Bad dreams

[Meatservo]

Definitely weird how common this dream is. I wonder what kind of stressful flying dreams people had before the land was criss crossed with wires?

The other version of the dream I used to have was also flying bird style, no aircraft. There was no road and no wires, but after reaching a satisfying yet frightening altitude, I'd run out of stanima and start to fall. Those dreams were a lot better than the wire ones though, as I would get a lot more air time in before things went south.

When I was little I would have these dreams. I wasn't exactly able to fly, it's more like I was slightly buoyant, and if I ran really fast and jumped off something or hit a bump I would sort of fly along without touching for a while. In some of these dreams I was able to stay airborne longer by flapping my arms, but the results were always variable, and sometimes didn't work. They were always exciting dreams, and I think they were caused by my father teaching me to ride a bike.

As well as the horrible wire-dreams, I wonder if dreaming of being able to fly during childhood is also a common thing for pilots?

[timel]

Except Cat Driver, he dreams he flies over pylons. Because his great experience taught him that crop dusters are stupid if they fly below. Hold on, I am writing an email right now to my crop duster friends who do that and will tell the how sh***ty is their airmanship.

You are entitled to your opinion timel, however where did I say those who fly under wires were stupid?

There have been many accidents where ag pilots hit wires trying to fly under them.

There have been no accidents caused by safely flying over them.

Not I am not entitled to my opinion. Even if it is rare, I can tell you one thing, sometimes it is safer and easier to go below, and it is not poor/stupid decision making or inexperience (bad airmanship?). I am not speaking of phone line, but high tension powerlines.
I am done arguing, because there is nothing to argue about.

-------------------------


Yes it is a great topic.
And that lite post traumatic make strong sense.
On a tougher note I know a pilot who has suffered panic attacks due to tough flight experiences.
Remains flying is not banal thing and it will never be for humans.

[digits_]

Haven't had any of those dreams yet. Regarding the post traumatic thing: doesn't the same apply every time you drive a car ? You have to pay attention as well or you'll die. Close your eyes for 5 seconds and see what happens, just like flying.

[Meatservo]

Haven't had any of those dreams yet. Regarding the post traumatic thing: doesn't the same apply every time you drive a car ? You have to pay attention as well or you'll die. Close your eyes for 5 seconds and see what happens, just like flying.

I guess so. Driving is so commonplace though, and has a different level of inherent risk. You might say that driving is more dangerous than flying, but that's just a manipulation of statistics. By the same token, beds are more dangerous than aeroplanes too, because more people die in them.

Most of the time you can choose to stop and get out of the car if not right away, at least soon. I do both flying and driving and I've been way more concerned with my immediate welfare in an aeroplane than I've ever been in my automobile.

Maybe people who commute a lot or drive in very busy areas ARE affected more than those who don't. The thing is, almost everybody drives, so any effect it would have on your psyche wouldn't be significant or noticeable compared to any sample group.

Ask a race-car driver, though, and I bet they have some pretty sick dreams!

[Nephilim]

(wonder what Freud would say!),

Obviously Freud would say in the first case that the pilot was suffering from suppressed pilot ego tendencies after a successful landing; to subconsciously crave sexual intercourse, as evidenced flying low down the tunnel (road and trees) as it gets narrow and difficult to further navigate until ... accident and/or orgasm.

As in the other case, a male pilot's ego (creative as it is) might find other ways north toward the two hills of feminine anatomy and of course the encroaching low wires and tightness to escape ... can only mean one thing ... "ah ... come again."

[Rookie50]

Meatservo,

That was pretty insightful and really well written. Clearly, you've been thinking a lot on the topic. I've thought on it a bunch too but never mentioned it because I don't need to appear any crazier than I already do. If you add a few extra notches of stress in there, maybe have a really close call, or lose some friends doing similar activities, this common mindset we have can get out of control in a hurry. It's good to hear that we're all in a very similar situation with this. At the very minimum, some may not feel as weirded out by it.

Great post.

Maybe I am a live chicken instead of a dead duck?

Great analogy, Cat. Great one for everyone to keep at the back of their minds.

Works for me too, Cat. Choosing to fly is inherently accepting risk, those remaining on the ground pass by. I would not be ashamed in being called a chicken by carefully mitigating the flight specific risks out there.

[EPR]

KnownIce...Sometimes I dream that I am caught wrestling the local flight school's 172 around the circuit, with page #3 of the pre-landing checklist missing.

Piss the bed every time.

I just spit my coffee everywhere..lol..that was funny!

And for the record, I also have a similar dream that includes wires or trees, but I think it's more along the lines of a short field take-off in hot, high conditions and I can't exchange airspeed for altitude because the stall horn is squawking and the wires are ahead and at or above my altitude....hate it...it's that feeling of hopelessness or impending doom.

[Pop n Fresh]

I have not had the underwires dream for a long time. There was a thread about dreams in the water cooler started about the losing teeth dream.

