| This newsletter I thought we might look at some of the | | | | it. It is probably not natural to us with our old fashioned |
| questions our fear of flying customers ask. Also, we | | | | balance organs in our ears. Just because it is |
| would like to demonstrate how skilled our customers | | | | uncomfortable it does not mean it is dangerous. Far |
| are at imagining disastor! | | | | from it. |
| As always, none of our newsletters are poking fun at | | | | Commercial Airlines are so regulated and safe it is |
| you. One of the founders of this programme used to | | | | staggering. |
| have a fear of flying so we know what we are talking | | | | Everyone that travels in an aircraft, including the pilots, |
| about... | | | | feels the weird sensations of flight. |
| One particular skill we have noticed that people with a | | | | The difference between the fearful and the fearless is |
| fear of flying are able to do is to imagine their death in | | | | the interpretation we make of the weird feelings. |
| intricate detail. | | | | The fearful and phobic feel every move of the aircraft |
| People on our fear of flying courses ask us things like | | | | and accentuate them. The fearless feel every move |
| the following: | | | | of the aircraft and ignore them. |
| When we crash, how quickly do we die? | | | | It all comes back to the saying, 'You get what you pay |
| Or | | | | attention to.' |
| When we crash, do our clothes come off? | | | | If we dare to allow ourselves imagine dying and our |
| I am not poking fun at people with fear of flying | | | | clothes flying off, we can scare the life out of |
| phobias. | | | | ourselves. If we practice really hard, we could get |
| It might be worth examining these questions just for | | | | really good at it. |
| one moment. One of the key statements we tend to | | | | It does take practice but if you persevere, you can get |
| emphasize is that, you get more of what you pay | | | | yourself to a level of fear whereby just mentioning |
| attention to. | | | | Aircraft can make us come out in a cold sweat. Quite |
| First of all, the question starts 'WHEN we crash...' | | | | a gift really. Well it would be if we used this particular |
| Using this language is like telling your brain it is a | | | | talent like athletes do. |
| forgone conclusion. Changing it to IF is slightly hearlthier | | | | Picture the scene. 10 atheletes line up ready to run the |
| albeit it is still very very unlikely. | | | | 100 metres. As they look at each other before the |
| Then, 'How QUICKLY do we DIE?' | | | | event, they visualise the other guy winning. They look |
| This is now telling our brain that not only do we die but | | | | at how big his muscles are realise that they probably |
| it may not be quick - it could be slow. | | | | aren't going to do it today. Today is not THEIR day. |
| The answer to this predicament is nothing to do with | | | | They would never entertain such thoughts. They are |
| the answer. It is to do with the question. | | | | no different to us. They know that this sophisticated |
| I am not picking fault with you good people. | | | | piece of equipment called the brain is so sensitive to |
| We are training our brains to become very good at | | | | every passing thought that they control it. |
| visualising death. People without a fear of flying would | | | | They might say STOP to themselves if they think of |
| never allow themselves the luxury of even asking that | | | | anything negative. They then replace it with images of |
| question. Why would you? | | | | winning of getting there first safely. |
| If it is okay to ask that sort of question of ourselves | | | | If you don't believe me, practice the following |
| and to tie ourselves up in knots, then we must bring it | | | | guaranteed technique when you are going for your |
| into other parts of our lives. | | | | next interview. |
| For instance. How quickly will I die when I am hit by a | | | | Before you go in, say out loud or even just in your |
| bus on the way to work? | | | | head the following mantras: |
| How quickly will I die when I crash driving my car | | | | I don't deserve this job. The other person is much |
| today? | | | | better suited to it than me. I look really tired and worn |
| Most people don't ask these questions and as you | | | | out today. It probably won't go right today. |
| read this you may be saying, 'Of course we don't - | | | | Well I think you get the point. |
| that is ridiculous.' | | | | We, at the flying without fear course, are not in the |
| So why does flying get such special attention. The | | | | happy clappy skip off into the sunset positive thinking |
| worst thing that happens to people who fly a lot is | | | | school of thought. We are much more pragmatic than |
| boredom. | | | | that. You really cannot afford the luxury of a negative |
| I believe that flying gets a bad rap because it is new. | | | | thought because you just get more of what you pay |
| As our Captains say on our courses, humans have | | | | attention to. |
| only been flying for about 40 years really. Humans are | | | | Hope that none of this has offended and only helped |
| not really designed for flying like birds are. It feels | | | | as that is always our intention. We know that the |
| uncomfortable to us as we are not used to weird 3D | | | | people that come on our courses are intelligent normal |
| movement. Our stomachs can lurch. Our ears can feel | | | | human beings that are just not able to live their lives |
| all blocked up. | | | | fully due to this fear. |
| Humans feel odd in aircraft. There you go I have said | | | | |