When it comes to determining if air travel is really right for you, for your next trip, you will first want to look at your destination. Just because you do not have any oceans to cross, it does not mean that you don’t need to fly. For example, if you are looking to travel from New York to California, it may be within your best interest to fly. This is particularly true if you are limited on the amount of vacation time that you have available from your work.

Your budget is another factor that you will want to take into consideration, when trying to determine if air travel is right for you. For example, there are many other cheaper alternatives for those who must travel a short to medium distance. For example, if you will be traveling from Texas to Nevada, you may be able to buy tickets for a bus or train. There are many different options when you look for them. For many individuals, riding a bus or a train is a much more affordable option. Perhaps, the only downside to this approach is the time that you will spend on the road. For many, it would just be convenient to drive their own car.

Speaking of driving your own car, if you are looking to avoid flying, you will want to examine your alternative option of driving yourself. As previously stated, keep your location and distance in mind. Also, it is important to take the cost of your trip into consideration. Many of us automatically think of gasoline and the cost of it, but it is also important to take the cost of vehicle wear and tear into consideration. For that reason, many end up renting a car for their trip. However, it is important to return back to traveling by air. For long distance trips, the cost of renting a car can be the same, if not more than hopping on a flight that only lasts a few hours

What does all of this mean for you? It does mean that you will likely be better off traveling by airplane if you are looking to travel in the United States. With that said, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, you should never fly if you can drive to your destination in an hour or two, as doing so can be considered a waste of money. Also, if you are a motor home owner or if you can find an affordable rental nearby, you may want to drive to your destination instead, as doing so can sometimes be better than flying.

For the most part, the only individuals who should have trouble flying are those who suffer from claustrophobia or a fear of flying, even flying is safe. Individuals with other disabilities, including the need of an oxygen tank or those who are wheel chair bound, can still fly to their destination, as many airlines will go out of their way to provide needed accommodations and services.

But you and I could be part of the “I will never fly society”. If you have often wondered if it would be possible for you to get your own pilot’s license and actually find an airplane all by yourself, it really does seem like a dream that is far out of reach.

We all have dreams. And while in childhood we might dream of being King Arthur’s knight or a fairy princess, those dreams pass. But some dreams may start in childhood and stay with us for a long time. Those dreams may be more than just childhood fantasies. They may be a deep inner voice telling you your destiny in life. And for a lot of people, that dream of flying never goes away, even if you stop talking about it when you “grow up”.

That dream you have of one day learning to fly may be that inner child in you telling you that this is something you were born to do and to be fulfilled as a person, you must indeed someday fly. That doesn’t mean you are going to become a full time pilot of a major jumbo jet, although if that is your destiny, that’s great. Maybe being able to fly will enable you to do good things for a charitable organization. Perhaps it will free you to see the world or to do some good for someone that you cannot even imagine right now. Whatever the case is, it might be time to find out what is holding you back from going after that dream and get you moving down that path to see the dream become a reality.

In a lot of cases, we get intimidated when we peek into the cockpit of an aircraft maybe after a commercial flight and all of those dials and levers seems overwhelming. You look at that pilot and you think, “How can he keep it all straight?” And when you feel that urge to fly an airplane, you think that it’s impossible because how could you ever conquer the technical knowledge needed to operate a complicated thing like an airplane?

Just as often the thing holding us back is just not knowing where to start. We fear that the society of pilots is an elite race and that we just don’t have the stuff to fit in. Insecurity, fear of trying, fear of failing and fear that we aren’t smart enough are all ingredients that keep you always wondering and never going for it. However, when we begin to replace those fears with reality, we see a whole different picture emerge.

The truth is that the path to learning to fly is one that is well known and well tested. In fact, thousands of people every year learn by going to a local flight school and taking a few classes and then sitting with a skilled trainer to learn to take an airplane up and fly. It not only is possible, it’s relatively easy to do and the schools are ready and willing to give you the knowledge and skills to realize your dream. All you have to do is pick up the phone and get the ball rolling. And within a few weeks, you too could be flying above the clouds, just like that kid in you always dreamed of.