[arctic_slim]

Very interesting discussion. I thought I was weird for having dreams like that but it looks like it's more common. My version is slightly different though. In my dreams i'm flying along, usually at night and/or low vis situations and the plane goes out of control suddenly. Either a dive or a sharp bank. In the dream I can never recover, either the controls don't respond or my hands move in super slow motion and I am unable to grab the controls. I wake up right at impact every time. My wife says I probably get them because flying is stressful on the brain.
I also noticed that I started getting them more often once I got my first captain job. I guess it's more stressful when you're the one in charge and making the decisions.

[Pop n Fresh]

I read that if you dream you can fly it means you are successfully doing everything you want in life at that time.

I have had that dream also and it was always at a time when I felt that way.

[Youngback]

The opposite of a bad dream. My favourite dream so far was when i was a dinosaur control pilot preventing dinosaurs from getting too close to and wiping out our small town. Flying heavily armed king airs and caravans

[gustind]

Having difficulties staying in flight indicates a lack of power in controlling your own circumstances. You may be struggling to stay aloft or stay on set course. Things like power lines, trees, or mountains may be obstacles that you encounter in flight. These obstacles symbolize something or someone who is standing in your way in your waking life. You need to identify what or who is trying to prevent you from moving forward. Difficulty flying may also be an indication of a lack of confidence or some hesitation on your part. You need to believe in yourself and not be afraid.

If you are feeling fear when you are flying or that you are flying too high, then it suggests that you are afraid of challenges and of success. Perhaps you are not ready to take the next step.

In reality, we cannot really fly, of course. Thus, such dreams can be representative of things that are beyond your physical limitations. In your mind, you can be anybody and do anything. Another way of interpreting flying dreams is that these dreams symbolize your strong mind and will. You feel undefeatable and that nobody can tell you what you cannot do and accomplish. Such dreams are sure to leave you with a great sense of freedom.

The only flying dream I've had was quite nerve wrecking. While on a US Airways flight I dreamed that inbound to landing we did an overshoot, pitched up but it never stopped. We struggled our way through a loop then maintained a 5 degree nose up attitude while almost descending vertically (stalled.) The last place I remember being was clearly on the plane so I had quite a difficult time distinguishing dream from reality. Waking up and sitting in cruise was the most awkward I've ever felt in a while. Great thread.

[Rowdy]

Interesting to see all the similarities.

I happen to have one where I simply cannot out climb terrain. Usually too heavily loaded.. or not enough airspeed.. or something along those lines. Just hanging there in ground effect until I come close to hitting something and wake up.

[Pop n Fresh]

Things like power lines may be obstacles that you encounter in flight. These obstacles symbolize something or someone who is standing in your way in your waking life. You need to identify what or who is trying to prevent you from moving forward.

My wife.

More so at the time. Now we can afford renting a plane once a month but it seems selfish because of the age our children are and between family and work, time can be tight. Last spring booking a plane on my weekly days off guaranteed bad weather.

I really love boating and fishing right now. Maybe that is part of why I am at peace not flying currently. I don't know if I'm taking a break or finished. Before I thought about flying and missed it every single day, I never imagined that stopping.

I think I might return to it. I have been looking at Cubs lately, probably a bad idea, poor thing could slowly die tied up outside after 60 - 75 successful orbits. I should definitely rent until I start flying 110+ hours / year.

[CFR]

OK this is weird and deserves a bazillion dollar government grant to study!

Same dream although it is above a street climbing a hill (barely able to match the climb) with tall buildings on either side and wires overhead. It is either Montreal or New York (I have no idea if there are hilly streets in New York)

[duCapo]

I have had very similar dreams over the last 40 years. One of my earliest recurring dreams is soaring over sand dunes on a beach. Still have it every now and then. Not a surprise that we pilots are weird.

[Prairie Chicken]

Fascinating.

I've also had the flying thru wires dream. And interestingly, still do occasionally, even though it's been years since I've flown as anything other than pax.

[DougRonan]

I've always had dreams about hitting the ground at high speed - I found how realistic they really were last summer when the engine quit on a 185 on amphibs at 400 feet on climbout - the really interesting and scary part was the fact that you don't approach the ground - it comes up at you in that situation - just like the dream!! As far as the PTSD thing - there probably is something too that but in my case after flying for almost 30 years I was already in a heighten state of awareness - waiting for the engine to quit in every airplane at any moment (if your are not - you are kidding yourself!). So when it did happen (again!) I was ready for it and got down to the business of staying alive!! Other than my broken back we made out great!! But it is definitely interesting that I had a recurring dream about hitting the ground at high speed!! I too have flown under wires and the odd bridge too!! (that thing with the guy on the Ottawa River was a none event as far as I'm concerned!!)

[chu me]

I have the under the wires dream too, but I always make it.