first time flying....

[WalterMitty]

i flying for the first time on friday morning.

ill be flying from raleigh to boston, with a layover in detroit (of all places).

what should i expect?  im not nervous.  i am, however, very excited.

[Richard]

i flying for the first time on friday morning.

ill be flying from raleigh to boston, with a layover in detroit (of all places).

what should i expect?  im not nervous.  i am, however, very excited.

You have never flown before?  Never?!

Take offs are the best.   The rest is pretty boring.

[Cashcow]

Hey, tell me if you arrive at Detroit's McNamara terminal. It's the best airport I've ever been to.

You'll have fun.

[jokerman]

If above your seat the seatbelt light ever goes out that means all hell has broke loose.

[WalterMitty]

i want to take my gps along with me, you think itd work?

[Richard]

i want to take my gps along with me, you think itd work?

Yes.

The last time I flew we had built in LCD displays into each seat.  They were about 8 inches.  One of the options were "flight map" and plotted the course, and where the plane was at that time.  It also showed air speed, ground speed, wind, direction, time remaining, etc.

[Gabu]

i flying for the first time on friday morning.

ill be flying from raleigh to boston, with a layover in detroit (of all places).

what should i expect?  im not nervous.  i am, however, very excited.

If you see anyone with a boxcutter, be sure to murder that person.

Otherwise, have a safe and happy flight.

[Jake]

I echo Everett's advice on chewing gum. I get that terribly. Also, landing is awesome, especially with a window seat. Have fun

[ilikeverin]

i want to take my gps along with me, you think itd work?

I think that might interfere with signals.  Maybe.  I don't know anything about flight, except that I've flown since I was 3 (I've been on too many flights to think about), and I've flown in 1st class maybe 4 times!  Or something!

Umm, hints.  Yeah, gum is good.  If your ears pop anyway, plug your nose and attempt to blow out of your nose (it sounds weird, but it works).  Get a window seat if you want to see the country.  Bring a book or two, don't count on a friendly hot chick in the seat next to you   If you're stuck in a middle seat, see if you're in the middle of a group and if someone would kindly like to trade with you.

Get ginger ale while flying, that's what I always get

If you have a seat in coach, and are particularly brave, see if you can get the first seat in coach (at the ticket counter).  Because, IMO, those are the best that coach offers.

Go to the bathroom before you take off, because airplane bathrooms, though small and relatively clean, are usually busy.  Don't go to the bathroom when the stewardesses are giving out food and/or beverages.

Take your shoes off when flying, it makes the ride a lot more comfortable.

Umm... yeah.    I'll see if I can think of anything else.

Oh!  At least try to sleep in the plane, to see whether you can or not.  Because I can't, and I am always jealous of those who can (Although it's your first flight, so you'll probably be wanting to stare out the plane when flying)

Read the little in-seat catalogues if you're bored.  I like to look at the maps of where the airline flies.  'tis fun!  Read the safety guidelines while the flight attendant is demonstrating them, because otherwise you'll waste some of your good reading material when you haven't even taken off yet!  Plus, sometimes they have funny little pictures.  Like no RC racecars on the flight :S

If it's cloudy where you are, it's fun to take off or land through the clouds.

...

Yeah.

[Gabu]

If you want a serious answer, take a look out a window when you've reached your maximum altitude.  It's an awesome sight to see fields and forests and such from several thousand feet off the ground.  Window seats in airplanes are the best.

[ilikeverin]

If you want a serious answer, take a look out a window when you've reached your maximum altitude.  It's an awesome sight to see fields and forests and such from several thousand feet off the ground.  Window seats in airplanes are the best.

Yeah, everyone's like, "Ooooh, aisle seat, bla bla bla, it's soooo good you can stretch your legs" (imagine that in a falsetto, and you'll get what I was thinking) but window seats are far superior.

[Alcon]

I never had any problem with take-off. What bothered me was that I never could tell whether the plane was upside-down in mid-air. I didn't have any problem with it being upside-down, weirdly, but the fact I didn't know which way was up bugged me.

The best thing to do is not think about it. Take something with you to entertain you. The GPS is a good idea. Some people like looking out the window at scenery, while it makes others nervous.

Oh, and for some reason I always get a bit annoyed at the inability to move around in planes. If you're a fidgety person like I am, but don't easily get hyped up on sugar, I suggest a cold, carbonated beverage. For some reason, this makes not moving around more tolerable. I can't really explain why. It also does wonders if the heat bugs you and gives a general sense, I suppose, of being outside.

[minionofmidas]

Short distance flights are usually horrible. Although a short hop after a long flight is usually fine.
Long distance flights are fine as long as you got a window or aisle seat - not a middle one, they're terrible - and your ears don't hurt too much. Mine sometimes do it for days after. The best recipe against it for me seems to be to fall asleep during takeoff.

[ATFFL]

You will have to turn the GPS off during take off and landing.  They may ask you to leave it off during the entire flight.