Health researchers believe that common forms of phobias may include the following:

Arachnophobia-the fear of spiders.
Ophidiophobia-the fear of snakes
Acrophobia-the fear of heights
Agoraphobia-the fear if circumstances in which escape is difficult. It may include crowded areas or open spaces.
Cynophobia-the fear of dogs
Astraphobia-the fear of thunder and lightning
Trypanophobia-the fear of injections
Social phobias-the fear of social situations
Pteromerhanophobia-the fear of flying
Mysophobia-the fear of germs or dirt

The causes of phobias are not yet determined by health experts, but research suggests that the occurrence of this condition can be a complex interaction of the genes and the environment. Some suggest that it is caused by an early traumatic event like a bite of a dog, being trapped in a closed space, or being humiliated in public. Hypersensitive individuals may respond differently to stress because of unique chemical reaction in the brain. These people may also be sensitive to caffeine because this substance triggers certain brain chemical responses.

Symptoms of phobias may include the following:

Fear of specific objects, situations, or activities.
Often feel stressed or have a panic attack when near the object, activity, or situation.
Avoidance of the object, situation, or activity is often done.
Fear and stress often hinders normal activities like studying or working.

Treatment for phobias may differ from one person to another. In fact, this condition is considered as one of the most treatable mental health problems. Most treated patients may continue to live normal lives. Individuals who have a certain phobia that is easy to avoid and does not hamper their daily activities may not require professional help. However when this condition interferes with a person’s activities or daily routine, health specialists would normally encourage the phobic person to undergo a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Antidepressants may also reduce fear and panic and are proven to be effective in many cases. Anti-anxiety drugs may also help but patients may develop dependence on these medications.

A supportive relationship with a health professional, family members, and friends is essential in treating phobias. In many types of phobias, some symptoms might be relieved by taking a healthy diet and including physical activities in one’s lifestyle. Eliminating caffeine, cutting down on alcohol, having regular exercise, and reducing stress are essential in relieving symptoms of certain phobias.

If you are one of those whose option is to face that fear, then being a pilot is the best option for you. The next question would be, how would you start choosing that flight school. In the field of learning to fly a plane, the most general and slightest significant difference among the types of schools is the minimum flight time necessary for the private diploma – 40 hours beneath Part 61, and 35 hours under Part 141.

Even though flight schools drop into two essential categories, Part 61 or Part 141, at hand is a third class that bears grave reflection by potential pilots, chiefly those setting up a specialized piloting career: generally qualified teaching institutions. Accredited schools have to meet up strict standards of answerability for practically every area of procedure and must apply to an accrediting organization documented by the U.S. Department of Education.

Collegiate aviation degree programs also play a great part in today’s education market, and you should think of earning a degree if you are setting up a professional flying profession. A plus in looking for a degree is that in numerous cases you are entitled for monetary aid and scholarships that will support you, not only in your scholastic activities, but in flight exercise as well.

Flying school options

If you are looking at aviation as a profession and you are rather youthful – age 35 or younger – this is a golden era for you. Since the late 1960s, it has never been so simple to get into the airlines, and by no means has the trail been so obviously clear and so well attended to by dozens of flight academies. Note down the expression is academy, not school. Today, the fresh class of flight school can get your $25,000 to $30,000 (monetary help is more often than not available) and nearly pledge you 1,500 hours, an airline transport pilot diploma, and a dialogue with at slightest a district airline – the entire in three years or fewer.

This is grave, hard-core flight instruction in the grand armed forces custom. Disregard about having verve outside of aviation, because these are overall engagement programs. Imagine of it as going away back to college, complete with moving away from home, textbooks, research, lessons, and friendship. This is not somewhat that will toil for a midlife predicament where you desire to swap your intermittent golf match with flying.

On the other end of the gamut, it’s also not a alternate for a university learning. Most airlines necessitate pilots to cleave to a four-year degree. While quantities of the flight instruction academies toil with locale colleges to assist students get degrees, earning a degree is not constantly part of the agenda. That is why aviation academies are particularly first-rate for those who previously have a degree and merely want profession training. Those who do not have a degree might do superior attending one of the many colleges and universities giving aviation-related degrees and flight schooling.

If you congregate the common credentials-you are able to go to the school’s site, let schooling a full-time profession for two to three years, and wish for an airline calling-the pathway is appealingly well mapped out for you. If that is not for you, you will need to consider your options in overcoming fear of flying.

