[Maritime Q-Scout]

Here's the thin to keep in mind. These planes are designed to fly through the worst weather you can imagine.

The safety testing is to ensure the plane can fly through hurricane weather and severe storms. However, passenger aviation isn't just about getting you from point a to point b in one piece. It's also to do so comfortably. That's why planes change altitudes and headings to avoid turbulence and bad weather.

However, the weather in the sky, is like the weather on the land. Mostly predicable but sometimes unexpected patterns emerge, sometimes clearances close, and sometimes avoiding a storm isn't plausible.

Jbo, like you I get over fear through education (I know people that are so scared they can't even educate themselves on a topic).

Here's a trick I leaned when I was in high school landing in Montréal. The plane was shaking, jolting up and down. I was getting really worried. I looked up and saw a pilot who was deadheading (I'm assuming) just sitting calmly as if he was reading a book and sipping a tea. I thought "if he's not worried, why should I be?" Then we landed safely.

I've been on a landing that bad only once since then. Landing in Sydney during a snowstorm. The plane again shaking violently, up and down and all around. As the older gentlemen next to me grapes the arm rests tightly, I leaned over, took a package of gum out of my backpack, took a piece, turned to the man next to me and said "would you like a piece". He looked at me and with panic in his voice he said "This is no time for gum!!!!" Then he burst out laughing, which caused the tension in the back of the plane to break as everyone within ear shot giggled, then we landed safely and taxied to the gate.

At the end of the day these guys fly those machines hundreds of times. They know their sounds, their feel, and really know the aircraft. It's like how you know your own car. It's not some 16 year old with a learners permit at the helm, even if they are young, they've got a lot of flight time to be flying for Air Canada or WestJet.

So worry not, and if you're really nervous. Here's another trick I used to get over my fear of driving with one of my best friends who was possibly the worst driver I've ever been in a car with… get drunk. I you're drunk you won't care and just go along with the percentages.