Courses to help you overcome aerophobia
Aerophobia, the term used to describe the irrational fear of breezes, fresh air and air travel, has become much more common in recent years. It is estimated one in four Australians has a fear of flying and 20 per cent of frequent flyers admit to using prescription drugs or alcohol to calm their nerves during a flight.
The causes and symptoms
Sufferers complain of nausea, breathlessness, heart palpitations, dizziness, shaking and vomiting. Increased levels of distress and anxiety are also synonymous with this phobia. Many sufferers attribute their fears to previous experiences or media coverage of flight disasters, but others have no explanation at all and may have developed the fear without warning or logical reason.
Tackling the problem
In recognition of this increasingly common condition, a number of airlines offer special courses and seminars designed to help passengers overcome their fear of flying. Impressive success rates will appeal to anyone who is familiar with the anxiety and illness associated with aerophobia and wants to combat their fears.
Fearless Flyers (Supported by Qantas)
Fearless Flyers is a programme that helps nervous fliers overcome their fears. The course uses a crew of professional pilots, air traffic controllers, aircraft engineers, meteorologists and a psychologist who are all highly experienced in caring for nervous and first-time flyers.
Topics covered:
- Understanding the psychology of fear
- Effective relaxation techniques
- What makes an aeroplane fly
- Pilots, Engineers and Cabin Crew (their qualifications and training)
- Aircraft design, testing and maintenance
- Meteorology – turbulence (what causes it and what effect it has on an aircraft)
- Weather forecasting for aviation
- Air traffic control
- Navigation of commercial aircraft
- The course finishes with a graduation flight accompanied by the Fearless Flyers staff.
Run over several days, Fearless Flyers currently holds courses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth throughout the year and costs $950.
Telephone: 02 9743 1831
Website: fearlessflyers.com.au
Tips to help you fly without fear:
- Tell your airline when you book, the flight attendant when you board, and any passengers around you when you sit down. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about and the crew will be able to help you manage the flight.
- At check-in, ask for a seat as far to the front of the cabin as possible – you’ll feel turbulence less at the front.
- Think of turbulence as nothing more than a speedbump in the road – that’s really all it is! Try to relax and let your body sway with the aircraft movements.
- Keep distracted. Watch movies, play games, read or listen to a book, or do a puzzle.
- Avoid caffeine as it can increase your anxiety.
- Listen to your favourite calming music to take your mind off those perfectly normal flight noises that might frighten you.
- Breathe deeply as often as you can.
Featured image by anurag agnihotri