Acting as the confidante

If he or she decides to try flying again, it would be best if you accompany your friend so he or she can have somebody to turn to once the panic attack and nervousness grip his or her senses. If you are in the same flight with a friend who is trying to overcome fear of flying here are some of the things that you can do:

1. Attend a seminar or a class about overcoming fear or flying. Today, there are so many airlines that offer classes or seminars that can help people overcome fear of flying. If it is possible for you to bring him or her there before the flight, it would be better because here, information about air travel such as flight physics, flight safety, and studies or statistics as well as various relaxation techniques are taught to help people understand the phobia.

2. Make sure that you are informed about your flight. This is an extra effort for you but you have to do this because your friend will rely on you for information during your travel. You can check all your flight details so if your friend asks something during the flight, you will know what to tell him or her, your friend will be more comfortable and relaxed knowing that she or he doesn’t have to worry about anything anymore.

3. Keep the person distracted. Since your friend has aviophobia, it is only natural for him or her to feel nervousness, vomiting, dizziness, muscle tensions and deep breathing. If you see one or two of these symptoms, you should start distracting her or him by talking to her about things that are light. If you do this, you can veer him or her away from negative thoughts. You can also distract him or her by asking her to do something such reading a magazine or play some cards with you.

4. Take time to know the pilot and cabin crew. Some people fear flying because they don’t know who are the people they are entrusting their lives with. If this is the concern of your friend, make a request for both of you to see and meet the pilot as well as to the flight attendants. If he or she sees that these people are reliable and trustworthy, your friend would be more comfortable during the entirety of the flight.

5. Stop him or her from consuming stimulants. These stimulants may include sugar, coffee and other drinks that may contain alcohol that he or she might take before or during the flight. Tell your friend that it would be best not to take these since they contain ingredients that may increase the symptoms of anxiety as well as panic attacks.

6. Make sure that you both arrive in the airport early. One of most effective ways of helping a friend in overcoming fear of flying is you get there at least two hours before the flight, you can buy more time to relax and just enjoy the flight. It is best not to go there late because it will only cause a feeling of rush that may trigger anxiety.

What makes flying safe?

Statistics show that flying is the safest form of travel there is. Why? because the airplane is managed by a professional and licensed pilot who spent years and years of expertise to perfect the art of flying. Aside from that, owners of airline companies themselves spend billions of dollars just to ensure that the facilities are of great quality not only to ensure the safety of their passengers but to make sure that they are comfortable and taken care of during their flights.

Aside from that, no plane ever flies without strict inspection-mechanical and technical aspects-by a crew of people who are also experts in the field of flying. This is to ensure that there would be no problems when the aircraft is thousand feet up in the sky. And, most of all, all airplanes comply with AIR Transportation rules to ensure that they are obeying all the rules and following all the guidelines of safe flying.

The key to success

Experts say that although air travel is safe, the number of people who fear it continue to increase. This is because the fear itself is a phobia that is hard to explain. So, the best way to go about it is for the person to understand what he or she is afraid of in air travel. Once he or she knows what it is about flying the he or she fears the most, these issues can be slowly addressed.

After knowing and acknowledging that fear, the next best thing to do is to be more familiar about the symptoms of the condition. Experts say that every individual have different perceptions and reactions to their phobia. Although the degree and intensity of these fears may vary, there would be commonalities in these symptoms-they are manifested through physical, emotional and psychological aspects.

1. The physical symptoms. This is the easiest way to identify the condition. Physical symptoms may include drastic changes in respiration or heavy breathing, nausea, dizziness, and vomiting. Other common symptoms include involuntary muscle tensions, excessive sweating or perspiration despite the cold temperature, and mild to extreme tremors of the body.

2. The emotional symptoms. Trust issues are the main culprits in this aspect. This is because the fears of the person are deeply rooted and linked to his or her emotional responses. The problem here is the person does not trust the people who will be manning the flight. He or she thinks that the pilot as well as the cabin crew are not capable of protecting her or him during the flight that is why the panic attacks sink in and the passenger may start to be over anxious.

3. The psychological symptoms. This is the hardest part to deal with in overcoming fear of flying because you will need to seek professional help for the psychological issues to be addressed. These issues may involve matters of self-control, the inability to cope, and the struggle to fight the fear that grip the person once the airplane takes off.

