"You are also right about making the commitment to do something and then doing it.  The fear does take a backseat.  In your video you state that sometimes we just say to ourselves that I am going to get on this plane no matter what, no matter if I live or die.  That helped me a lot.  It helped me because one does get to a point where the fear is just ridiculous and you feel that I cannot take the fear anymore.  So, screw it, I am going to do this no matter what."

To readers who might have missed this point, commitment to a course of action (or inaction) is the key to regulating anxiety. The amygdala is supposed to produce stress hormones any time it notes something non-routine. The hormones activate your high level thinking which is supposed to come up with a plan of action (or inaction). It is at the point of commitment to the plan that the amygdala is signaled to stop stress hormone release. 

The reader also says, "I used to daydream a lot.  And I mean, a lot.  It was my way of getting away from where I was.  It gave me a sense of relief." But notice that if, as a child, we must daydream to get relief, there HAS to be something we need relief from. And yes, it sounds like a good idea. But getting a Ph.D. in imagination only sets us up for anxiety when we have to deal with the real world. Instead of living in the moment - which we are frightened to do - we try to live in the NEXT moment. To spend ones life in the next moment is a way to trying to avoid anxiety. That may work if the flight is smooth. But if there is turbulence, we suddenly remember we are in a real airplane. Then, our imagination - the imagination we so carefully controlled - can't be controlled any more. If we could move into reality, we would be better off. But we don't. We are so used to imagination that we can't get out, and then - when there is turbulence - we imagine terror. Then, we lose track that the terror is just imagination. That is what fear of flying is all about. Imagination. 

• imagination about what will happen on your flight


• imagination about what is about to happen during your flight


• imagination about what you will feel


• imagination about not being able to handle it

========== 

"Underwear Bomber" Looked For The Cheapest Fare

According to an Associated Press story when the failed "underwear bomber" planned his Christmas 2009 attempt to bomb an airliner he was flying on, he decided against Houston or Chicago and choose Detroit because the fare was lower. 

========== 

Fake Pilots On Indian Airlines

Earlier
this month  authorities arrested a 38-year-old, flying as a captain for the low-cost carrier IndiGo, for not having a valid pilot's license. Spicejet, which twice before suspended a pilot for using false documents to obtain a pilots license, suspended another pilot last week. Two pilots at Air India have also been suspended. Story at this link.

========== 

Applying SOAR To Claustrophobia

Just had to tell you another success story!  My claustrophobia has thru the years, spilled into all kinds of areas of my life....My husband recently purchased concert tickets for my birthday, the venue was at Mohegan Sun.  The last time I was there which was about 4 yrs ago, I had a total meltdown....very dark, exits far away, crowded etc, etc...I found myself sitting in the lobby the whole day, never being able to venture into the stores, casino or restaurants....I did make several attempts but to no avail....So needless to say, when he told me about the concert, I was in panic mode, I kept thinking about how I was going to get thru this.  Well about 3 days before the concert, I thought about my strengthening exercises and decided I would give them a try. (I often forget I can use them for other things, not just flying).  

Since I had been to the casino a couple of times before, I knew most of the layout...so I used my "moment" and placed one of the spots in the casino next to it, exactly like I would do for the flight....walking into the casino, walking toward and thru the shopping area, going up the escalator to the restaurants....honestly, I only did it 6-8 times, hoping that would be enough....and that did the trick!

I am SO happy to tell you that not only did I go to the concert, but I spent the entire day walking thru all of the shops, restaurants and casinos!  I had a wonderful day and NEVER experienced any panic AT ALL!!!  

You have truly helped me change my life, one experience at a time and I am forever grateful!!!

==========

Applying SOAR To Needle Anxiety

I wanted to contact you to thank you for the useful advice you share with us over the newsletters. My two phobias (planes and needles), often cause great anxiety in my life, and in the latter case, even kept me from getting much needed blood tests.

I have left the Dr's office several times either unable to complete the blood work, or refusing to even attempt it.

This Friday, more than 10 months overdue for my thyroid test and 2 years for a physical, I remembered your newsletter about commitment. I made sure I was committed the whole way through, even paying attention to my body language : not sitting down in the waiting room as to keep my body in "active" mode, telling myself that this is my choice, etc. In the lab, I sat down, rolled up my sleeve and said to the technician "let's do this".  The whole procedure took less than 10 seconds - I did not cry, bargain, plead, or flee! Pretty impressive considering I had cried twice during the past week claiming " I cannot do this".

You advice is always useful when flying, and apparently, in other areas of life too!

==========

SOAR Will Work For You Too

Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.

SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.

• Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or
  


• Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com
  


• No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.

Or Enroll Right Now And Get This Over With

You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.

Full Length Course

• The full length SOAR Video Course on 11 DVDs provides the maximum help possible.
  


• More info.
  

Accelerated Courses

Flying tomorrow or the day after? Be ready to fly in 90 minutes with Rapid Relief.

Flying in three to ten days? Get comprehensive help with SOAR Complete Relief.

• Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.
  


• A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.
  


• What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.
  

Everything to you need is just a click away. Start viewing on your computer two minutes from now.

==========

Unsure Which To Choose

If you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act. Or set up an appointment for us to talk by clicking this link.

We are always here to help. Every course includes at least one counseling session. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.

==========

Discuss Or Schedule An Individual Session -- Call 877 332-7359

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

• find out how I can help you with flying
  


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session
  


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.
  


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.
  


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.
  


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)

As
an airline passenger, when stress hormones alert you, your executive function
needs to assess the situation. Good executive function recognizes the flight
controls are in an experienced expert's hands who does not wait for stress
hormones, but keeps executive function activated to foresee what action is
needed and commit to action as needed. The commitment you need to make in
response to stress hormones is to simply sit and experience the flight just as
it is.

==========  

Discarding Diamonds 

A story came to mind this week, perhaps due to the military action in Libya. When I was in the Air Force in Germany in the 1960s, Adolf Galland, the general in charge of fighter operations for Germany during WW II, spoke at a formal dinner at our air base.

During the war, Goring presented Galland with the Iron Cross, one of Germany's highest military honors. A few months later, Goring gave Galland a second Iron Cross, explaining that the first one, because there was a shortage, contained rhinestones rather than diamonds.

Galland said that a few months later, he was called to appear before Hitler. Hitler told Galland to give him the Iron Cross he was wearing. Galland gave it to him. Hitler threw it into a waste basket and said, "When Goring gave you that Iron Cross, there was a shortage of diamonds so it  has merely rhinestones. Here is one with real diamonds."

Galland accepted the replacement and said nothing about the diamond-filled Iron Cross in the waste basket that was going to be thrown away. He said, "You didn't tell Hitler he was wrong!"

==========

Unusual Airports

Probably not any place you are going to be landing - other than perhaps St. Maarten - but you may find this group of airports interesting.

==========

Scanner Risks?

The April issue of Radiology has two articles that address radiation from the new scanners that use backscatter X-ray systems.  Both articles say the risk is minimal. But if you fly a lot, read the article at this link.

========== 

Getting The Most Out Of Therapy

Here is a great article.

• learn the differences in forms of therapy


• ask professional you respect for a referral


• get an experienced expert


• be open to change


• limit the process


• make therapy part of your life


• be brutally honest


• you will feel worse before you feel better


• talk with the therapists about the challenge of therapy

========== 

"Did It Really 'Take'?" 

Even after taking a flight and being amazed at the difference, it can be hard to really believe that flying will continue to be good. It can take a while until the realization settles in. The following email explains. 

I have been meaning to send you an email to let you know what your program has done for me, but I've been so busy!  I'm now taking the time to do so.  This trip to Cozumel is actually my SECOND vacation since taking your course.  

As many of your students, I was skeptical that this would work for me.  I was flying before, but was getting more scared every time I flew.  I tried a mixture of sleep deprivation, alcohol and sedatives on the last flight I took, but it didn't work.  I decided to stop flying altogether.  We had an opportunity to take a dream vacation at the end of last year, but I didn't want to fly.  My husband put his foot down.  I told him I would look into getting help.  I found you online, and thought, "It's a guaranteed program.  Worst case, it doesn't work, and I get my money back."  

We booked the vacation, which included a Delta connecting flight from OKC to Memphis on a small jet (not sure which kind), and then from Memphis to Ft. Lauderdale.  I committed to taking these four flights, which was a big step for me to begin with.  I was a little nervous getting on the first flight, but I didn't panic as usual.  It felt good to not be in panic mode at the airport!  I met the pilots, who were both WONDERFUL!  One of them said that he had a respect for people with a fear of flying.  He asked if I were a control freak.  Hmm, he had my number!!  

I wasn't nervous during take-off, but I knew the real test would be the turbulence.  Once we were at cruising altitute, and the turbulence hit, it was like a light switch came on automatically, and JELLO came to mind.  After I realized that several minutes had passed, and I wasn't freaking out, I smiled so big!  You couldn't have wiped that smile off my face for ANYTHING!  

