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A free online course assists in overcoming fear of flying anxieties. The lessons foster a positive mindset and inspires confidence as it coaches passengers on the mysteries of flying.
Have you ever felt a little nervous or worried on a jet airliner? Ever wondered what would happen if your plane had to glide because of an engine failure? Are you ever concerned about air pockets or how much turbulence a jetliner can withstand?
Before the September 11th attacks a survey done for the Boeing Corporation found that over 25 million Americans were afraid to fly. After the attacks 40 percent of people polled by Gallup said flying on an airplane worried them. Many won't even get on an airplane at all, holding them back personally and professionally. Images of planes hitting buildings certainly haven't made things any easier for those who fly.
Some people develop fears as they get older and life itself seems more precious and fragile. Others have lived with fear their entire lives. Regardless of when fear develops, those who suffer experience many of the same emotions including panic, anxiety, or generalized phobia. They report feeling everything from mild discomfort to extreme terror. Fearful flyers react to a lack of control, weather, turbulence, small spaces, crowds, heights, and a myriad of other triggers. Many times, fears are caused by a lack of understanding about what to expect during flight. Most fearful flyers just need a little help in the form of education, reassurance, and guidance.
"My fear was constant, 'How long before it crashes?' I no longer have that fear and I'm looking forward to relaxing with a good book. I must admit, I was a little skeptical when I started reading, not believing for a minute that it would work."
A new website, Fear of Flying Help Course, can assist you in overcoming fear of flying anxieties, and it's free of charge. The online course fosters a positive mindset and inspires confidence as it coaches passengers on the mysteries of flying; the strange noises we hear, the motions we feel, and the associated fears.
Its lessons include behind-the-scenes facts about the people who work in the industry, the basics of how planes fly, weather, turbulence, over water flights, stress reduction techniques, and the latest information on new security.
"Dear Captain: I absolutely think this material should be in the pouch on the back of every seat, in every plane."
Maybe you worry about turbulence, fearing the plane will plummet thousands of feet uncontrollably. The course explains common misconceptions and myths surrounding flying in an easy to understand style:
(course excerpt)
People often misunderstand turbulence. When encountering turbulence, nervous passengers feel the plane is falling out of the sky. It is natural for them to only feel the down bumps. But for every down there is an up bump. The downs are just more easily noticed. Have you ever driven fast over a bump in the road which caused you to come up off of your seat an inch or two? It feels fairly violent and the jolt would certainly spill any drinks you were holding. How large of a bump does it take to do this? Maybe one or two foot bumps in the road. But it feels pretty bad.
Airplane turbulence bad enough to spill drinks and cause you to come up off of your seat is very rare. But even if you do experience it, remember that the plane is not falling thousands of feet. It just hit a bump a couple of feet high. The altimeters in the cockpit would barely register the bump. So try not to let your imagination get out of hand.
Next time you are driving on a bumpy road, imagine you were a passenger on a plane and how you would consider it to be bad turbulence. Now take a look at the road. How big are the bumps on the roadway to create the rough ride? The air is usually very smooth. But sometimes some small ripples can make it feel like bad turbulence.
There is no such thing as an air pocket. You can think of flying like being on a lake in a boat. Sometimes the lake waters are smooth, and sometimes they get stirred up from the wind or other boats. Riding on a choppy lake may be a bumpy ride. Sometimes you might encounter a big wave that jolts the boat. Riding the down side of a wave may give you the feeling you're dropping. But there are no holes or pockets in the water where the boat (or plane) is going to fall into. Air pockets are a myth because planes don't just fall out of the sky. There is always air there to support them.
(end excerpt)
Developed by a captain for a major U.S. airline, the website is the first fear of flying course to use the interactive benefits of the internet to update and improve the course using student feedback. The author makes an effort to empathize with the passenger's fears. Flying is an alien environment. Learning the physics of flight can be daunting, but the lessons make it simpler to grasp:
(course excerpt)
What makes a plane fly?
Basically, wings and some speed through the air is all that is required. The plane is moving through the air, a fluid, kind of like swimming or surfing. Air is similar to water, a fluid. Air is just a little thinner than water, but is still a significant mass. In fact, at this moment, you are experiencing about 15 pounds per square inch of pressure from our atmosphere. You don't notice it because it has always been there, and it acts on your body equally from all angles.
Many people have a hard time believing that something as big as a jet can stay up in the air. What is holding it up there?
Have you ever stuck your hand out the car window at 30 mph, then again at 60 mph? Now multiply the force your hand feels at 60 mph times five (Actually, the force increases with the square of velocity, so it would be even greater! But I don't want to get too technical here.) That is the force your hand would feel flying at the speed of a jetliner.
The faster you go, the thicker the air feels. To the plane it feels like a thick watery fluid capable of substantial support.
(end excerpt)
You can enroll in the Fear of Flying Help Course anonymously online. With no enrollment fees or advertising, you may wonder where the course gets its funding. After completing the course, students are asked to submit a donation to help keep the website available for others. Students who decide to contribute gain access to a "Bonus Webpage" which contains additional information, resources, and links developed especially for course graduates.
"Dear Captain: I have just completed your fear of flying course and was very impressed. I am a travel agent but am also scared of flying which is a little embarrassing to say the least!!! My problem is that I don't really know where the fear comes from as I have traveled extensively but the fear seems to build up each time. After over 3 years of being on the ground, I have finally plucked up the courage to book a holiday. I have found the course very helpful and hope to put it all into practice on the day! I will also be recommending your site to customers. Thanks."
The course has helped many fearful fliers, but doesn't promise to cure everyone. The author is not a licensed therapist. For those who have a serious underlying problem that might be a contributing factor in their fear of flying, it is not a substitute for in depth counseling. If you think you might just need a little help in the form of education, reassurances, and guidance, by all means give it a try.
Fear of Flying Help Course - www.fearofflyinghelp.com Captain Stacey L. Chance captainstacey@fearofflyinghelp.com For more information, please contact: Stacey Chance Fear Of Flying Help Course http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/ 925-634-8622 stacey40@pacbell.net
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