –
you know without
00:25:22
the anxiety but I feel great now
00:25:26
You did it – go call your husband
00:25:30
I can think of all these people in New York I’m going to call
00:25:33
Applaud yourself
00:25:35
(Vicki) I know – I know – that’s why I’m crying –
00:25:37
I can’t believe it
00:25:38
(Alan) I can’t believe it either
00:25:43
God, it was a long struggle
00:25:46
(Van) From Kennedy Airport, from home . . .
00:25:50
(Vicki) And now it’s over
00:22:54
(Vicki) And now I have to talk to the captain
00:25:57
(Copilot) He’s standing right outside the door there
00:25:59
(Flight Attendant) You’re smiling
00:26:02
(Copilot) Thank you for coming with us
00:26:12
(Captain) Do you feel better now?
00:26:13
(Marguerette) Yes
(Captain) That’s great
00:26:15
(Alan) It was almost too smooth
00:26:18
(Marguerette) Oh Alan
00:26:19
(Alan) I mean, it was
no challenge
00:26:20
(Captain) Where are you going now?
00:26:21
(Alan) That is the way it should have been
(Marguerette) Well, we’re going to hang out and then
go back to New York
00:26:23
and it was the way he told you to expect it to be
00:26:25
(Marguerette) Alan . . .
00:26:27
(Captain) It was pretty smooth there
00:26:29
(Captain) Well, I’m glad you enjoyed it – I wish you
could have seen the ground, but you didn’t want to
see the ground
00:26:33
(Marguerette) Oh, I did – I looked –
00:26:34
(Captain) Good
00:26:35
(Marguerette) I looked down – it was OK
00:26:39
(Captain) You feel better now – I can tell by your
face – you look great
00:26:43
(Captain) Where else can you go about 300 miles
in about 45 minutes?
00:26:46
(Vicki) Right
00:26:48
(Captain) That quick
00:26:49
(Captain) Bye bye
00:26:50
(Interviewer) Alan, What advice would you have
for somebody who was going to try and overcome
their fear of flying?
00:26:56
What have you learned that you could sort of impart
to someone else?
00:27:02
(Alan) Right now what goes through my mind as the
most important thing is
00:27:06
when Tom talked about what’s happening right then
and there
00:27:12
Sure there was turbulence at certain points – minor –
I have to say it was overall a very smooth flight,
00:27:17
but the turbulence happened when it was supposed to
00:27:20
when I could expect it
00:27:22
in the clouds
00:27:25
its common, so when I feel turbulence, I look
out the window
00:27:28
I’d see we are in the clouds – it’s OK
00:27:31
this is where I’ve trained myself to expect it
00:27:34
so it was fine – I could deal with it
00:27:37
Really the whole thing is keeping everything in a
proper perspective
00:27:44
It’s funny – at the start of this
00:27:47
there was a side of me that had everything in
proper perspective
00:27:49
but it didn’t mean much, and I know that talking to
someone who hasn’t done this program
00:27:53
I’m probably speaking a foreign language to them
00:27:56
but there comes a point where
00:28:00
the other half does listen, you know, and
00:28:02
you kind of keep things in perspective and you can say
00:28:04
yeah, I don’t particularly care for this but – I may
not even like it
00:28:08
I may not like it, but I don’t have to worry about it
00:28:11
(Interviewer) How do you feel right now?
00:28:13
(Alan) Elated. I, I have a little bit of a headache, you
know, but
00:28:18
that doesn’t bother me – I just
00:28:22
feel like I accomplished something – I hope that this stays
with me
00:28:25
you know, I hope on the way back I don’t have any trouble
00:28:30
We are talking now about our next trip – we really want
to go out again
00:28:35
a little more on our own
00:28:39
and I feel like a whole new world – well an old world
has come back to me I should say
00:28:43
and I can start considering, you know, on my vacation
going to Europe
00:28:48
going anywhere that I can afford, you know
00:28:51
I don’t have to just look at cruises or train – AMTRAK
trips, you know
00:28:56
and all East Coast things, you know,
00:28:58
and I don’t have to buy the books on, you know
00:29:00
“Week-end Trips” and “Bed and Breakfast on Long
Island” – you know
00:29:05
I can look to go back to Italy, you know, wherever I want
00:29:09
wherever a plane will go
00:29:11
The other thing I just think a couple of days ago
00:29:14
I wouldn’t have believed this
00:29:17
I hoped to feel like this
00:29:19
And – uh – still it’s a very tenuous situation with me but still
00:29:23
I had hoped to feel the way I feel now
00:29:26
and I didn’t see any way that I would
00:29:30
and I knew that other people did and that was enough
00:29:32
to get me through the program, but
00:29:35
I really didn’t see how it would connect – but it did
00:29:38
There’s something about it that just . . .