We landed in Memphis, and I was so proud of myself!  I don't think I have ever been so proud of an accomplishment, and I have several that I am very proud of.  On the flight from Memphis to Ft. Lauderdale, I actually got out of my seat to go to the bathroom!  Normally, I would be planted in my seat, not wanting to move a millimeter.  Somebody was in the bathroom a long time (a passenger told me the person was afraid of flying), and I gave up after standing there for a while, and went back to my seat.  

I had the most wonderful vacation, and didn't stress about the flights home.  I was a little more nervous flying home, and had to do the 5-4-3-2-1 exercises a couple of times.  Still, the anxiety was much more manageable than before.  On the last flight, Memphis to OKC, I started talking to a flight attendant on the descent.  She was shocked to hear that I had been a nervous flyer!  She asked me the name of the program so that she could refer people to it.  

Six months later, I'm going on vacation again!  I can't help but think--did it really "take"?  So I plan to re-watch the DVD's and work on the strengthening exercises again so that I won't be anxious about this vacation.  I was nervous about the prop plane I mentioned in my last email, just because it seems that they are always the ones to go down.  My husband did some research online about the plane, since he knew I would object when I found out it was a prop plane!  He said it was only about 10-12 years old, and that it was supposed to be technologically comparable to a small jet.  I told him not to book until I talked to you!  If you feel that it is a safe plane, then I am comforted by that. 

I am so thankful for your program.  I'm thankful that my fears were ADDRESSED, and not just masked or unsuccessfully treated. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

Sincerely,

==========

SOAR Will Work For You Too

Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.

SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.

• Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or
  


• Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com
  


• No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.

Or Enroll Right Now And Get This Over With

You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.

Full Length Course

• The full length SOAR Video Course on 11 DVDs provides the maximum help possible.
  


• More info.
  

Accelerated Courses

Flying tomorrow or the day after? Be ready to fly in 90 minutes with Rapid Relief.

Flying in three to ten days? Get comprehensive help with SOAR Complete Relief.

• Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.
  


• A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.
  


• What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.
  

Everything to you need is just a click away. Start viewing on your computer two minutes from now.

==========

Unsure Which To Choose

If you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act. Or set up an appointment for us to talk by clicking this link.

We are always here to help. Every course includes at least one counseling session. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.

==========

Discuss Or Schedule An Individual Session -- Call 877 332-7359

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

• find out how I can help you with flying
  


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session
  


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.
  


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.
  


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.
  


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)

Worry As Prerequisite To Flight  

Nervous as you approach a flight? Part of your mind is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. Which part is that? The amygdala. When encountering a "non-routine situation" the amygdala releases stress hormones to force your high level thinking to pay attention. So far so good.

Well, then, what is going wrong? What part of the brain is not doing its job? Executive function. When stress hormones force your executive function to look at a non-routine situation, its job is to make an assessment, form a plan of action if needed, and commit to action (or inaction).

First, assessment: is the non-routine situation (a) an opportunity, (b) of no consequence, or (c) a threat. 

(a) An opportunity. The non-routine situation is causing stress hormones to be released by the WalMart ad for a $39.95 widget for only $17.88 TODAY ONLY.  But your executive function says, "My garage is full of those damn things." Exciting as a bargain is, your executive function takes a pass. Or, if your executive function isn't working well, you go buy another one just because it is a bargain.

(b) Of no consequence. Executive function makes an assessment that the non-routine situation is neither an opportunity nor a threat. You make the decision that no action is needed. That signals the amygdala to "chill out". The amygdala stops releasing stress hormones.

(c) A threat. Your executive function sees the non-routine situation is a threat. Executive function comes up with a plan of action. As soon as you commit to the plan, again a signal goes to the amygdala that you are on the case and stress hormones are no longer needed.

Where do we go wrong?

1. Not assessing. If a person thinks stress hormones mean danger, executive function makes no assessment of the situation. The person lets the most primitive part of the brain - the amygdala - rule. It is really - sorry to say it but true - stupid to let the most primitive part of the brain rule and let all the intelligence in the cortex go to waste. The amygdala doesn't know danger. It only knows routine and non-routine. Bad idea. You are letting the most primitive part of the brain rule. 

2. Not deciding. To decide, executive function needs to use the right brain's big picture. The big pictures is that planes almost always get there safely. The big picture says planes crash somewhere around one in 14,000,000 to 23,000,000 flights. MIT Professor Barnett points out that a child born today has a better chance during its lifetime of becoming president than of being in an airline accident. 

3. Not committing. Executive function can't commit it if gets caught up in the left brain's little picture. The little picture is the image of the one in several millions that didn't arrive safely. It makes more sense to fret about becoming president than crashing. Put another way, your focus today should be more on what to wear at the Inaugural Ball than about whether to fly or not.

