Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Yeah, this may have a something to do with it....

I'm not shy on saying I'm scared to death of flying... I hate everything about it!  No control of a situation, being in a tiny tube that you can touch both sides just by standing in the aisle & extending your arms, dropping a few hundred feet just because of wind... yeah, none of it is fun for me... there is a thing call GRAVITY for a reason people!

But once upon a time, we had an incident happen when flying that I think has really left its mark on me....

I flew the first time to Texas with my aunt & while it was un-nerving, it was something I could tolerate.  Then a few years later, Ricky & I were dating & we venture to Disney World.  The only way to go, via plane, of course.

So our plane takes us en route through Pittsburg, PA...why, I never know!  I mean, why do you take us up North a few states, only to come back South to Florida - weird...

The return trip was the same path - from Florida to Pittsburg to Louisville.... well, a few hours before we were to get on a US Air plane going to Pittsburg, it came on the news that a US Air plane en route to Pittsburg had just crashed - killing everyone!  All 131 passengers, gone....

I was instantly freaked out!!!!  I didnt even want to get on this plane to go home.  I called my parents & my mom said "Rent a car - drive home!".  My dad & his reasoning said, "What are the odds of two planes crashing within hours of each other?".... I still laugh at his thought process on that...

So we head to the airport & found out that about 80% of the people on the flight had canceled.  See, I wasnt the only one that this bothered!  That was a strange flight taking off - the quiet, the nerves....

Then the worst part - we had to fly to Pittsburg, where all this chaos had JUST HAPPENED!  We couldnt land!  We had to circle the airport for quite some time before we could even get clearance to land... & we found out, that the plane crash was very close to the airport so we were trying to avoid flying over head of that scene as well.  Please Lord, just get me to the ground & out of this whole area!

While we DO finally land, we're not home yet - we still have to get to Louisville.  And since it was truly madness there, no flights were able to take out.  After all, all the media was coming in - national media.  The airport was crazy - cameras, interviews, people confused & crying... a scene in something like you see in a movie. 

I found out my mom was in Louisville trying to find out when we would be arriving home.  This was in September 1994 so well before cell phones & with all the hectic madness going on, phone lines were down so we couldnt even contact anyone!

It was about 6 hrs later that we finally got a ride home & ended up back in Louisville...

I later found out that people were even wondering if Ricky & I were on that plane... they just knew we were flying home that day, on a US Air flight to Pittsburgh.... what a weird feeling to think people thought we were involved in a plane crash....

So yes, here it is 16 years later & I despise flying... I can remember everything about that day, even now... How do you just get on a plane & not think of events of a drama filled day? You dont... so while some people say, "oh, you'll be ok, just get on a plane" - its not that easy for me...

Here's to safe flights everywhere....

10 comments:

  1. Oh girl, it's easier said then done sometimes I know but you can't live life in fear, that's for sure! But it's hard to not keep the events of that day in the back of your mind!

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  2. I always get so nervous on planes, even though they say they're safer than cars.

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  3. Oh, I know just what you mean. That had to be horrendously scary! I can't even imagine! So glad you were safe! It is hard to remember when we didn't have cell phones, isn't it?

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  4. Im sorry you have such a big fear and that you had to go through that horrible ordeal with the other crashed plane. I cant help you with your fear except to remind you that it is God's will....and it didnt matter if those people were on the plane or in a car or sitting at home. It was their time to go.
    HUGS!!

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  5. I can definitely see why you would have a fear like that. How scary!

    I was on a plane that had some type of emergency, and we had to turn around and fly back to the airport. I don't know exactly the nature, but for some reason, I knew the odds of something else happening on another plane was so astronomical, it made me feel better.

    I hope you can do that SOAR program. It really helped me prepare for my flight I didn't get to take this weekend. :(

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  6. That would have a tendancy to scare a person. Wow! I would've had to think twice about getting on that plane too.

    People always tell me you won't go until it's your time, but what if it's the pilots time. lol

    Sorry, but sometimes you just gotta laugh a little.

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  7. i dont blame you! that would be a horrifying experience.

    i on the other hand love flying and it makes me sad to hear you don't! but to each their own.

    just glad you're safe and that you didn't crash :)

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  8. Oh my gosh! I would do the same thing as the 80% of you did! I don't care what the odds are, those are just numbers! That is so scary, make me thankful for what I have!

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  9. I so don't enjoy flying either but my SIL is even worse than I am. Once we were on a flight back to Indy with a brief connecting flight into Chicago. The landing was so awful that my SIL wouldn't get back on the plane. We had to rent a car and make the 3 hr drive home. So know I feel your pain. Love to drive but hate to fly!!

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  10. I remember you telling me about this! UGH, I can't even imagine...


    And I once had to fly to New Orleans... was supposed to go from Chattanooga to Memphis to New Orleans. But due to thunderstorms in Memphis I had to be re-routed. Chatt... to Cincinnati OHIO... to New Orleans! WHAT?! How did it make sense to fly from TN, all the way North to OHIO... then go all the way south to New Orleans?!

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