00:29:39
. . . clicked
00:29:40
(Vicki) Basically, the only problem that I had – you
know – that I had
00:29:45
was on take off
00:29:48
The take off was a little bit
00:29:51
I was a little bit – ah – tense
00:29:54
I was a little bit tense
00:29:56
when it came to take off
00:29:58
Other than that, once we got to final elevation
00:30:02
I have to say though I was really OK.
00:39:04
I mean some of the little bumps and turbulence – I
mean – there was really no turbulence
00:30:08
but the couple of little ripples that we had were
00:30:11
you know, slight concern but no big deal.
00:30:15
I mean the rest of the flight was – was fine.
00:30:18
And I would absolutely get on – I’m going to get
on the flight going back
00:30:21
and I would hope that I could fly every other week
just to keep this up
00:30:27
so that each flight gets better and better and better
00:30:31
so that for me working on the take off area which is
the area that’s the biggest problem for me
00:30:36
that would get less and less
00:30:40
(Interviewer) Is there any one thing that you’ve
learned about this program?
00:30:44
(Vicki) Well I’ve worked through a lot of real heavy
stuff and I think
00:30:48
that my issue about control and needing to control
something and letting go was a real big issue for me
00:30:55
and being on that plane you are totally out of control
00:30:58
you are absolutely at the mercy of somebody else
running that plane
00:31:02
somebody else has your life in, in – you know – in
their hands
00:31:06
and that was real hard for me and I was able to
absolutely let go
00:31:10
I mean I checked the cockpit and checked out the
pilot and the copilot and he passed my test
00:31:15
and he was fine
00:31:17
and that made me feel real comfortable
00:31:19
and also the fact that I knew what they were
doing with they lifted out
00:31:23
I mean I remembered when we did the practice
in the cockpit
00:31:27
and that helped me a lot
00:31:29
and I think knowing just a little bit helps me
00:31:31
I mean for me personally now I would want to go
00:31:34
and take lessons on learning the mechanics of
the plane
00:31:36
because that would make me feel more comfortable
00:31:38
(Interviewer) How do you feel right now?
00:31:40
(Vicki) Now I feel really good
00:31:42
I do – I feel really good – I
00:31:43
I guess you know what it is
00:31:45
I feel really numb
00:31:47
because I keep my
00:31:50
my – my – my intellect says, hey you really did it
00:31:52
and my inside says – does it – like I feel numb
00:31:55
because this is eight years of work that I’ve been
working on this
00:31:59
and to finally do it
00:32:00
it’s maybe like being pregnant for nine months
00:32:03
and then finally you’re working and you’re
working on it
00:32:06
and finally you go into labor and you
00:32:08
and you give birth
00:32:11
and it’s almost anti-climatic
00:32:13
so at this point – I mean – I’m really
00:32:16
I’m really happy and I’m real proud of myself
00:32:18
I really am real proud of myself
00:32:19
I feel really good that I was able to do it
00:32:21
because for me it was real hard
00:32:23
this was like the ultimate for me
00:32:25
absolutely the ultimate
00:32:27
and it’s just a feeling of wonderful
accomplishment
00:32:33
(Interviewer) What advice would you have
for someone who hasn’t flown yet?
00:32:36
They have been watching you go through
this whole thing for the past three days
00:32:39
But if they haven’t taken the flight, is there something
that you’ve learned that you can impart to them?
00:32:45
(Georgia) Yeah, my advice would be just to take
the chance.