Commitment is needed to stop the release of stress hormones, and let you get on with life. Though a physical crash is unlikely, an emotional crash is almost certain unless you commit. With no commitment, no signal goes to the amygdala to stop releasing stress hormones. with no commitment, stress hormones build up. That could mean panic.

Even You Can't Assess, Decide, And Commit . . . 

The strengthening exercise can keep stress hormones from being released in the first place. No stress hormones, no problem. If anything gets by the strengthening exercise, there is the 5-4-3-2-1. 

But the strengthening exercise works only DURING the flight as new non-routine situations arise. It doesn't help with anticipatory anxiety when you are already stuck with a non-routine problem (taking a flight) and can't process that issue by assessment, decision, and commitment.

The 5-4-3-2-1 can give you a break. The accumulated stress hormones can be gotten rid of by the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise. It takes some work. It only temporarily relieves the stress, but it does clear the mind. Maybe enough to let you get a fresh go at assessment, decision, and commitment. 

Why don't we use the 5-4-3-2-1 to take a break? Could it be because worry keeps us safe? In college, certain courses are prerequisite to taking other courses. Could worry be a prerequisite to taking a flight? If being foolhardy enough to feel confident tempts fate to do a number on us, maybe worry appeases fate and keeps us safe. If we don't worry, will that cause bad things to happen? 

All we need to do is relax and all hell will break loose. Right? So here we are. Trying to control destiny by distress. 

Simple.

==========

Kids - Especially Boys - Need Help With Emotions

Research at the University of Illinois shows parental response to a two-year-old's negative emotions can lead the child to develop a problem with anxiety.

Researcher Jennifer Engle says, "We investigated two types of parental reactions to children's negative
emotions. One type of reaction was to minimize their child's emotions;
for example, a parent might say, 'Stop behaving like a baby'." 

Another
type of reaction was punishing the child for these emotions by sending the child to his room for crying or being upset, or taking away
a toy or a privilege. 

Though the first method was damaging, the second method was significantly worse. Parents who punished their kids for negative emotions were more likely to have
children who were anxious and withdrawn, especially boys.

 "When parents punish their toddlers for becoming angry or scared,
children learn to hide their emotions instead of showing them. These
children may become increasingly anxious when they have these feelings
because they know they'll face negative consequences."

Better than belittling or punishing is talking it through. "When children are upset, it's better if you can talk with them and help
them work through their emotions rather than sending them to their room
to work through their feelings on their own. Young children, especially
little boys who are prone to feeling negative emotions intensely, need
your comfort and support when their emotions threaten to overwhelm
them," Engle said.  

See article at this link. 

==========

Temperament Plays A Role Too

Dr. Jerome Kagan has done years of study of the temperament of children. He says, "Some children -- say about 20% -- are going to be shy and timid at 4
months of age. If you move an infant mobile in front of them, they get
very aroused, start to flail their arms and legs, arch their back, and
begin to cry. We call those infants high reactive.

"But about twice as many -- 40% -- are exactly the opposite. They lie
there, they never move, rarely arch their back, and never cry. They are
called low reactive."

Kagan found that over time, most of the high-reactive children lost
their tendency to show their overt behavior, but they were always
quieter and more subdued than their low-reactive counterparts. "The low reactives are sociable, bold, outgoing extroverts, the Jay
Lenos and Bill Clintons. But the high reactives continue to feel tense
inside, even though they can hide it," Dr. Kagan explained.

When high-reactive children reach their midteens they have more
unrealistic fears. "For example, some are afraid to get on a subway. Some are afraid to
take a class trip to Washington because they have never been to
Washington. Some worry that their parents are going to die in an
automobile crash . . . . So they are
retaining, in their internal feelings, the temperament they displayed
when they were 4 months old." 

"We are only studying 2 temperaments," Dr. Kagan pointed out. "The next step will be to try
to discover -- and no one has a clue -- what are the genes that produce
this state of the brain." 

See story at this link.

==========

Left Brain Versus Whole Brain

After passing on information from McGilchrist's book about the effect brain function has on thinking, a few emails received still pointed out the wisdom (left brain "stick" approach) that education can be improved by firing bad teachers, or that if pilots don't want to work for peanuts, they should find another line of work. And that is exactly what talented people do. The best talent goes to jobs with high pay. My concern is that as airlines try to squeeze more out of pilots for less pay, talented pilots will look for work as entrepreneurs. In the long term, talent may migrate elsewhere and the airlines would be manned by pilots like the one in the Buffalo crash who in his mid-thirties, was still working as a stock clerk in a Publix supermarket.

