Confronting the Fear of Flying

Sometimes nerves, when properly reined in, can be your friend in the air.

LeRoy Cook

Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 01:21 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

Whether admitted publicly or not, pilots may occasionally encounter fears while flying, as well as harbor doubts about their motivation for flying an airplane. [Credit: iStock]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots often experience feelings of uncertainty or unease rather than outright fear, which can either lead them to quit or serve as a strong motivator for continuous learning and skill advancement.
Healthy fear is a crucial safety mechanism, promoting vigilance, caution, and wise risk management decisions (e.g., diverting from hazards), contrasting sharply with panic, which is debilitating and must be overcome by immediate, focused action.
Aviation provides a unique sense of control, and while unexpected events can be a source of fear, active responses, ongoing education, and dedicated practice enable pilots to manage situations effectively, transforming fear into a drive for enhanced competence.

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Every once in a while, some nonflyer will casually say to me, “Ever been afraid while you’re up there flying?”

One supposes they are looking for some juicy description of a desperate situation fraught with daunting danger, culminating in a near-escape from certain death. My usual come-back is, “Well, I don’t recall ever being truly afraid, but there were some times when I wished I were somewhere else than where I was.”