Articles and Resources


Below are articles, videos, and other resources related to the fear of flying you may find helpful.

Articles


Why Do Planes Fly So High?

Jet Engines: Facts For Fearful Fliers

How Does a Plane’s Auto Pilot Work?

What Kind of Training is Required to Become and Stay a Commercial Pilot?

How Qualified Are Airline Mechanics?

What Does an Air Traffic Controller Do?

Videos

One of the big fears people often have is that something will happen to the wings during flight, especially if the ride gets bumpy. In the video below, you can see a test Boeing performed where they actually bent the wings WAY past what you would ever get in actual flight. It’s amazing the amount of flexibility the wings actually have! You can tell from the footage this was at least 10 years ago too, so I’m sure the structure is even better now!

It seems like commercial airlines are big lumbering planes, that aren’t especially agile. As you’ll see in this video, nothing could be further from the truth! The pilots fly commercial planes very gently because they want to keep the passengers comfortable, but if needed, they can really perform. Below you’ll see a test pilot in a Boeing 707 actually barrel roll a commercial jet to impress spectators…the engines are actually upside down! Of course this would never happen with passengers, but it proves that the plane is incredibly acrobatic if need be.


In this video you’ll see a 757 do a near 90 degree vertical climb, showing once again how powerful and agile even the largest commercial aircraft are.



Here’s a clip about NOAA’s “Hurricane Hunters” who fly planes THROUGH active hurricanes and into the eye of the storm to gather data. This should demonstrate that if a plane (prop plane nonetheless) can fly safely through those conditions, you’re flight will be just fine!


Flight Tracking

Here’s a place you can put in a flight number or departure and arrival cities, and track flights in real time.

It’s nice to be able to see how many flights go to and from your destination at any given time and do so safely, day after day, week after week, month after month.

It also allows you to see the typical flight path you take between cities so you have a little preview of the great scenery you’ll have!

Flight View 

Weather

Here’s a government site where you can check current airline weather conditions, including turbulence and storm height, so it doesn’t take you by surprise.  I guarantee the pilots and air traffic control see this too so they can be sure to keep everyone safe and comfortable.

Aviation Weather Center

Statistics

Of course knowing the statistics of how safe airline travel is isn’t usually enough to conquer a fear of flying on its own, but it can help add some reassurance that you are indeed safe so you can focus your attention on other anxiety elimination techniques.

Here’s just a small sample of things to remember, go get a copy of our free report with answers from actual flight crew and airline personnel by filling out your name and email in the form to the right to learn a lot more.

    * Your chances of being involved in an aircraft accident are about 1 in 11 million. On the other hand, your chances of being killed in an automobile accident are 1 in 5000. Statistically, you are at far greater risk driving to the airport than getting on an airplane.

    * An article in Time magazine (12/4/06) reminds us that “more than 500 times as many people die on U.S. roads as in airline accidents.

    * In 1993, 1998, 2002 - 2007 there were no fatal accidents in large commercial airliners in the United States.  On the other hand, 600 Americans are killed every year from falling out of bed.

    * Studies have shown one would have to fly once a day every day for over 22,000 years in order to statistically be involved in a fatal aircraft accident!

    * In 1980, The Boeing Company published a report by Robert D. Dean and Kerry M. Whitaker entitled Fear of Flying, Impact on the U.S. Air Travel Industry. This report surveyed the results of five studies done on fear of flying and indicates that one of every three adult Americans is either anxious or afraid to fly.

    * Worldwide nearly 3 million passengers fly every day. According to the Air Transportation Association of America, on an average day about 1.8 million passengers are up in the sky over the U.S. on 24,600 flights.

    * Thirty years ago, fatal accidents on commercial jetliners occurred approximately once in every 140 million miles flown. Today, it’s 1.4 billion miles flown for every fatal accident: a ten-fold safety improvement.

    * 96% of people survive airline accidents!

Helpful Links

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All material provided on this website is provided for informational or education purposes only. No content is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your physician regarding the applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition. The author is not a pilot, therapist, psychologist, physician, or other mental health or medical professional. Customer names or locations may have been changed to preserve anonymity. Your individual results may vary and are influenced by many factors.