subject: Overcoming Fear Of Flying [print this page] For Many, the Sky Is the Limit For Many, the Sky Is the Limit
Heres a riddle to solve:
24% of Americans have done it at least once in the last year.
9% have done it at least 3 times.
7% have done it more than 5 times.
18% said they were very afraid of doing it.
And 26% said they were somewhat afraid of doing it.
Can you guess what it is?
Heres one more clue: This it affects as many as 60 million people in America alone.
Give up? The IT is flying on a commercial airplane.
And if youre one of these 60 million people affected by a fear of flying or even among the 18% who said theyre very afraid to fly, Capt. Ron Nielsen can help you overcome it. You no longer have to be afraid to soar into the sky on an airplane.
Capt. Ron Nielsens Background
As a small boy, Capt. Ron Nielsen dreamed of being a fighter pilot. His 40-year career as a pilot began at the Air Force Academy and included a tour of duty in Vietnam. In 1978 he began his career in commercial aviation. It wasnt until 1987 that he became aware that millions of people are afraid of what he has had a passion forflying in an airplane.
In addition to being an authority on fear of flying, hes regularly featured in local and national media as an aviation expert. Hes recognized as an industry expert in the field of Human Factors having spent the last 20 years designing and delivering programs to reduce the likelihood of aviation accidents due to human error. His masters degree in professional counseling helps him understand whats really going on inside those white-knuckled fearful flyers.
The Effects of Fear of Flying
Not only does fear of flying hurt relationships and families, it can curtail careers.
Thirteen percent of the companies surveyed by USA Today said fear of flying has affected their business. This happens when qualified employees pass up promotions requiring air travel and less capable workers are sent to out-of-town meetings.
How do employees cope when they have to fly? According to a study by the Stanford School of Medicine, more than 60% of fearful flyers use alcohol or medication to try to reduce their fear. Arriving dazed or hung over is not a good way to conduct business.
Capt. Ron, as he is called by the thousands of fearful flyers hes helped over the years, knows that fear of flying limits lives.
Fear of flying makes people do absolutely crazy things. Ive heard just about every story imaginable in all the years Ive worked with fearful flyers, he said.
Overcoming Fear of Flying
A survey of fearful flyers revealed that the most comforting thing is meeting the pilots in the cockpit before the flight. Because Capt. Ron knows as many as one-quarter to one-half of his passengers may have some anxiety about flying, he briefs his passengers before each flight.
A master at connecting, he walks down the aisle before takeoff, making his passengers a part of his crew by relaying the basics of the upcoming flight. This pre-flight briefing helps to set expectations and calm their fears. But, most importantly, Capt. Ron creates a personal connection.
The secret to his success with fear of flying and the people it holds captive? Capt. Ron knows fear.
Even though I couldnt wait for my first airplane ride when I was a boy, the flight was not what I anticipated, he remembers. Overcoming my own fears that threatened to derail my dreams of becoming a pilot was only the beginning. Those fears were symptoms of underlying fears about life and living that were preventing me from living my highest and best life.
Ive been there! I know what its like to be paralyzed by fear and what it means to overcome it.
People who are afraid to fly have within themselves what it takes to get over their fears. I help fearful flyers raise their awareness of new possibilities and encourage them to make new choices about what they believe about themselves and about flying.
I provide encouragement so that they can stay between their fence posts, like a horse looking for its way home.
Overcoming Any Fear Is a Process
Capt. Ron believes that theres no magic bullet to overcome fear but it does involve a process. He says that the first step is an acknowledgment that one is afraid followed by a commitment to overcome the fear.
He acknowledges that we cant control our thoughts, but we can control how we respond to them. This is why education is an important part of his fear of flying program.
Capt. Ron says, Once fearful flyers know the truth about flying and flying safety, they are cleared for takeoff.
And once they are cleared for takeoff, they are truly able to soar through the sky and slip the surly bonds of earth.
For more information about overcoming fear of flying or to contact Capt. Ron Nielsen, visit the FearlessFlight website.
