Pilots With A Fear Of Heights

[goalscrounger]

Ok, so I am aware I could get laughed out of this forum here lol, but does anyone else who flies drones and has a fear of heights get the same vertigo feeling while flying as I do (the kind of feeling they'd get if they were ascending a high ladder?!!)

It's such a weird, unexpected and irrational feeling (and one I hope that will ease over time), just wondered if it was just me?!

 

[elborak]

I have fairly strong acrophobia, but drone flying (or even flying in a commercial airplane for that matter) doesn't bother me at all. It has to be somewhat an open environment (e.g. an observation deck on a building) for it to really hit me hard.

 

[eaglesurfing]

I changed mine from fear of heights to the fear of falling on something.
It is a process that will get better with time. When you are looking down at your world you will realize your problem is not as big as you think.
It also helps to watch the drone more then the screen.

 

[goalscrounger]

It also helps to watch the drone more then the screen.

Yes, this is what I try to do (the same tactic I used when I stupidly thought a hot air balloon flight wouldn't trigger my vertigo.....I only survived by watching the scenery through my camcorder viewfinder )

 

[anotherlab]

I also have strong acrophobia, but watching the screen doesn't trigger it. I'm wondering if the Goggles would.

 

[Camino Ken]

If you have acrophobia I would definitely steer clear of the Googles. Even folks without height fears can have uncomfortable reactions.

 

[goalscrounger]

I have fairly strong acrophobia, but drone flying (or even flying in a commercial airplane for that matter) doesn't bother me at all. It has to be somewhat an open environment (e.g. an observation deck on a building) for it to really hit me hard.

I'm the same as you with planes and enclosed buildings not bothering me, so being triggered by my drone was a bit of a surprise!

 

[anotherlab]

If you have acrophobia I would definitely steer clear of the Googles. Even folks without height fears can have uncomfortable reactions.

I have the Samsung VR set and I used to run a flight simulator on it that used an ultra light craft. It didn't bother me. My acrophobia is weird that way. I tense up driving over bridges, but I was fine parasailing. And it was triggered by "The Slabs" video over in the Danny MacAskill thread.

 

[hiflyer201]

long time pilot and I don't have a fear of heights but flying over a tall tower and having a direct connection to the ground has always momentarily taken my breath away. The same thing didn't happen looking down from the Eiffel Tower. I guess maybe because the scenery is so unbelievably beautiful. It was kinda like you looking at your camcorder.
I'm guessing you'll get over it real soon.

 

[Capt. Paradise]

Same, planes don’t bother me at all but the higher and farther my MA2 goes, the more pucker there is. It’s not as bad in wide open spaces but I do a lot of construction filming so sometimes tight job spaces force me to expand my comfort zone.
it is improving with time, I wish it would hurry?

 

[Flying Shroppie]

For many years prior to retirement I was a Safety Manager in the construction industry and part of my job was to carry out inspections of tower cranes. These inspections had to be carried out every week and thorough inspections every month. The monthly inspections involved climbing to the full height of the crane and a walk out along the jib. OK on the larger cranes when I was inside the structure of the jib but on the smaller (less than 150 ft high) cranes it involved getting outside the jib and holding the top of the triangular section between my knees whilst I photographed the hoist trolley etc. I was attached to the crane with a harness which would have prevented a fall to the ground but I still don't know how I would have been rescued in the event of a fall and been left dangling on the end of the safety harness lanyard.
The point is that I would do this routine week after week but then for some unknown reason one day I would freeze and not be able to climb the crane. However the following day I would back to normal and able to carry on as if nothing had happened.
So don't be bothered by an attack of vertigo as it can catch you out when you least expect it. Recognise it and respect it. Its natures warning device!

 

[Crusader14]

Over the years I have come across many professional pilots who suffer from vertigo when on the ground.

 

[Jeff A]

I don't do ladders or rooftops well but flying has never bothered me, having flown over 18,000 hours. I was however, once offered to fly a friend's Breezy and I declined.
I just imagined myself sitting on that seat with nothing around me. I have not turned down many opportunities to fly aircraft but this was a "No Way" no brainer for me. The "Breezy" looks like this.

 

[Daytona500]

as I got older I developed acrophobia in open spaces, flying, inside buildings I'm ok, but the really weird thing is when I watch youtube video's, people standing ontop of towers , cliff's ect ect I get really nervous lioke it was me there.

 

[elborak]

Another interesting trait of my acrophobia is with regard to roller coasters. When I'm moving fast, the heights don't bother me, but the chain climb can be absolute terror. That's why I much prefer rocket start coasters.

 

[Michael Ainsworth]

Ok, so I am aware I could get laughed out of this forum here lol, but does anyone else who flies drones and has a fear of heights get the same vertigo feeling while flying as I do (the kind of feeling they'd get if they were ascending a high ladder?!!)

It's such a weird, unexpected and irrational feeling (and one I hope that will ease over time), just wondered if it was just me?!

Hahahaha..... no seriously, I have the feelings of vertigo or just unbalance when looking up at the drone. Gets worse if over a gorge.
Possibly from my age and many misspent hours in my youth listening to Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zepellin etc. My balance is not what it used to be as I also suffer from MS.
One way to alleviate this is to sit on a camp chair (with 4 legs not 3).

 

[geigy]

I definitely have an ongoing reaction to heights, but it only affects me when I'm looking up at the drone. Even after years, 400ft up seems like a thousand. When I'm looking at the screen, and focusing on what is happening there, I get involved in the video and the controls and I don't feel anything.

Scuba is the same way. If I'm focused on my air pressure and looking at interesting critters, I'm completely comfortable. Looking up at the water surface 100 feet above me gives me the willies.

 

[goalscrounger]

So glad it's not just me!!@Michael Ainsworth, I will try sitting down, thank you!

 

[retleo121]

Hello all, 2 week drone noob here. I feel that tacking on to this old thread is probably better than creating a new one. I see some folks in this thread posting somewhat similar experiences as I'm having. I'm just hoping that the feeling I'm having subsides with experience.

I'm not a person who has a general fear of heights. Yeah, when you get to extreme stuff, I'm a no go for that kind of thrill (there will be no parachuting for this guy!), but generally I can climb without too much fear. This seems to get worse with age though. I flew small aircraft when I was 16 - had a solo cert but never went through with the actual private pilot license. Looking down from the small Cessna 150 cabin at 5000 ft never seemed to bother me.

However, with my very first drone, a Mini 3 Pro, I am experiencing a significant fear when I look up and see my drone 100' plus in the air. No vertigo, just fear/nervousness. I have this huge black walnut tree in my backyard and even looking at the RC screen freaked me out when getting high enough flying over it. I made it 200 feet down my property and had to turn around and get it back.

I've since been practicing inside large buildings at work, trying to get familiar with the controls. I'm hoping that familiarization will help with this weird fear I'm experiencing when flying at heights. Any other suggestions or similar experiences would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[AMann]

I think it’s more of fear of having my hard earned money flying away, or fear of getting hit by low-flying aircraft (we are in G open airspace where aircraft of all types like to occasionally fly low over the hills), or by an angry hawk or two that keeps me flying low and very carefully in our area.