DarkAngel376 From Germany, joined Jun 2005, 4 posts, RR: 0 Posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 3223 times:
Hi all,
First of all : I'm new here on that forum..and I'm not a big fan of flying..as a matter of fact, I'm scared of flying so I'm here to get some facts and information and talk to people who travel alot.
My flight is going to be UA917 from Frankfurt to Washington DUL with a Boing 747-400, Row 32, seats 32D and E (for my Bf) - then from DUL to Buffalo, NY with a Embraer RJ145 (i suppose that's a small plane)
can you give me any information about the flight route? are we flying over the ocen or as a lot of people told me take the route over iceland and all so we dont' fly over water all the time...
I really hope to get some feedback from you and no laughing at me
ANCFlyer From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 3174 times:
DarkAngel, welcome to A-Net. . . Hope you enjoy your stay . . .
You're going to be flying from Europe to the States, you WILL be flying over ocean at some point, Iceland or Greenland notwithstanding. It's a necessity, flying over the ocean, since there is an ocean that separates the continents . No one's laughing at you . . .
Don't worry about flying, it's safer than driving the A6!
Here's an RJ145, United, at IAD (Washington Dulles), just click on the picture to make it larger. The RJ145 is a great aircraft. While it's not a "big jet" it is a jet. They can actually be quite comfortable.
DarkAngel376 From Germany, joined Jun 2005, 4 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 3165 times:
OOps..okay thanks alot for your email.
I know there will be some "over the ocean" flying involved...I just read a trip report from someone who was flying from Stuttgart to atlanta and all they ever flew over was the ocean..so the idea of flying over scotland and then greenland (where's always some land in sight) sounds so much more comfortable to me
thanks again for your help...
any idea where i can find one of these route maps like they show in the airplane what the travel route is???
In the box marked PATHS, enter FRA-IAD-BUF and click on Display Map. That sould give you a general idea of your flight path.
It's not always 100% accurate, but it will give you a good idea. Also, keep in mind that many, many things will determine the route of travel for your particular aircraft. Things such as the load on the aircraft, weather aloft, other air traffic going and coming from your destination, and other locations. So, there's no way to predict one hundred percent what your route of travel, altitude, etc will be . . .
In my opinion, you will fly across England, than south of greenland, and a bit along the coast over east canada, then south to Washington. But I'm not sure, never took this route!
Don't worry, as you know, the 744 has 4 engines and is able to fly even if one engine has a failure! Even though the chance of one of these is very seldom!
Have a nice flight! Sit back, relax, watch the view outside and be happy!
Please note that:
-you have 16x more chances of having a car crash on the way to the airport than having one in the plane, which travels quite some more distance!
-to my knowledge, a plane falling dowin in the mid-ocean never happened!
Cheers!
[Edited 2005-06-21 11:58:14]
[Edited 2005-06-21 11:59:19]
It's not about AIRBUS. it's not about BOEING. It's all about the beauty of FLYING.
Elagabal From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2005, 197 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 3071 times:
DarkAngel376, I'm a nervous flyer too - despite many, many trips - but I can tell you, the B-747 is an extremely stable and comfortable aircraft, as well as being very safe.
A little bumpiness in the ride is very common, especially when you're flying over the eastern Atlantic (near & over Ireland especially, should the route take you there). This is just like large waves in the ocean, or a bumpy road. Imagine a sailing tune, or maybe a cowboy song, in your mind while it's going on & you'll feel better.
Also, if it's a nice day when you're flying over Iceland (again, if you do), you might be really lucky and get fata morgana - an optical illusion that makes the land seem much, much closer than it really is. The views of the fjords are just astounding!
DarkAngel376 From Germany, joined Jun 2005, 4 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 3062 times:
ELAGABAL..interesting user name Well I didn't know when to expect the flight to get a little bumpy but I guess when we're getting close to Ireland I 'll be prepared for it.
Has it been your experience that the flight over the Atlantic is calmer than over land or is it bumpier??
I'd really like to know that...
Zrb2 From United States of America, joined exactly 13 years ago today! , 894 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 3039 times:
I can't speak about the flight over the Atlantic but i have taken that same UA RJ145 a few times from IAD to my hometown of BUF. I'm one of those people that happens to enjoy the single left hand side seat on the RJ. Enjoy your trip. BUF is a nice modern airport that's easy to get in and out of.
Thanx - not many people who know their classical history - or in my case, modern literature (Antonin Artaud)
Turbulence is very difficult to predict and varies with every flight. The captains have detailed weather information, and (route permitting) always try to avoid it for the passengers' sake. They really are very professional and do pay attention; if people are surprised, it can get messy (falling over in the aisle, spilling wine, etc. - very, very rare and never happened to me, but you never know).
Usually the ride is bumpier over the sea, within about an hour's flight of land. This is because the atmospheric phenomena are usually more complex here. Key word, USUALLY. I would expect some bumps around Ireland and Scotland, possibly over the Norwegian Sea, and again just east of Canada's Atlantic provinces. Turbulence over the eastern US is unusual unless there's a lot of thunderstorm activity - your captain will know this (and tell you).
There are certain turbulence "black spots" - just east of the Rocky Mountains in the States & Canada can be really, really rough. (You won't be anywhere nearby, of course.) Again, this is due to special climactic phenomena. There might be some similar going on near the Alps, especially during the föhnen (Buchstabierung?).