Options for aviophobia treatment

Once the final diagnosis has been made by the psychologist, the person who has aviophobia can now start with treatments depending in the severity of the phobia. Nowadays, the most common treatment options available in overcoming fear of flying include drug therapy, natural remedies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), relaxation techniques and airline-affiliated programs. Each of these offer different concepts and processes so it’s up to the person which one could be suitable to his or her needs.

1. The drug therapy. This is the mildest form of treatment available for people who are starting in overcoming their fear. Once diagnosis is made by the psychologist or psychiatrist, the most common drug prescription that they give include benzodiazepines and other relaxant drugs which are proven to control the symptoms of the phobia for a certain period of time. Although some can be bought over the counter, always remember to check with your health provider which drugs may help you overcome that fear while in flight. Their approval and prescription is very important because these will ensure that the problem will not get more complicated.

2. Several herbal and natural remedies. If you want to go the natural way, there are certain natural remedies that can be made or taken at home to help you control anxiety attacks during flights. These herbs include St John’s Wort, Scullcap, Passiflora incarnate, and Valerian are recommended because these are believed to help calm the person’s nerves while aboard. Because these contain properties that help people to relax, many are trying this treatment option. But since herbal or natural remedies don’t necessarily have clinical approval, it is best to test first the effects of these herbs before you finally go aboard.

3. The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. Experts say that one of the most effective methods for helping people overcoming their fear of flying is the process called “desensitization.” This is an educated approach to overcoming fear in flying because the process involves making the person face the fear “face to face”. How? The moderators introduce the patient to his or her fear and then, slowly, the idea of flying will be re-introduced. Other components of the method also include conversations on it, field visits such as the airport, and soon, you will be accompanied to take a real flight. During the sessions, the patient will be taught various relaxation methods as well as techniques so they can cope with the phobia and eventually eliminate it form their system.

4. Various relaxation techniques. Since anxiety is the main culprit for fear of flying, people who are experiencing this are advised to various techniques that would help them relax such as meditation and deep breathing as well as muscle relaxation. People who are afraid to fly are advised to practice these techniques at home so once they have mastered it, they can try using these relaxation methods when they finally able to take a flight. Learning these techniques are important because it will help the person reduce his or her anxiety, relieve the tension brought by the fear, and enable that person to take off his or her mind into untoward things and accidents.

Another reason for this fear is the person is exposed too much on media coverage on various tragic accidents in the air which instill a fear for his or her life. Studies show that people who have witnessed an extensive coverage of an aerial accident are prone to having aviophobia sooner or later.

Starting to overcome the fear

If you are one of those who have developed this fear and you would want to overcome it, here are simple step-by-step procedures that you can follow:

FIRST STEP: Conduct a thorough research. Indeed, knowledge is power. If you are aware about the basics of flight and air travel, your mind can tell you how to control your fear. Aviophobia stem from over anxiety about tragic air accidents. It is also a result of a misunderstanding and lack of enough knowledge on flights and the technicalities of the aircraft itself. If you are able to educate yourself on these things, it will be easier for you to understand and realize that some of your fears on flying could be far-fetched.

SECOND STEP: Clear your mind before and during the flight. Fear of flying is a phobia caused by untoward incidents that might happen in the air. Experts say that this fear is all in the mind of the person. So, if the person tries to clear his or her mind from things that might happen, he or she might be able to overcome the fear in no time. To clear your mind off negative thoughts, you can try practicing relaxation techniques before and during the flight such as breathing that is controlled, rejection of negative thinking by making a conscious effort, and indulging into distractions such as reading, listening to music or watching airline movies.

THIRD STEP: Learn about “desensitization.” Experts say that this process is usually conducted during a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) wherein the person who has developed fear in flying is slowly exposed to the conditions of flying until he or she is able to face the fears and learn to overcome them.

FOURTH STEP: Seek professional help. Some people have deep-rooted aviophobia that is why they are having a hard time overcoming fear of flying. If you think that your phobia on flying has reached bigger proportions and it already affects your life in general, it is best to consult a professional to check on you. This professional can either be a psychologist or a psychiatrist who can check your emotional and even your mental health if needed. The doctor will recommend some treatment options such as drug therapy. If you have a mild condition, he or she will teach you relaxation techniques that you can administer at home in managing and controlling your anxiety attacks.

