Flying Phobia

[Guest]

I am considering applying for a cadet position next year, however I have a bit of a flying phobia. I can fly, just about, but I hate every minute of it. I understand that with ship work you have to fly to meet the ship much of the time. Can anybody expand on this? How much flying is involved? In an ideal world I could just join and leave the ship in the UK!

Thanks

Sam

[dawg]

Re: Flying Phobia

if it was a ferry, probably... there are companies that stay around the coast, so you may be OK.

try James Fisher, and of course SSTG and CMT, and research the companies that look unlikely to fly you anywhere,

[CharlieDelta]

Re: Flying Phobia

Depends really on the type of ship you want to work on - as nemo said, ferries and, to an extent, other offshore vessels may be appropriate. But if you want deep sea or cruise then you're unlikely to be able to avoid flying.

As I've said many times, and I'm sure everyone's fed up of me saying it, I used to be aircrew. In three years of flying, and thousands of sectors flown (up to four a day) I had no problems at all. Turbulence can get a bit exciting from time to time, but the sea can be cruel too.

Always arrive at the airport early - save yourself the stress of having to rush. Don't have a drink - it will make things worse. Don't take any sedatives either, thouh some people find herbal things like Kalms and Rescue Remedy help, even as placebo. Occupy yourself on board - watch a movie if there is one, if not bring a laptop and DVDs or an iPod. Walk around, talk to the crew, tell them you're not a great flyer - I've had big strapping middle aged men tell me they were petrified at flying. Sit near a crew station - we can see if someone looks a bit nervous and can reassure you that everything's normal, like the grinding noise from the engines during climb and the whistling from the flaps on descent.

Do it enough times and you become immune/acclimatised to it.

[alistairuk]

Re: Flying Phobia

I am considering applying for a cadet position next year, however I have a bit of a flying phobia. I can fly, just about, but I hate every minute of it. I understand that with ship work you have to fly to meet the ship much of the time. Can anybody expand on this? How much flying is involved? In an ideal world I could just join and leave the ship in the UK!

Thanks

Sam

As nemo said, there are some UK based companies that trade only between the UK and Europe so if you were with one of them you obviously wouldn't have to fly (it may be necessary occasionally, but on the whole they tend to take the cheapest option).

Unfortunately every other company is going to involve flying at some point on your travels - I need to fly to join in the UK cause its cheaper for the company than getting a train (I am joining in Dover, so flying from Edinburgh)! You'll also find that your companies travel departments come up with some ingenious routing to get you from A - B, usually via C - D - E. (The most I have so far managed is 5 different flights ranging from 1 hour to 10 hours to get to the ship).

I dont particularly enjoy flying (not really scared of it - more the hatred of the hassle involved - especially the stress if you have short connection times!) but its alas part of the job.

None of this of course really helps you... but all I can say is, if your applying to this career, you will need to be prepared to fly at some point!

[Guest]

Re: Flying Phobia

Thanks for the quick replies guys. You all make sound advice. I think to be honest I'm going to have to put up with the discomfort of flying to reap the rewards of a career which I really want

[penfold]

Re: Flying Phobia

Deep sea=lots of sitting in the metal tube filled with flammable liquid hurtling through the air, and even more sitting around in airports wishing you were anywhere else. Seriously, it's safer than crossing the road. As a Merchant Mariner you are statistically more likely to die doing something daft like asphyxiating on a enclosed space entry or being sliced in two by a broken hawser than get killed in the big metal bird.

[steamer]

Re: Flying Phobia

Flying is witchcraft, plain and simple-go offshore if you don't like it, you get paid more, trips are shorter and you can get to work on Hogwarts express. Simples.

[Malim Sahib]

Re: Flying Phobia

Working offshore isn't much good either, as you might join/payoff by helicopter and most definitely will have to join/payoff abroad at some point as those ships restricted to UK waters will visit at least one foreign port a year for tax purposes.

[Guest]

Re: Flying Phobia

For some reason when I was younger I was under the impression that officers remain with the same ship all the time, and trot off for a break when the ship hits england again, and returns when the ship leaves england for its next voyage!!!

[Malim Sahib]

Re: Flying Phobia

Sam,
That's what used to happen in ye days of yore. Ship would arrive in first UK port and all Officers and Crew would be paid off and replaced by a 'coasting' crew who would take her 'round the land' to the various discharge/load ports.
Then at the final UK port before departure the coasting crew would pay off and the deepsea crew rejoin to take her onwards. This applied to general cargo ships and tankers, those ships which remained exclusively on the coast worked differently of course.
Now you can go to a different ship every trip depending on how your leave cycle works. I spent 6 years working for a British company where our ships never went West of Suez or East of Hawaii, so joining/paying off always entailed a long flight, but we did have at least one night in a hotel at each end.

[Guest]

Re: Flying Phobia

It's a shame it doesn't work that way anymore from my point of view!!!!

Thing is, I've been on six flights so far, and they've all been pretty much fine. Once back from Rome we had a bit of turbulence but it was nothing major. Sitting here now I know it's ridiculous as the chances of dying in a plane crash are remote to say the least and I have no such qualms in getting on a boat or on a train or in a car despite the fact I'm statistically 36 times more likely to die in a car crash than on a plane!

I don't want it to hold me back, I want to see the world and I want to travel, and I want to work on a ship. If that means I have to fly then so be it. To spend up to four months at a time at sea travelling around the world and doing an interesting and varied job for the sake of say a 10 hour flight, it's well worth it

[Beef1992]

Re: Flying Phobia

A pilot friend of mine told me that in 90% of plane crashes the passenger does not die as a result of the impact ,but dies a slow painfull death of asphyxiation caused by the fuel tanks rupturing and subsequent fires and toxins as the passenger is either rendered unable to leave the seat due to belt faults or broken limbs. But i'm sure you will be fine

[dawg]

Re: Flying Phobia

Attempting to fly without the aid of an aircraft can be more hazardous...
[youtube:2lnv1y2z]BepyTSzueno[/youtube:2lnv1y2z]

...but not always:
[youtube:2lnv1y2z]sgaLxD3wu6M[/youtube:2lnv1y2z]

Here's some tips:
[youtube:2lnv1y2z]RXaTtsnZZz0[/youtube:2lnv1y2z]

[alistairuk]

Re: Flying Phobia

lol... "once outside... run like hell" < love it!