Are you normally scared of heights?

[Ned Gravel]

Thought I would ask the question.  The only time heights above ground do not bother me is when I am flying or in a parachute harness.  Otherwise, I get queasy and nervous near the edge of whatever precipice I am standing on.

[201er]

Terrified of heights. The worst is in the 8-50ft range. When flying it's a different perspective and doesn't feel like the "standing on the edge of a roof" sort of feeling.

[scottfromiowa]

I had to do a 60 foot zip line and repel in military.  The climb up the tower and standing at top before hooked in were awful...Once strapped in I'm fine.  I get terets on a roof or ladder if over six feet.  Probably from all the work fall investigations I have completed...It's a rational fear.  You fall you are injured or die.  In a plane it's not at all the same feeling.  I LOVE roller coasters too.  The more cork-screws the better.

[aerobat95]

Nope not at all.....interesting to see most people are though....

[N601RX]

I used to fly around on this and the hieght never really bothered me.  Not much between the pilot and the ground.  Probably some of the funner flying that I have done.  Used the backyard for take off and landing.

[aerobat95]

Mike,

Very cool.  I have actually tossed around the idea of getting something like that or the ones where you strap the fan on your back. 

[Jeff_S]

I think it's human nature to be cautious around heights when you are in an insecure position. That's millenia of natural selection at work, since we can't fly by ourselves! As for me, I have no problem with heights at all as long as there is some form of security in place: a window, a chair-lift bar, a Mooney cockpit, etc. But I would be uncomfortable standing at the very edge of a 1000' precipice if I knew the only thing between me and my "last flight" was a little stumble.

[rbridges]

I'm terrified of heights.  I'm the guy that holds the ladder for my wife, and I get lots of crap from the neighbors.  For whatever reason, flying is no problem.  Weird.

[scottfromiowa]

I'm that guy too Rob...and I send my kids up too!  Meanwhile my next door neighbor is up on his extension ladder about 25 feet up hanging X-mas lights...I usually walk over and ask if the beauty of his lights is worth his life.  Neighbors now rent a "people" lift to hang their lights.  I don't have a phobia as I can get up on the ladder and get up on the roof/do the "high stuff", but just NOT digging it and therefore NOT safe doing it.  To me it's a rational fear.  Being afraid to fly or fly in small planes or afraid to look at a snake (my wife) is just not rational.

[RJBrown]

 Not at all. At the Grand Canyon I'm the one beyond the fence sitting on the pinnacle for the great photo shot. I like the feeling of being on the edge. One of the cooler aspects of skydiving. I am the one on top of the ladder or scaffolding, cracks me up when nervous type have to "hold" the ladder to appease their own worries. My friend needed to replace the chandelier in his entry last week. He ask to "borrow" my scaffolding to do it. In reality I was the one on the scaffolding. He handed me tools over the the second floor railing as I did the work.

[Piloto]

[Piloto]

 

No problem on flying in an R22 with no doors at 3000 ft. But will not look out from a 5 story balcony. First airlines have this fear problem for convincing people that flying will not scare you like a high rise buildimg or ferry ride. I think the reason for the fear on a building is for a misstep that can cause you a fall or a sudden earthquake like event. But when flying you can not fall due to a misstep so you feel safer. Next time I approach a high rise balcony I will wear a parachute to see if the fear goes away.

 

José

[scottfromiowa]

Quote: edgargravel

Thought I would ask the question.  The only time heights above ground do not bother me is when I am flying or in a parachute harness.  Otherwise, I get queasy and nervous near the edge of whatever precipice I am standing on.

[scottfromiowa]

Quote: scottfromiowa

Good thread!

Yes - I do NOT like ladders.  I have used them but I would rather not. I hire a guy to do our gutters.

Also - I do not like hikes - and I am very athletic.  I ski race and bike race but for some weird reason hikes scare me coming back down from the mountain when it is a very steep trail that a mistep would cause me to roll down the mountain or off a cliff which at least for me describes lots of hikes my friends drag me on.  Even my kids drag me on!  People make fun of me as being the pilot who is afraid of heights.  But I am not afraid of heights.  I am afraid of tripping and falling off a mountain!  10K in an airplane is not scary to me.

[bnicolette]

Absolutely horrified.  About ten rungs up on a ladder is about it for me.  Can't stand on the edge of anything.  My cousins tree house is absolutely terrifying to me and I get dizzy.

No problem surrounded by fuselage though!!

[201er]

If we all weren't scared of heights, we wouldn't be pilots... we'd be sky divers (what we normally call meat rockets)!

[Hank]

Quote: 201er

If we all weren't scared of heights, we wouldn't be pilots... we'd be sky divers (what we normally call meat rockets)!