07.22.08
The Plane Truth On Your Fear Of Flying
Flying used to be fun. But right around the time a pilot friend announced over the Mojave Desert that his new single-prop Beechcraft Baron’s fuel gauges weren’t properly calibrated, the joy I felt smashing my nose against the plexiglas to look down at the world disappeared forever. Now when I smash my nose against the small window - especially after 9/11 - I’m preoccupied with extreme weather conditions, fuel shortages, old planes, pilot errors, and the terrorist sitting next to me.
It’s not that I’m afraid to fly, exactly, it’s just that there’s a lot to fear while flying. You too? So, short of moving in with my parents and never leaving, how do I navigate a world in which flying has become an uncomfortable necessity? I asked Patrick Smith, author of Ask The Pilot, for some advice:
Fear Is Familiar: “The first thing to remember is that everybody is, on some level, afraid to fly. That's human nature and nothing to be ashamed of,” says Patrick. “Flying is not natural for people so its perfectly understandable to feel anxious. But at some point our intellectual realization that flying is remarkably safe should overcome our visceral, emotional sense that it is not.”
Speaking of Safe: To help your head overcome your emotion, remember this mantra for today: According to the Department of Transportation, flying is 29 times safer than driving a car. Meaning, driving to the airport is way more dangerous than flying to Kathmandu.
Action Steps: Tune in next week to learn how you can master your fear of flying in a few short steps.
It’s not that I’m afraid to fly, exactly, it’s just that there’s a lot to fear while flying. You too? So, short of moving in with my parents and never leaving, how do I navigate a world in which flying has become an uncomfortable necessity? I asked Patrick Smith, author of Ask The Pilot, for some advice:
Fear Is Familiar: “The first thing to remember is that everybody is, on some level, afraid to fly. That's human nature and nothing to be ashamed of,” says Patrick. “Flying is not natural for people so its perfectly understandable to feel anxious. But at some point our intellectual realization that flying is remarkably safe should overcome our visceral, emotional sense that it is not.”
Speaking of Safe: To help your head overcome your emotion, remember this mantra for today: According to the Department of Transportation, flying is 29 times safer than driving a car. Meaning, driving to the airport is way more dangerous than flying to Kathmandu.
Action Steps: Tune in next week to learn how you can master your fear of flying in a few short steps.
Don’t be shy!
Good article to pass along to my mom. She'll drive anywhere if it means she does not have to fly!
– eboe411 | 07.22.08 | 8:47 AM
