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Flightseeing for a nervous flyer


mackfam
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I am considering booking a flightseeing excursion with Island Wings to Misty Fjords on our Alaskan cruise next May. I have read all the great reviews about this experience BUT I am a nervous flyer. Just wondering if any other folks who are typically nervous flying have done this excursion, and if so, how their anxiety level was and were they still able to enjoy it. (Also concerned that I might alarm/annoy the other people in the plane if I’m jumping or waving my arms around every time there’s a change in engine pitch!)

 

 

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I am not a nervous flyer on larger aircraft, but in deciding whether to "risk" taking a float plane trip to Misty Fjords, I had to "screw up" my courage and do so. I don't regret it! Boarding the plane, I was excited, but not nervous. Take-off was smoother than a plane speeding down a concrete runway. Landing on a lake in Misty Fjords was smooth and getting out of the plane and standing on its floats for awhile, taking in the beauty of the scenery and the silence of the area: it was a "WOW" moment for me. And, that trip is one of my most favorite tours that I have enjoyed.

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I am not a nervous flyer on larger aircraft, but in deciding whether to "risk" taking a float plane trip to Misty Fjords, I had to "screw up" my courage and do so. I don't regret it! Boarding the plane, I was excited, but not nervous. Take-off was smoother than a plane speeding down a concrete runway. Landing on a lake in Misty Fjords was smooth and getting out of the plane and standing on its floats for awhile, taking in the beauty of the scenery and the silence of the area: it was a "WOW" moment for me. And, that trip is one of my most favorite tours that I have enjoyed.

 

I can't improve on this description! This was our first Alaska excursion in 2007 and remains one of our favorites (after 2 more Alaska cruises). We would never have done our favorite (actually one of our favorite excursions anywhere in the world) if we hadn't done the float plane first. That was a flight over the summit of Denali later on the tour part of that cruise. We enjoyed the Misty Fjords experience so much that I was actually excited to experience the Denali flight - oxygen mask (since the cabin wasn't pressurized and the summit is over 20,000 feet) and all!

 

Just breathe slowly and calmly!

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Nobody knows. . But unfortunately I’ve flown with several who never should have stepped foot on the plane. (including another one this season). You need to be reality based with your decision-not full of excuses. . It’s costly with no way out in very tight quarters. You will get way more movement in a small plane and there is no way out.

 

But there no better way to see the beauty and vastness of Alaska. I fly multiple times each season and never tire.

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The plane will be loud. You wear noise cancelling head phones so you can hear the pilot and you push a button to talk. Everyone hears when one does this. You won't be jumping, as you are belted in. Her plane has 3 rows of side by side seats.

 

The take off is way different than a jet. We did not taxi very long or really really fast on the water. The landing I was on was smooth. You may experience some low dips/tilts when the plane turns. Only you can decide.

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My Joy is a "white knuckle" flyer and it was tough just getting her to take on the numerous take-offs and landings (commercial) we will be experiencing on our May trip to Alaska. We'll be in Ketchikan Wednesday (29th) and have a Fjord tour with Michelle at 10am. We are trying to get her to do the glacier (Soule) flyover. She says she needs 6 to book that tour to include it. I'm considering going with one of the other tours that can arrange the glacier flyover which is all "weather permitting".

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We flew with Michelle and Island Wings this summer, I was very comfortable flying with her. You can tell she knows what she is doing, she has been flying for a good while, and she spends a lot of money upkeeping her plane. I never had any safety concerns.

She has some nice tunes she plays through the head sets which are can help ease tension, the scenery cannot be beat. That being said it was overcast and cloudy the day we went, but we had smooth skies with no turbulance. She said sunny days can get more turbulence. Just make sure if you are prone to motion sickness you are prepared for it.

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I am considering booking a flightseeing excursion with Island Wings to Misty Fjords on our Alaskan cruise next May. I have read all the great reviews about this experience BUT I am a nervous flyer. Just wondering if any other folks who are typically nervous flying have done this excursion, and if so, how their anxiety level was and were they still able to enjoy it. (Also concerned that I might alarm/annoy the other people in the plane if I’m jumping or waving my arms around every time there’s a change in engine pitch!)

 

 

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I understand this feeling completely - however - I "faced my fears" this summer and took a floatplane flight to Taku lodge (excursion from Princess ) and it was one of the highlights of our fabulous trip.

 

We had a sunny day and it was actually so peaceful seeing all that Alaskan beauty from the sky.

 

I was not the only "reluctant" flyer on our plane but everyone had a wonderful time and no one regretted their decision to "go for it!)

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I've never been on either a floatplane or helicopter and would like to experience one of these excursions in Alaska. In an effort to prevent anxiety/panic attack which would be a "smoother" flight, have more comfortable seating for a large person and window seats/views for all? Which aircraft is easier to "climb" in and out of?

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