If you are one of those who are having a hard time flying because of certain fears while aboard, the first thing that you could do is to identify and acknowledge that fear. This is the best way to go about it because how can you address a certain problem if you don’t have enough courage to face it. Once you know in yourself what that fear is, you can find ways on how to overcome them.

How to get started

Aviophobia or the fear of flying is one of the most common fears that people develop. This is because of the thought something untoward might happen in the air and would lead to their tragic death. Many people who enjoy flying might think of it as something absurd but experts say that fear of flying is not a laughing matter. This is because it can lead to more complicated problems such as panic attacks, nausea and vomiting.

If you are one of those who have developed fear of flying and you want to overcome it, here’s some tips that can help you get started:

1. Know what really in flying that are afraid the most. The most common answer would be the fear of death-tragic one that is. Can you just imagine, if you die in a plane crash, there’s a small percent of you surviving. The worst thing is that the rescuers might not be able to recover your remains because chances are they have turned into ashes or have been eaten by sea creatures during emergency landing. Although these thoughts are frightening, these don’t happen all the time. If you are afraid of these things, it is best to acknowledge these right away so you can address these properly.

2. Be educated. This is the best weapon in getting started in overcoming your fear. If you are knowledgeable about the possibilities, you won’t be able to imagine some things that might happen to you while aboard. Experts say that if one if knowledgeable enough, he or she would have a better understanding. Being educated means one is able to learn what to do when accidents may happen in the air.

3. Undergo desensitization and enough exposure. For people who are afraid of flying, it takes a lot will to even attempt taking a flight. If you are one of those who are afraid of flying, one way to ease the anxiety that you feel is “desensitization” wherein there are vivid descriptions of the situations that may happen. If you know very well what it feels like during an accident, you will feel the intensity of that fear, thus, leading one to develop means to overcome that fear. It also helps the person to do something during that instance.

4. Get all the support that you need. It is hard for a person-who is just starting in overcoming fear of flying-to do it by him or herself. So, the best way for him or her to continue with the process is having people around who can give the support needed. If you are the flyer, try bringing along a friend who is not afraid of flying when you have flights. He or she can serve as a distraction so you won’t think of negative thoughts while aboard.

The first thing that one can do if he or she suspects that he or she might have developed this fear in flying is to check the symptoms of people who are diagnosed with it. Some of the common symptoms of the phobia include over anxiety or nervousness during the flight. Other manifestations of the condition might also include nausea, dizziness, vomiting, muscular tensions, motion sickness, excessive sweating, heavy breathing, palpitations or increased heart rate and uncontrolled shaking or trembling of the person’s body.

If these symptoms happen to a person during the flight, then there is a great need for him or her to seek professional help as soon as possible. The diagnosis of aviophobia is usually made by the psychologist who will offer fear of flying advices. He or she will also assess the patient by asking about him or her about the fear of flying, how it started, and the extent or the severity of the fear which may affects his or her life. Going to a psychiatrist is one of the basic treatments in overcoming fear of flying because he or she will give the person another perspective on the condition and will also help him or her handle the condition especially if it has reached phobic proportions. The following are just some of the tips that you can follow in order to overcome fear of flying:

1. Be knowledgeable. This is the best thing that you can do in order to overcome with fear of flying. If you are educated about flying, you will know that accidents don’t happen all the time. And if these will, you will know what to do since you have already taken time off to know more about this occurrence. Experts say that the greater understanding there is when it comes to flying and about all the things that usually take place during flights, he or she will get hold of the fear that grips his or her emotions.

2. Know what actually scares you. This is the basic thing that people who have phobia in flying should do because if they will know what it is that they fear in flying, they can address these issues on themselves with a help of a professional such as a psychologist.

3. Stop thinking too much. Experts say that although phobia in flying is valid, it all stem from the person’s imagination. So, if you are in a flight, it is best not to think too much about what might happen. If you do this, you will experience peaceful flight without having to worry about anything. Most of the people who have deep seated fear of flying have reached this stage because they tend to think of too many things while aboard. The tendency is for them to have panic attacks and prolonged dizziness. In overcoming fear of flying, one must try to relax during the flight.