Article overview
Description of aviophobia, or fear of flying, the symptoms, and what you can do about it.
Originally published in October 1998.
Re-edited in December 1999.
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white-knuckle flyers
by Sergio Ortega
the safest way to travel ever
is not enough for those who FEAR it!
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 lying is for many people a pleasure, a fast way to travel around the world. But the reality is not the same for everybody. According to a survey made by the Boeing Company in 1980, one United States national out of six (30% of the adults) is afraid of flying, or aviophobic. It can be either the simple anxiety of stepping on a plane to bodily reactions simply by thinking about airplanes.
 Main factors
Many factors can lead to a fear of flying, but among the most important comes personal experience. Even someone who has flown thousands of miles can develop aviophobia. A frequent flyer can experience fear of flying after a heavy turbulence on his flight.
Other factors are the simple fear that the plane might crash, mostly due because of the lack of information. News of recent tragic crashes, terrorism, airlines industry strikes, cut-backs and layoffs doesn't help. Fearful flyers wonder whether these disturbing events will disrupt airline security, maintenance and safety.
But the reality is different: take a look at the number of car accidents in Canada or the USA every DAY. It's tremendous compared to the aircraft incidents each WEEK. Flying is the safest form of travelling. You have more chances of dying on your way to the airport rather than onboard the aircraft. The odds of dying on a plane crash is almost like winning at lottery, and even lower!
Another factor might be the discomfort on an aircraft... or the combination of many fears, including the closed spaces (claustrophobia), the heights... For discomfort on an aircraft, there are ways of "making your flight a little more comfortable"...
The bad solution
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You're not alone... According to a survey made by Boeing in the 1980s, more than 25 million United States nationals fear flying.
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The white-knuckle flyers will simply avoid any occasion of flying. Most of them unfortunately have jobs that require them to fly once in a while, so aviophobia might be very dangerous in this sense. Other aviophobics WILL fly, but they will attenuate their emotions by taking alcohol, medication, closing their eyes, gripping the armrests... But the hard reality is that instead of attenuating the fear, it only makes it stronger.
The correct solution
There is no "good" way to "cure" fear of flying, because it depends on the level of anxiety. For the person only experiencing mild stress when flying, there are simple tips to follow (see below). For the aviophobic that avoids flying in all forms, there is the professional therapy. Many organisms provide such service, including some airlines (such as Ansett Australia). Links to such organisms are available at the end of this article.
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You're not alone... Many celebrities are also white-knuckle flyers: Michael Jackson, Ronald Reagan, Muhammad Ali, Ray Bradbury, Cher...
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A typical fear of flying program will have meetings every week at an airport with flight attendants, pilots, engineers... and of course, the people experiencing fear of flying. At first, the subjects learn about aviation, how safety is controlled, the special training the flight crew has, etc. Then, the source of the fear of flying is found and some relaxation techniques are learned. At the end, the subjects usually take a short flight (either on a real aircraft or on a simulator) to take advantage of their new knowledge and deal with their fear.
For people with a less intense fear of flying, there are the self-improvement courses with video or audiotapes and booklets, such as the program offered by SOAR (see below). The fear is actually more of a phobia. Everything is mostly psychological. The danger is not real, but the aviophobics will panic when stepping on an aircraft. This is when professional therapies are important, and effective.
Preparing yourself
If you experience some fear of flying, on your next flight, try following these simple advice before taking the air, and your flight may be more pleasant than usual.
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Did you know that... a four-engine jet (e.g. Airbus A340, Boeing 747) can land safely on just one engine.
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- Read about aviation, either on books, magazines or on the Internet. airodyssey.net might be your first choice with its variety of interesting articles about aviation and air safety.
- A few days before your flight, visit the airport. Also, try to familiarize yourself with the safety restrictions, the types of aircraft, etc. Also, if you still have doubts about safety, ask your travel agent for more information about the airline, its service, etc.
- Think that if you were not flying, it would take you twice, or even thrice as long to get there.
- On the D-Day, get to the airport about 2 hours before your flight. This will give you plenty of time to park your car, check your baggage, and breathe easy.
On the plane
Once you are ready to take-off, these simple tips may help you feel better about flying...
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Did you know that... you have more chances of dying on your way to the airport rather than onboard the aircraft.
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- When the plane takes-off, take a deep breath and refrain from holding the armrests: this will make your anxiety get even worse. Take-off lasts from 30 to 45 seconds. Keep your ears open to hear the sound of the landing gear retracting.
- Bring something to read, to do, bring your cassette player or CD player with soothing music. You will feel more relaxed and less eager to develop bad stress.
- If you do not feel like eating or if your stomach says "no", you can refuse the food tray. There's nothing wrong.
- Make yourself comfortable. Lightly recline your seat. Loosen your tie. But keep your seatbelt fastened if it makes you feel better.
- While many people consider the blankets scratchy on the aircraft, the pillows are more comfortable and can make you feel yourself a little more like home.
- Drink a lot of water to prevent dehydration. You can even bring a moisturizing cream. But refrain from abuses of alcohol or coffee, as they dehydrate you. And don't take sedatives or other medication unless they are prescribed by your doctor.
Web resources
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Did you know that... while movies portray aviophobics as emotional, stressful and "dumb", in fact they tend to be perfectionistic and intelligent.
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Many web sites will give you plenty of information about fear of flying, including relieving statistics about the safety of flying. So, next time you fly, ENJOY this fast, efficient, and SAFE way to travel.
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