Lesson 2: Airplanes and Outside Influences

Noise and Sensations in Flight

Planes are noisy things and the variety of sounds at different times can be frightening - until you know what they are and that they’re perfectly normal.

The first sound you should be aware of, is the flight crew call bell. You may have noticed it when you’ve pushed the button to call the flight attendant. But there are other times it dings and many people think that’s a sign of trouble. It’s not. It’s a quick way for the flight crew and cabin crew to contact each other throughout the plane.

You’ll always hear that sound when it’s time to put seatbelts on. You might hear it again if someone in the front of the plane needs to speak to someone in the rear of the plane or even if the pilot wants a cup of coffee. Those bell dings are not a signal for disaster. They’re a convenient way to communicate.

The engines make a lot of noise and those sounds can change throughout the flight. Some people think each change means the engines are failing. They start off at full power for takeoff, at which time you may also hear the flaps being retracted into the wings, the landing gear going back up, and then they may become quieter. The engines being less noisy doesn’t mean something is wrong. After takeoff, the pilots reduce engine power back to the level they require for flying.

The pilots may also reduce engine power (always to a safe level) in very developed areas to keep the noise down. You may also notice changes in the sound of the air conditioning. These are all normal sounds and shouldn’t cause you worry.

There are also some feelings and sensations you might notice while flying. A good example is shortly after takeoff, when the plane begins to level off at cruising altitude. It almost feels like the plane stopped. The plane did not stop – that’s just the sensation you might feel when it reaches its cruising altitude and stops climbing.

Some people get frightened when the plane makes a turn. They think it feels like the plane is falling on the side where the wing is lower. It isn’t falling – it’s just the feeling you get from the plane banking. It’s similar to the feeling of leaning in when you’re on a bike and turning. Planes just don’t fly the way cars drive.

Don’t be afraid of the plane turning – it won’t fall and it’s not unbalanced. Stabilizers keep the plane balanced all the time so you can get up, walk around, go to the bathroom, let go of the armrests, eat, and talk to people. The plane really isn’t going to tip. I used to hold on to both armrests and was sure if I let go it would unbalance the plane. It didn’t and I felt a lot better once I let go. It’s not easy to sit there clutching the arm rests for a few hours.

Don’t worry about blinking lights either. Cabin lights blink occasionally when power is transferred from the Auxiliary Power Unit to the plane’s generators. The transfer can cause the bells to ding too and all this is normal and not threatening.

Cargo and food stored on the plane make loud thumps when they move around and hit the built in stops inside their compartments. The lower cargo doors are electrically powered and you can feel vibration through the cabin floor when they’re in operation. Exhaust from the engines also causes a vibration sensation. None of these are dangerous.

There are thumps and bumps, roars and shudders, vibrations and knocking sounds, whirring and whining, and they’re all a normal part of the flight.

Optional Reading
For this section, please read at least one of the following:

• Conquering Your Fear Of Flying, pages 34 - 40
• The Fearless Flier's Handbook, pages 148 - 151

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