00:32:49
And I think we all found out that it’s OK
00:32:52
We’ve learned techniques to change our negative
feelings into positive feelings
00:32:57
We’ve learned that the plane is very safe
00:32:59
We’ve learned to trust other things and I think that
00:33:02
the big thing is we’ve learned to trust ourselves
00:33:06
(Interviewer) Having taken the flight, how do you
feel right now?
00:33:09
Do you consider it a big success?
00:33:13
(Georgia) It’s, it’s a strange feeling
00:33:17
because for me it’s been six years of total avoidance
00:33:21
and this was the last big thing that I had to
accomplish before I could
00:33:26
grow up and be the adult and really put my life in
order and do what I wanted to do
00:33:32
and it’s scary on one hand that – that it’s over
00:33:35
and then on the other hand it’s this big weight
00:33:39
is off my shoulder
00:33:41
(Linda) You have to remember to . . . uh
00:33:45
when I went on the flight and I lost it before I took off
00:33:48
I, I couldn’t remember what I was supposed to do
00:33:52
because my anxiety was so enlarged
00:33:55
that I got tunnel vision
00:33:57
and all I could see was the door and I’m trapped
00:34:00
and it’s going to be pure hell
00:34:02
um, I would suggest
00:34:05
practicing and practicing
00:34:07
picking out colors, a shirt, a watch
00:34:10
a pen, that helped immensely
00:34:14
not putting things in a jar – that did no work for me
00:34:16
but this, bringing yourself back to reality
00:34:19
because if you can remember
00:34:21
I couldn’t even pick out the color of the seat right
00:34:23
the colors just didn’t come to me
00:34:24
but then afterward
00:34:26
I could pick out the colors
00:34:28
and another thing that made me very nervous
00:34:31
if you notice that I’m handicapped and I was afraid
00:34:33
all this time that I couldn’t walk on the plane right
00:34:36
I would mess up – I wouldn’t be able to sit right
00:34:39
my leg wouldn’t be right
00:34:40
but I was very comfortable with that
00:34:43
(Interviewer) What have you learned over these
last couple of days?
00:34:48
(Linda) That there’s two people –
00:34:51
two personalities –
00:34:55
and sometime you have to let that little guy
00:34:57
that keeps saying “no you can’t do it – no you can’t do it”
00:35:00
say, “yes, we can do this”
00:35:02
“we’ll help each other through it”
00:35:04
and we can do this
00:35:06
I cannot tell you what a – what a feeling it is to
stand in Washington DC
00:35:11
and feel great
00:35:13
It was quite an accomplishment
00:35:14
I’m very proud of myself
00:35:16
(Interviewer) Van, what did you learn today?
00:35:18 Did you realize so many people were
afraid of flying?
00:35:21
(Van) Let me go back a little bit in time
00:35:24
Two days ago my boss said, “Hey look, I got a
fear of flying group”
00:35:28
and, ah, he gave me Captain Bunn’s name and said
00:35:32
“Can you talk to them for a few minutes?”
00:35:343
So I said “Yeah, I can handle that”
00:35:37
ah, but when I came up here
00:35:39
I really kind of got into it, and
00:35:42
and began to understand that there are more
people out there
00:35:46
that have this, the fear to fly
00:35:52
and, and is not just a, just an uneasy feeling
00:35:54
it’s a panic type of fear
00:35:58
and, uh, some of the things that, that we do
00:35:03
or portray in our daily activities running an airline
00:36:08
doesn’t do anything to wash away those fears
00:36:12
So I think maybe as I go one from this point
00:36:16
that I’ll keep that in mind more
00:36:19
and I’ll be able to hopefully
00:36:21
conduct the business that I’m in of maintaining
airplanes
00:36:25
and, and when we have a mechanical problem
00:36:29
and we’re on a delay
00:36:31
that we can tell people in a layman’s type of language
00:36:35
what the problem is and what we’re doing to correct it
00:36:38
so I, you know, I’ve come away from this with
00:36:41
a better understanding of what a lot of the general
flying population has to go through
00:36:46
(Interviewer) Are you proud of it?
00:36:47
You know, I tell you what
00:36:50
I really feel kind of choked up
00:36:52
it’s interesting to see people
00:36:55
conquer something that is
00L36:35
extraordinarily frightening to them as anything
that they have ever experienced
00:37:02
and, and yes, I do, I do feel proud of them
