So…you’ve just taken your seat on board
your airliner, and your palms are sweaty, your heart is racing, and you just can’t
shake your anxiety. That’s okay – a ton of people are nervous
flyers! You’ll probably be paying extra close attention
to every sensation and sound during your flight. Stay with me: there are lots of sounds that
are completely normal on an airplane! First, let’s start with a little countdown
to lift-off: The first sound you’ll probably hear
will be two dings. About 20 minutes before you take off, you’ll
hear two high-pitched dings in a row over the intercom system. This only means that one crew member wants
to talk to another, just to get into preparation mode for the flight. This is your chance to sit back, make sure
you’re buckled in, and try to relax. If you think about it, these dings are a good
thing – they mean that the intercom system is working and that there’s functional communication
between crew members! 15 minutes before your plane takes off,
you’ll hear a single ding. This is a call from the cockpit to the flight
attendants to pick up the phone. 15 minutes before take-off is pretty much
the pilot’s last opportunity to do anything he needs to before he gets your plane in the
air: like going to the bathroom, grabbing some coffee, or getting a snack. The single ding is like his request to the
flight attendants to grab him that coffee or snack, or letting them know that he’s
stepping out of the cockpit for a minute. You want your pilot to be comfortable, right?? 10 minutes before take-off: you’ll hear
a soft pound from under the plane, and a drill-like sound. This is just the crew closing and securing
the cargo hold. When you land, you want all of the fun stuff
you packed to be there too, right?? The engines are now revving up, too. If the crew didn’t close the cargo hold,
you might see your PJs or swim trunks flying away! Just kidding…but, you know, there can’t
be doors hanging open while you’re in the air. Now you’re ready to take off! The flight attendants will explain the safety
measures – and, by the way, the safety speech is required on every flight. The flight attendant will explain that these
safety measures are in place for VERY rare emergencies – and then it’s time for take-off! Don’t panic – the plane will begin to
move toward the runway. It’ll pick up speed once it’s on the runway
so that it can achieve enough lift to get into the air. It’ll sound like it’s windy, but this
is just the sound of the plane’s wings and propellers engines slicing through the air. Lift-off is pretty cool to watch if you have
a window seat – but if it makes you nervous, just sit back and close your eyes until you’re
in the air. Lift-off! Love it or hate it, there’s nothing quite
like feeling your plane leave the ground! You’ll hear the sound of the plane’s wheels
going back up into its belly. You’ll hear the sounds of engines working
and mechanical things happening, and it may be a little overwhelming and very loud, but
these noises are completely normal. Remember that your plane is an amazing and
complex piece of machinery! As you’re climbing into the air, you might
feel the sensation of your ears wanting to pop; this is normal too! It’s just due to the change in air pressure. For a Pro tip: Try chewing gum or yawning
during lift-off to relieve those ears! Okay, so you made it into the air, and everything
is just fine! What other sounds might you hear? 5 minutes after take-off:
Two loud beeps will go off. This is the pilot telling the flight attendants
that the plane has reached a certain altitude. It’s just to keep the crew informed of the
plane’s progress. These beeps are a good thing, because it means
that the airplane is past the point where those rare safety issues are most likely to
occur, which is while the aircraft is climbing. Drink and Snack Cart! Ohh, my favorite! Roughly 5 minutes before the flight attendants
roll the drink and snack cart through the aisles, one loud ding will sound to let you
know that it’s coming (in case you were catching some Zs or watching a movie). Now is your opportunity to grab a soda or
water; and most carts also offer a small snack like pretzels or nuts. Creaks, rattles, and whooshes
These are all completely normal sounds that every airplane makes in the air. Don’t let them scare you; such a large aircraft
is bound to creak, and the rattles are things moving and sliding around. Remember that everyone’s carry-on bags are
in the storage bins above you. If you’re using the food tray, things may
slide or bounce around on it. Think of the normal sounds you hear in your
car, and multiply that by a hundred – an airplane is much bigger and faster than your
car, so the sounds it makes will be bigger too. Turbulence
It may feel and sound kinda scary, but turbulence is pretty normal. Turbulence is airplane language for irregular
air waves. If it’s extra windy outside, or if the weather
isn’t perfect, the plane will feel extra bumpy – think of a car on a rough, rocky
road. It may sound loud inside the cabin, and things
may rattle around a little more than usual. But turbulence is something that the pilot
is completely prepared for and knows how to navigate through – it’s a pretty normal
and expected part of a flight. If there’s a lot of turbulence, the pilot
may send a ding over the intercom system, warning flight attendants that it might get
a little bumpy. You hear “All call” over the intercom
Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean the plane is in danger. This is just a flight attendant basically
calling a meeting with the other members of the crew. The crew of an airplane will, of course, be
checking in with each other during the flight. This is to make sure that certain duties have
been done, safety checks have been made, the toilet is clogged…just kidding, but you
get it. Flight attendants don’t necessarily need
to use the intercom system, but if they know that other members are in a different part
of the plane, it’s just easier to do an “All call.” Beeps indicating that you can take your
seatbelt off When the plane has reached a certain cruising
altitude and you’ve been flying for a while, it’s safe to take your seatbelt off and
move around! The pilot will let you know this by sending
a beep over the intercom, and turning the seatbelt sign off. These lit-up signs are usually located right
above your seat on the ceiling. This may happen a couple times if you’re
on a long flight; so the first time, the pilot may make an intercom announcement. This is your chance to use the bathroom and
stretch your legs! Okay, let’s get back to the countdown, this
time for your landing! Two dings 10 minutes before you land
Just like there were two dings when you reached a certain height after take-off, the two dings
will ring again when you’ve reached that same level on your descent. Again, this is just letting the flight attendants
know that the flight is almost over, and to prepare for landing. You’re almost back on the ground! A high-pitched whirring sound 5 minutes
before landing This is the hydraulic system pulling in the
slats and flap, which are structures on the plane’s wings that change the wings’ shape
and help keep the plane in the air. This is called lift. When these structures are pushed out, the
plane can keep its lift while it slows down to a safe and comfortable speed and prepare
for landing. By this point, you should feel the plane getting
lower and lower. A bump and deep thunk 2 minutes before
landing This means the airplane’s landing gear is
coming out, which includes the wheels and anything else in the plane’s undercarriage
that helps it land. Mechanical gear in the wings may still be
adjusting too. You may hear some whistling as well, since
such a big airborne structure is trying to slow down from a pretty high speed, while
also dealing with changes in airwaves. These noises are completely normal during
a landing, and you might be glad to hear them! The Landing
The wheels will touch down on the runway, and you may feel and hear some bumps or thuds. Everything is fine – I mean, that plane
is pretty heavy, right? Bumps during a landing are totally normal,
even expected. You’ll cruise along the runway for a while,
so that you can slow down. Then you’ll slowly pull up to your terminal. You did it! Now it’s time to get your land legs back! Just remember to try and trust your pilot
and other crew members. If it’s any comfort, the process for getting
a pilot’s license has pretty high standards, plus rigorous coursework and flight time. So your pilot knows what she’s doing! Also remember that you’re a passenger in
a huge engineering marvel – you’re going to hear noises! Think of an airplane as a much larger and
complex version of your car. Also, try to enjoy your flight! You’ll see magnificent views, and flying
can be pretty relaxing once you’re in the air! Hey, if you learned something today, give
this video a like and share it with a friend! And here are some other videos you’ll enjoy
– just click to the left or right. Stay on the Bright Side of life!
