A British airline captain shared methods to overcome the fear of flying. In the United States, it’s estimated approximately 25 million people suffer from a fear of flying, with a higher prevalence observed among middle-aged and older adults. People with a fear of flying often experience tension and anxiety throughout the flight, and in severe cases, they may experience difficulty breathing or are unable to fly at all.
The Sun highlighted the methods to overcome the fear of flying as suggested by Steve Allright, a British Airways captain. Allright has served as an active pilot for many aircraft including Boeing 757, 767, and 747. He currently flies as a captain of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Allright stated that understanding the safety system of an airplane could help overcome the fear of flying. He said, “All modern aircraft are incredibly designed to be robust and can withstand any turbulence,” adding that “Airplanes are equipped with more safety devices than other means of transportation, and the safety of the aircraft is tested in extreme environments before operation.”
Fear of flying often occurs as a psychological trauma after experiencing turbulence. It’s extremely rare for an aircraft to descend hundreds of meters due to turbulence like in the movies. When encountering turbulence, aircraft typically descend about 10 to 20 feet. The center of the aircraft is the least likely to be affected during turbulence.
Allright emphasized, “In my 32 years of flying, I’ve only experienced severe turbulence once. Pilots are intensively trained to handle turbulence, so rest assured,” adding “It’s always important to follow the instructions of the cabin crew when turbulence occurs.”
There’s no need to worry about an accident due to insufficient fuel for the plane. Aircraft are loaded with enough fuel to account for round trips and diversions.
Airlines thoroughly prepare for various accidents that could occur before the flight. An airplane can still fly even if the engine fails. An aircraft flying at approximately 30,000 feet altitude can glide about 102 miles even if the engine shuts down. Allright mentioned, “It’s not the engines that enable the plane to fly, but the wings, so it can still fly even if not all engines are operational.”
British Airways has been running the Flying with Confidence program for about 30 years to help people overcome their fear of flying. The program includes a one-day course where participants take a short flight with pilots, cabin crew, and psychologists. Over 50,000 people have participated in the program with 98% of the participants stating that it helped them overcome their fear of flying.
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