Yes, money can be saved in the short term by squeezing more out of people who are already in the profession, whether they be teachers or pilots. But the long term, talent migrates elsewhere. When schools and airlines can't attract talent, they get saddled with bad teachers and bad pilots, and the need to somehow weed them out. The full brain can hold the big picture, not just the short term view, and offer more carrots than sticks. If education and air travel are important, the answer is to pay teachers and pilots more to start with.

==========

And The What Planet Are You From Award Goes To .

CNN has called it the "prayer scare". On a flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles, Alaska Airlines flight attendants freaked out when they saw men performing a prayer ritual. The flight attendants regarded what they saw as "suspicious behavior", locked down the cockpit, and triggered a security alert. When the plane landed, it was met with fire trucks, police, TSA personnel, FBI and customs agents. The men were escorted off the plane and questioned. After they were released, an Alaska Airlines spokeswoman said, "We've since learned from law enforcement that the passengers onboard were practicing a traditional Orthodox Jew ritual called Tefillin."

The ritual involves strapping leather ribbons and small wooden boxes containing verses of the Torah  to the body while saying morning prayers. Read the story at this link. The airline has said it will incorporate Orthodox Jewish practices into its diversity training.

==========

New On The Message Board

On Thursday, March 3, I took my first flight in 11 years from
Kansas City to New York city.  I am practically speechless about how
great it was.  I have only flown one other time without sheer panic and
terror and that was when I used the course Capt. Tom offered in the year
2000 (last time I flew) but only had it for a few days before I had to
fly.  I got the new and improved course on DVD a little over a month
before my flight and began watching it and practicing the strengthening
exercises.

Wow!  I just can't believe the difference.  The only time I
had any anxiety during my flight was waiting for take off but even that
wasn't at an uncomfortable level.  It was more like the anticipation
someone gets when they are about to run a race or something.  The
flight crew on the flight was just spectacular.  The flight attendants
presented me with wings to pin on my shirt when I was done!  The pilots
were so kind and excited for me when the flight was over.  Thank you
Capt. Tom and Lisa and Capt. Steve!  I couldn't have done it without you
and now I am ready for my next flight!

Posted at this link.

==========

Peace Of Mind

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I just flew round trip from Salt Lake to JFK to see my grandson Harley be baptized!  I never ever thought I could  say this but my trips out and back were practically anxiety free!  It's a miracle.  Even with an hour mechanical delay in New York and a bumpy trip back home I was able to stay calm.  I met the pilots both ways.  They were very nice and answered all my questions.

I practiced the strengthening exercise 7 times before the trip.  Everytime I had an unnerving thought, it just vanished and there was no anxiety attached to it.  I can't thank you enough for talking to me on the phone and sending me all the material I needed to make this trip happen.  I am so grateful to know that I can fly now and not be terrified and shaking across the country.

I have been so unhappy thinking and worrying that someone in my family will need me and that I wouldn't be able to be there because of my fears.  Now I have peace of mind.  Thank you for your program and for caring so much.

==========

SOAR Will Work For You Too

Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.

SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.

• Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or
  


• Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com
  


• No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.

Or Enroll Right Now And Get This Over With

You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.

Full Length Course

• The full length SOAR Video Course on 11 DVDs provides the maximum help possible.
  


• More info.
  

Accelerated Courses

Flying tomorrow or the day after? Be ready to fly in 90 minutes with Rapid Relief.

Flying in three to ten days? Get comprehensive help with SOAR Complete Relief.

• Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.
  


• A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.
  


• What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.
  

Everything to you need is just a click away. Start viewing on your computer two minutes from now.

==========

Unsure Which To Choose

If you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act. Or set up an appointment for us to talk by clicking this link.

We are always here to help. Every course includes at least one counseling session. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.

==========

Discuss Or Schedule An Individual Session -- Call 877 332-7359

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

• find out how I can help you with flying
  


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session
  


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.
  


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.
  


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.
  


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)

Follow Up On Fantasy

E-mails from readers about the use of fantasy were interesting and helpful. In general, readers believed the use of fantasy was a good idea in cases where it could counteract troublesome fantasies already fixed in place.

But one remarkable email pointed out how imagination is a two-edged sword. Imagination - itself - can traumatize a person who does not maintain the necessary mental discipline to keep reality and fantasy separate.

Most of you know the story about the attorney who had a gun put to his head. Following that incident, due to thinking "what if", he traumatized himself. Similarly, when people imagine "what it was like" for people in an airline crash or trapped in the World Trade Center, that imagination traumatizes. If you don't know the story, see the video at this link.