My experience is that turbulence very rarely lasts more than about 10 minutes per episode. Often, ironically, it happens all of a sudden, the captain tells you to fasten your seat belt, and then it goes away... Fantastic.
VS747SPUR From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2005, 373 posts, RR: 0 Reply 11, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2962 times:
You'll have no problems atall on your flights, just sit back and enjoy !
I have made many trans-atlantic trips Europe-USA, some have had basically no turbulance and had the seatbelt sign on for only take off and landing, other flights its been rocky for a few hours, yo could be unlucky or unlucky, but either way you will be 100% fine.
FRA2DTW From Germany, joined Feb 2004, 322 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2926 times:
If you do run into a good episode of turbulence, be sure to watch the wingtips, how they flop up and down. They're made that way and won't break off. HaHa. Also, all the way across the "Pond" you'll always be within two or three kilometers of another plane, either above or below you. Gute Reise!
AA777 From United States of America, joined exactly 14 years ago today! , 2465 posts, RR: 31 Reply 13, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2857 times:
Dont worry, DarkAngel, I USED to be nervous about flying, but over time I got over my worries, and now I love flying so much that I want to be a pilot! I realized that its not very reasonable to be afraid of a transport system that has less accidents in a year than happens in just an hour in the U.S.... pilots are highly trained, and the planes are all maintained well, esp. at a large airline like UA. Enjoy your flights to IAD, thats my home airport ! And most of all, enjoy the 747-400. Its a FANTASTIC aircraft, it really flies like a dream, and you will feel very secure. Its like a gentle giant .
Wunala From Australia, joined Mar 2005, 939 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2817 times:
You will have a great time, and have the support of your bf.
Flying is great, and you must have some need to know, or you wounl not have joined this merry band of airline lovers.
I could quote you stats etc, but the real knowledge is knowing that you have done it, and that you can do it again, and again, and again.
Make sure you have signed up for ffp, so that you can get all the mileage you can. You will love it, and I would hate for you to regret not getting miles straight away.
Bon voyage. And make sure you write a trip report. That may even take you mind off the flight. We all love detail here, so pen and paper at the ready.
Bond007 From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 5098 posts, RR: 8 Reply 15, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2773 times:
Quoting PipoA380 (Reply 4): you have 16x more chances of having a car crash on the way to the airport than having one in the plane, which travels quite some more distance!
I think you'll find it's MUCH more likely than 16 times .. more like a few hundred times more likely, but let's not start a discussion on that
...also, the Great Circle map that was displayed is the shortest route from A to B. On Atlantic crossings there are a number of pre-defined tracks and altitudes that are used, and depending on the winds and traffic etc., you could get any one of those tracks assigned to your flight. Westbound tracks are A,B,C,D... and Eastbound V,W,X,Y,Z...
Check out this link for some geek data on this:
https://www.notams.jcs.mil/common/nat.html
rgds,
Jimbo
I'd rather be on the ground wishing I was in the air, than in the air wishing I was on the ground!
Patrickj From United States of America, joined Mar 2005, 89 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (7 years 11 months 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2765 times:
Quoting Kaniksu (Reply 10): You have nothing to worry about and I hope you enjoy your flight! Just take some sleeping pills with you and get some liquor on the plane in case
Haveing flown internationally as a Pilot for a number of years I would advise against this idea. At the altitudes aircraft use to cross the Atlantic the aircraft cabin will be at the equivalent of 7000 to 8000 feet and your body will react differently to both the sleeping pills and the liquor. Please do not follow this advise as you will miss the enjoyable aspects of your trip.
Quoting FRA2DTW (Reply 12): If you do run into a good episode of turbulence, be sure to watch the wingtips, how they flop up and down. They're made that way and won't break off. HaHa. Also, all the way across the "Pond" you'll always be within two or three kilometers of another plane, either above or below you. Gute Reise!
Hardly a statement made to comfort a fearful flyer and just plain stupid. Yes the wings are made to flex up and down quite a lot (about 8 meters on a 747) but that happens only during turbulence and is just like the shock absorbers on your car flexing to smooth the ride over a bumpy road. The 747 is built like a tank and is very strong.
The reference to being so close to other aircraft is a bit misleading as well. You will be crossing the Atlantic on what is known as the North Atlantic Track System (or NAT). These are highways laid out in the sky for traffic going from Europe to North America during the day and then from North America to Europe at night. There are 13 tracks laid out with 60 nautical miles between each track. Track entry points are defined by latitude and longitude just off the Irish Coast and proceed across the Atlantic to Canada. If your flight is cleared on a northern track (Track A, B or C) you may see Greenland if on the right side of the aircraft. In any event you will be at least 1000 feet above or below and other aircraft with 60 miles between you and other aircraft at your same altitude. I want to reassure you that I've crossed the Atlantic and the Pacific numerous time in both four engine and two engine aircraft with out any problem.
You will be just fine.
As to turbulence, you may or may not experience it. Most likely you will not experience it over the ocean but rather over land. It is happens for two basic reasons:
1. As the sun heats the earth warm air rises and cold air falls. As you airplane passes through these rising and falling masses of air it feels a bump (like driving on a rough road). You cannot see or predict this but the airplane is built to ride over it without problems.
2. Clouds and weather can cause turbulence as well. You pilot will do everything he/she can to avoid this as we don't like turbulence as well. This type will vary with the weather and can in some cases be seen and avoided.
Hopefully this helps, I tried not to get too technical, but want to reassure you.
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