Fear of flying is a real phobia that some air travelers feel because they are thinking about death, although they hear and read that air travel is one of the safest means of transportation.
Here is this fact from the reality of accident statistics for aircraft that were published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in the year 2022 AD and it shows that there was only one major aviation accident for every 7.7 million flights in 2021. Amounts to overall mortality risk is 0.23. Yes, it is a fact. Only 121 passengers died in 26 plane crashes, including 7 catastrophic aviation accidents.
7.7 million flights in 2021, we expect one aviation accident, if we assume that the average number of passengers for one flight is 150 passengers, then this means that 7 billion one hundred and fifty million passengers and you are one of them. What do these statistics mean, they mean that flying is the safest form of transportation, so we must trust that before thinking of air travel.
Fear of Flying
The real reason behind the fear of flying is the frequent question in the minds of travelers, what if I died? If this plane crashed?
We need to understand that death is a fact that cannot be escaped. If death is written for us, fear will not change anything. Rather, death could be the result of several different ways, for example, a car accident, angina pectoris...etc.
Do you consider flying a nightmare and horror for you and you cannot deal with it?
I advise you to continue reading this article because it will help you overcome this fear with understanding. You should know that the best cure for fear is understanding because one of the main causes of fear is not understanding what you would do if you were in a plane that is about to crash within minutes!!
Once you understand the safety instructions and use the safety equipment you will be ready to fly and the fear will start to deteriorate.
For example, “Find your nearest exit by type of landing. Some exits cannot be used for landing on water.” Smartly count the number of rows to those exits and try to determine which protrusions you would use to find if the cabin was full of smoke.
It's good to learn to survive a plane crash, I have this website [ aviation-professional.net] where you can read articles related to safety in flights.
Plane about to crash - [Planned crash]
Before any plane accident , there will be an emergency announcement by the captain (in the pre-landing brief) specifying the type of emergency and the geographical nature in which the landing is expected. You only need to do the following:
1- Prepare for the crash: -
- Remove everything sharp from pockets, and clothes you wear, for example, remove your belt, remove high-heeled shoes( for women), and remove headsets if you use them for listening to music.
- Take off your tie or scarf, as well as glasses so they don't fly off, to use them for seeing your way out of the plane.
- Leave and remove any bags or items that may hinder your movement in exit (decide to exit in person).
- If landing on water, wear the life jacket correctly without inflating it.
- If you love photography!! Make a simple comparison between survival or photography and fame!!
2- Before the plane impact on the ground or water
When you hear the flight attendant shouting “BRACE! BRACE! BRACE!”, this will be your signal to take the brace position; you must remain in this position until the aircraft has come to a complete stop”.
3- After the plane stops, Follow the instructions of the flight attendants
- Remain in your seat until instructed to get off the plane. Do not open an exit door or window without direct instructions from a flight attendant.
- Leave bags and personal items behind. Bringing bags may hinder movement and exit, which results in exposure to risks and injuries resulting from delays in evacuating, such as suffocation from smoke, and the sinking of the plane. etc.
- If landing on water (ditching), do not inflate the life jacket until you are at the exit door or out of the emergency exit, if you inflate the life jacket and the plane fills with water, you will be trapped in the ceiling, and will not be able to swim underwater to exit the plane. If this happens, get rid of the life jacket so you can swim and cling to someone. The life jacket floats easily loaded with two people.
- If there are no instructions from the flight attendant, make sure that the external environment of the emergency door is free of any dangers such as fire, cliffs, and others. Then, open the emergency exit door according to what you learned from the safety instructions card.
- If there is smoke during the evacuation, take a piece of cloth (preferably wet) to help to breathe, or stay as low as possible when you exit the plane.
4- After getting off the plane
- Move farther downwind until the smoke and fire are away from you.
- Do not lie on the tall grass.
- Do not leave the area completely and stay within walking distance of the fuselage if possible so that you are easy to find.
A plane is about to crash [unexpected]
Most catastrophic accidents are unexpected, so it's rare to get advance notice from the captain. In these cases, if you survive after the plane stops, follow the flight attendant's instructions and don't take anything with you while off the plane.
Conclusion
The more you fly, the less you feel afraid. It is true, in psychology it is called "exposure". This means that the more we face our fears, the easier it becomes. This is because our brains, instead of telling us that we are in mortal danger, tell us that there is no immediate threat. Once we start confronting our fears, the awful feelings and physical symptoms we feel will decrease and make flying safer, and enjoyable.