In his email he writes, "I would agree with you wholeheartedly that answers to our psychological problems should be based in/on reality, not fantasy. Why I say so comes from my own experience."

"About 12 yrs ago I had a flying incident in an MD80 where an engine failed on takeoff, from a piece of tyre that came off and flew into one of the two engines, taking it out. We made an emergency landing after circling for a while to get rid of excess fuel. The landing was fine, as the tyre was still inflated, as an outer layer only had come off.  My wife and 3 month old baby were on the flight too."

"That same day we flew on to our destination no problem. But about 6 months later I had a panic attack on another flight and became more and more terrified of flying, fueled mainly by the fantasy of what might have happened that day of the emergency landing."

"I was working for an airline at the time and knew all the facts, but still I became terrified. The breakthrough for me was finding your website about 6 years ago and starting the process of clawing my way back to the reality of the situation."

"1. I tried to remember how I used to feel about flying before the incident. The real feelings were excitement and enjoyment. Excitement at the prospect of the adventure of going to new places and having new experiences and just the enjoyment of flying. Remembering this connected me to good feelings that brought the anticipatory anxiety way down. The reality is that I like flying!"

"2. It dawned on me that the experience on the plane was real, not imagined, that it had happened and that is wasn't in my imagination. It connected me to the fact that my worst nightmare hadn't come true. It was a nasty experience but nothing more or less than that."

"Fantasy does need to be outgrown . . . . For me fantasy only added fuel to the fire of the unreal fear of flying. My fantasy built up this huge mountain of fear that at one moment seemed almost insurmountable . . . The fantasy built up the anxiety to level 9 before even stepping onto the plane, but with a reality check, disappeared."

The writer of that email points out that, ultimately, reality is the key. I want to add that it is reflective function - our ability to observe and critique our thinking - that allows us to distinguish reality from imagination. We need to be relentless with ourselves. We need discipline to accede to reality rather than cling tenaciously to our own favored fabrications. However well we love the reality we create inside our brains, head trips we do on ourselves will, in time, bite us back.

We can use a fantasy of salvation as an antidote to an established fantasy of disaster. But we can afford to do so only if we recognize that both fantasies, the fantasy of disaster and the fantasy of salvation, are - indeed - fantasy.

==========

John Cleese Airplane Sketch 

Speaking of fantasy, you'll enjoy - hopefully - this video.

==========

Lobbying Against Safety

When airlines do their own maintenance, all the work has to be done by licensed mechanics. Amazingly, if they hire an "aeronautical repair station" to do the work, it can be done by an unlicensed mechanic. A few weeks ago, PBS Frontline did a show called "Flying Cheaper" that exposed unsafe practices by some aeronautical repair stations that operate in the U.S.

Now the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) is pushing back. They have started what they call "education" to correct what they call misperceptions about the work members of their association do.

Fortunately, Jerry Costello, the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's aviation subcommittee has been effective in getting the Department of Transportations Inspector General to increase scrutiny of these repair stations. See article at this link

==========

Unions, Michael Moore, and Wisconsin

I sent out a special email a few days about about what Moore said in Wisconsin about aviation. He said it in support of those who want to maintain union bargaining rights against forces who want to kill unions. Some who have been reading this newsletter have the idea that I am pro-union. This is not correct; I am pro-safety. I see unions as a necessary evil. Unions are needed to provide a counterbalance that protects both employees and the public from the (equally evil) power concentrated in corporations, power concentrated in government, and more recently in the power of media organizations that present propaganda as news.

How does this relate to your safety when you fly? The FAA does little to protect the flying public. It's job is mainly political, to induce people to believe the government is assuring their safety. Ranging from drugs, to food, to toys, to air, to water, to investments, to airline travel, the government is protecting businesses, while at the same time claiming it is protecting safety. Obviously, the interest of business and the interest of the public are not one and the same. Often, there is a conflict between consumer profit and consumer safety. Nowhere is this more true that in aviation.

The airlines are locked in competition that puts them in a race to cut costs. The line between what is safe and what is unsafe cannot be clearly drawn. To understand this, consider driving. When the road is icy, can you say that 35 mph is safe and 36 is dangerous? No. You  err on the side of safety and drive 25 mph. For an airline captain to get you safely from point A to point B, he or she must also err on the side of safety. Doing so costs money. Airline managers sit in an office. Airline captains sit in the cockpit. When the margin between what is safe and unsafe is whittled down, the executive gets more comfortable about profits. The captain gets less comfortable about safety.