Check in advance how full your plane is.  I've had a few planes all to myself.  One time, when flying down the Charleston from Raleigh, I had the entire plane to myself.  Sure it was just a turboprop, but it was all mine.  So I went on the flight in a full suit and tie.  When we land the pilot gets off, gets my luggage for me and shakes my hand.  The ground crew, not sure what is up with the guy in a suit and tie getting off a jet all alone, come up to me and shake my hand.  I go in the terminal and people are taking pictures of me.  Two strangers walk up and shake my hand. 

When I meet my friend, who is picking me up, he is in his Air Force uniform.  He shakes my hand and takes my bag.  Without realizing it, he plays along like I am some bigwig. 

I wonder who everyone thought I was. 

[KEmperor]

I echo Everett's advice on chewing gum. I get that terribly. Also, landing is awesome, especially with a window seat. Have fun

I actually prefer the takeoff.  I like the feeling of power when the pilot guns the throttle.  I also highly recommend a window seat.  You get a great view, and you have something to lean your head against if you want to rest.  My other advice is to bring something to do, like a CD player, because it can get really boring just sitting in a seat for hours.

[KEmperor]

You will have to turn the GPS off during take off and landing.  They may ask you to leave it off during the entire flight.

Check in advance how full your plane is.  I've had a few planes all to myself.  One time, when flying down the Charleston from Raleigh, I had the entire plane to myself.  Sure it was just a turboprop, but it was all mine.  So I went on the flight in a full suit and tie.  When we land the pilot gets off, gets my luggage for me and shakes my hand.  The ground crew, not sure what is up with the guy in a suit and tie getting off a jet all alone, come up to me and shake my hand.  I go in the terminal and people are taking pictures of me.  Two strangers walk up and shake my hand. 

When I meet my friend, who is picking me up, he is in his Air Force uniform.  He shakes my hand and takes my bag.  Without realizing it, he plays along like I am some bigwig. 

I wonder who everyone thought I was. 

LOL, that's hilarious.

[minionofmidas]

That also happened to my granddad once. He lives on Corfu now. There is a once-a-week (more often than that in the peak season) direct flight from Corfu to Frankfurt for half the year.
Obviously, the first machine in the year usually takes the first few tourists there, and returns empty. My granddad flew back on that for a home visit.

[Nation]

Flying's not that exciting, and neither is the airport crap :/

Take-off is cool though. The ear-popping isn't as much as the others are making it out to be. What you're more likely to experience is being a little lightheaded during the flight, and probably getting a little tired.

Just get a window seat, sit back, and listen to some Chopin or something.

[opebo]

Flying is less fun than it used to be - at least in the US - because of all the nonsensical and useless 'security'.

Also american airlines are the worst airlines in the world in terms of service - most offer no food at all.

[Dave from Michigan]

I've only been on an airplane once when I was 2 so I don't remember it.  layover in Detroit, be sure to stay in the airport (just kidding)  actually the airport isn't even in or that close the city of Detroit.

[Cashcow]

I've only been on an airplane once when I was 2 so I don't remember it.  layover in Detroit, be sure to stay in the airport (just kidding)  actually the airport isn't even in or that close the city of Detroit.

Yeah, it's in Romulus, 25 miles away.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

I've only been on an airplane once when I was 2 so I don't remember it.  layover in Detroit, be sure to stay in the airport (just kidding)  actually the airport isn't even in or that close the city of Detroit.

The terminal in that airport is HUGE. It's the only place I've ever seen a train to take you from one part of a building to another.

[Richard]

If you want a serious answer, take a look out a window when you've reached your maximum altitude.  It's an awesome sight to see fields and forests and such from several thousand feet off the ground.  Window seats in airplanes are the best.

Yeah, everyone's like, "Ooooh, aisle seat, bla bla bla, it's soooo good you can stretch your legs" (imagine that in a falsetto, and you'll get what I was thinking) but window seats are far superior.

I don't know... I usually ask for the last row, middle column (4 seats on a 747-400, which is what I've mainly flown in).  That way you usually don't have any neighbors, you can put the armrests up, and lie down and sleep for the flight after take off.  Thats what I usually do anyways.  Most of my flights were 10 to 14 hours tho.

[opebo]

If you want a serious answer, take a look out a window when you've reached your maximum altitude.  It's an awesome sight to see fields and forests and such from several thousand feet off the ground.  Window seats in airplanes are the best.

Yeah, everyone's like, "Ooooh, aisle seat, bla bla bla, it's soooo good you can stretch your legs" (imagine that in a falsetto, and you'll get what I was thinking) but window seats are far superior.

I don't know... I usually ask for the last row, middle column (4 seats on a 747-400, which is what I've mainly flown in).  That way you usually don't have any neighbors, you can put the armrests up, and lie down and sleep for the flight after take off.  Thats what I usually do anyways.  Most of my flights were 10 to 14 hours tho.

I fly mostly 747-400's as well, but they're always full to and from Asia.

[Richard]

Not between Asia-Africa.

And Singapore Airlines is simply the best airlines in the world.