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[color=#000000]I have no fear of heights. Nor do I have a fear of falling from heights. I have a dreadful fear of the rapid deceleration at the end of a fall from heights.

I can spend ages, lying on my back, gazing up at the Moon, from Earth, with no fear of its great height!..... ....

My greatest fear would be, falling from the Moon, back to Earth!... ... ...!

Paul....Mooning again... ...!

I don't think that's that weird Patch. I mean, think about it. When you're flying in a large, commercial airplane, you're not likely in control (unless you're one of the pilots on board). You can't see anything in front of you, and sometimes, you can't see anything outside at all. It's a sense of heading into the unknown, you don't know these pilots, you don't know where they trained, or how alert they may be. But it all comes down to trust. I used to be a little wary of traveling as a passenger when I first started flying back in the day, haha. I didn't like being the passenger, because I wasn't in control. And that's the biggest difference between flying in a 30 seat Dash 8, versus a 2 seat 152. On top of that, why would you ever want to be a passenger when you can be the one in control, haha.

I have a fear of falling, not heights.  That's why I'm good in a plane but not on a cliff edge.

I was afraid of heights until I joined the Army- went to Airborne training- jumped out 32 times- HEIGHTS NEVER BOTHERED ME AFTER THAT!!

My greatest fear would be, falling from the Moon, back to Earth!... ... ...!

Astronauts get this very problem... It's not that they're floating, they're always falling, but so's the craft their in!

In space, nobody can hear you plummet.

I don't think I really have a fear of "falling"... ...

...its the "landing" part at the end, which puts me off!......!

I have to keep reminding myself that my eye-balls are around 5' 7" from the ground around me...so don't fall over!... ...!

Paul...just call me "Shorty"!.... 8-)...!

I took several hours of flight training in a Piper j3 60 years ago. I was getting excellent grades from my instructor and enjoying it immensely until one Sunday morning I had an inexplicable panic attack 4,500 up. I have flown as a passenger  many, many thousands of miles since in many types of aircraft and still get the shakes. Not an uncommon phobia. I have been advised to undergo hypnosis but I fear I might end up hating my dog.

Hey Dennis
Most of us would probably worry about ending up hating our wife - but

OLD  LOL  I already hate my wife!!!    (just kidding) 

hi guys. i have a question for u airline pilots out there....is having fear of heights an important criteria or factor in becoming a pilot or in other words can a person be a pilot if he/she is afraid of heights?? i hope u guys will help me answer this question bcoz i really really want to be a pilot. it has been my ambition to be one since i was young n i hope it wont destroy my dreams of bcoming one just bcoz im afraid of heights...

I am deathly, deathly afraid of heights, and I am taking private pilot lessons. My logic? Planes are made to fly, I'm not. It makes sense to be afraid of heights if you're standing on the edge of a cliff - if you fall, you die. Planes are a different matter. They're meant to fly. That's how I think of it.

i find it there's a simple logic as to why ladder-like heights may scare pilots, while FL300 will feel quite comfortable...

it all comes down to your visual points of reference - it's the "don't look down" thing


if you're standing at the edge of a cliff, then you gaze down, following the length of the drop with your eyes - you'll get scared out of your pants -
now, when you're on an airplane, or helicopter - even very tiny ones, like sailplanes - you have nothing to guide your eyes progressively down to the ground - so you get a "visual split" situation - without a continuous shift in eye focus, you get only very-close and very-far...

and that distiction seems to separate your depth perception in such a way that you don't get vertigo, hence, no fear of heights 


i figured that out when i flew sailplanes some years back... i still don't feel kinda funky near tall ledges 


interesting, is it not? 

i find it there's a simple logic as to why ladder-like heights may scare pilots, while FL300 will feel quite comfortable...

it all comes down to your visual points of reference - it's the "don't look down" thing

You might have a point but I think there's an even simpler explanation. If you're at the top of a ladder or standing on the edge of a cliff the only thing preventing a fall is your sense of balance. One slip & you're gone.

In an aircraft cockpit you're in a completely different environment. Sitting in a hopefully comfortable seat in an enclosed space. Balance doesn't come into it. If you get up & walk through the cabin you can only fall as far as the floor.

thanx again 4 the quick reply.That was a relief to hear from u........now i can go on to fulfil my dream of bcoming n airline pilot!!

Speaking of wanting to be an airline pilot, I want to be one as well and I was wondering what airline you have in mind. I'm thinking Delta Airlines right now but I'm not sure.