Left to management alone, airlines would sink to the level of ValuJet which cut costs to the point that it crashed into the Everglades. The government didn't stop ValuJet from cutting past the limits of safety. Wall Street was lavish in its praise of ValuJet management as they did so. Neither the market nor the government stands between you and unsafety. Just as people in North Dakota say there is nothing between them and winds from the North Pole but a strand of barbed wire fence, there is nothing between you and an unsafe airliner but a unionized captain. To the degree that you may see unions as evil, your safety depends upon a necessary evil. If you care about your safety, you need to care about the future of unions in general, for if unions are killed off, flying will become less safe.

Though FAA regulations require captains to refuse to fly a plane that he or she cannot ascertain to be airworthy, the FAA will NOT back up a pilot who is threatened, fired or "disciplined" for insisting on corrective maintenance before flying an airliner assigned to him or her.

Most of the email about Moore's comments about the plight of regional pilots response was positive. But I got several emails expressing outrage. Why is there such polarization? For years I had seen no adequate explanation of the polarization that grips our country. Now there is one, one based on solid neurological research.

Oxford scholar Iain McGilchrist has explored the differences in right brain and left brain functioning in his book, "The Master and His Emissary" (see this link). He cites extensive neurological research in which the right brain or the left brain was damaged by an accident or a stroke, and brain scan research in which either the left or the right side was temporarily anesthetized.

Even when the right hemisphere is dominant, it can nevertheless appreciate the contribution of the left hemisphere. Shockingly, the left hemisphere can't. When the left brain is momentarily - or permanent - dominant, it is unable to recognize that anything outside itself has any value whatsoever. As we shall see, this neurological finding is pivotal in understanding how polarization afflicts our culture.

Most of us use both sides of our brains simultaneously, or we switch rapidly back and forth. We, thus, balance left brain sequential thinking with right brain intuitive thinking. We balance absolute categories of the left brain with right brain emotion, empathy and the big picture.While people with right brain dominance can still appreciate other points of view, people whose left brain maintains dominance believe the constricted perspective of the left brain is the whole ball game. They truly believe their imbalanced (because it is left brain only) thinking is the only way to think.

Left brain dominance results in great difficulty when flying. Left brain thinking is limited to categories such as"safe and unsafe". From the left brain's restricted point of view, something that is not absolutely safe is unsafe.

Being locked in the left brain seriously impairs executive function. Good executive function depends on a balance that includes the right brain, because in order to operate efficiently, the brain must not lose the big picture. Executive function needs the big picture to make decisions based on what is most likely to happen. Since almost all flights arrive safely, good executive function simply dismisses thoughts of disaster and commits to taking a flight. Upon commitment, the prefrontal cortex signals the amygdala to stop producing stress hormones.

With left brain thinking, the big picture (that almost all planes arrive safely) is lost. The left brain focuses - not on the whole - but on part of the whole: a flight that crashed. This can make it impossible for the left brain to comfortably commit to flying. Without commitment, no signal is sent to the amygdala to stop stress hormone release.

When the left brain is dominant, empathy is difficult as it means allowing the right brain to play a role. If right brain operation is completely ruled out, empathy is unknown except as a concept. A person stuck in their lift brain is like a person who has Asperger's syndrome. In Asperger's, the right prefrontal cortex is impaired.

Limited right prefrontal cortex function is characteristic of autism. But most people stuck in their left hemisphere are not necessarily autistic. They may have a fully functional - but unused - right prefrontal cortex. Why? Everything new comes in through the right brain. Once it is taken in, the new information moves to the left brain. When emotional regulation has not been adequately developed, the person is too threatened by the new to let new information in. The solution is to kill two birds with one stone: by shutting down the right brain, new information is kept out and emotion is kept at a safe distance.Doing so allows the person to live "in his head", involved in imagination, fantasy, philosophical, scientific,financial and intellectual concepts.

If the situation becomes extreme, everything must be controlled. The person becomes unable to engage in anything unless it is physically or psychologically controlled. For example, sex cannot be engaged in unless controlled through fantasy, role play, pornography, depersonalization of the sexual partner into parts, or employment of a partner (prostitution). 

In time, shutting down the right brain leads not only to left brain dominance but to the development of an identity based on the left brain, with its limited functions and point of view. When ones ego becomes completely involved with left brain's view that it is not only "fair and balanced" but is the whole ball game, we can see how threatened confrontation with any broader point of view can be. It threatens the person's identity and his whole life's meaning.

But another email said, "It's been an incredibly difficult time to be a public sector employee here in Wisconsin - a teacher, no less. It's been harder than I can explain to hear what's been said in the news about myself and others like me. The TV ads are just...I really don't have words. But, it's helpful (if, again, terrifying) to read an explanation for the depth of conviction being espoused."

==========

The Equivalent Of Three Times Around The World

Hi Capt. Tom,

I wrote to you a few months ago to share my success with SOAR, and you included my story in your newsletter of 1.5.11 ("40,000 Flight Miles Since SOAR").

Being curious, as well as a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to data, I redid the math using actual flight miles (with the help of the amazing TripIt service and all of my filed confirmation emails of the past five years).

My totals since April, 2007:

24 round trips

138 days away from home

76,955 total miles (!!!)

26 different cities (if you include layovers) in 2 countries

I must admit, I was surprised to find I'd flown the equivalent of three times around the circumference of the Earth.
And there's plenty more to come.

Feel free to share these numbers if you'd like. Either way, thanks again.

==========

A Toolbag Of Resources

Captain Bunn,

I have been getting your emails for more than a year and have to tell you that they been instrumental in helping me manage my fears and anxiety, both with flying and many other areas if my life. Recently I've had to fly frequently and now I'm at the point where not only do I not need medication but I actually enjoy the experience.

Last April I had to fly in one of Cape Air's Cessnas. It was bumpy but that flight marked a significant change in how I approached air travel. Next weekend I fly in a Dash something other. Im not at all anxious and I now have a toolbag of resources to pull from if I do experience anxiety.

I wanted to thank you personally. Your help has had a profound effect on the quality of my life.

Please feel free to use this note as a testimonial.

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!

==========

SOAR Will Work For You Too

Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.

SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.

• Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or
  


• Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com
  


• No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.

You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.

Full Length Course

• The full length SOAR Video Course on 11 DVDs provides the maximum help possible.
  


• More info.
  

Accelerated Courses

Flying tomorrow or the day after? Be ready to fly in 90 minutes with Rapid Relief.

Flying in three to ten days? Get comprehensive help with SOAR Complete Relief.

• Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.
  


• A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.
  


• What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.
  

Everything to you need is just a click away. Start viewing on your computer two minutes from now.

==========

Unsure Which To Choose

If you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act. Or set up an appointment for us to talk by clicking this link.

We are always here to help. Every course includes at least one counseling session. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.

==========

Discuss Or Schedule An Individual Session -- Call 877 332-7359

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

• find out how I can help you with flying
  


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session
  


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.
  


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.
  


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.
  


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)

I have to agree that these unions that represent mechanics have a point. Safety has been compromised. But, to some degree, pilots can compensate by being vigilant. Though Carter and Reagan did a lot to undermine safety, pilots unions have retained some of their ability to promote safety. Pilots cannot be sure that what the maintenance log book says is true. There is a practice called "pencil whipping"in which work that is supposed to be done is not done if it would cause a delay in getting the plane back in service, but is signed off as having been done. Pilots can - provided they have a union behind them - question log book entries when they find anything suspicious, and refuse to fly the plane if they are not sure the plane is airworthy. In addition, computers that monitor the operation of the various systems notify the pilots if a system is not performing properly. When pilots do their pre-flight checks, pre-start checks, and pre-takeoff checks, if they find a system is not performing properly, they - again if backed by a union - can refuse to fly the plane until the system is restored.

Faulty maintenance is usually picked up by the pilot's pre-flight checks, pre-start checks, and pre-takeoff checks. During flight, continued checks are made and when any discrepancy is found, it is reported to maintenance and it must be dealt with after landing before the plane is flown again, if the pilots are in a position to make that demand stick.

Where the worry persists is failure of some device that should have been replaced by was not. An example is the Alaska Air accident in which a jackscrew which was inspected and found out of tolerance was "pencil-whipped" as being within tolerance. 

Uncover Your Potential by Finding Courage Within
<>==========

Discuss Or Schedule An Individual Session -- Call 877 332-7359

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

• find out how I can help you with flying
  


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session
  


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.
  


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.
  


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.
  


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)

When The Plane Doesn't Move

Someone emailed, "Would love to see an issue on 'Escaping Fear of Not Being Able to Escape'! , sitting on a non-moving grounded and closed plane for some duration without knowing when it will begin to move."

When there is uncertainty, we rely on control of the situation to make it work out OK. As a backup, we want a way to escape the situation if we don't like the way it is going. Obviously, when on an airliner, both control and escape are unavailable. Knowing that causes anxiety. But we may be able to lessen the anxiety by knowing there is light at the end of the tunnel; that in a certain amount of time, we will be able to leave the plane and resume personal control.

This imagination of the flight being over helps us deal with the flight as it progresses. But when progress stops, there is a problem. When progress toward the flight being over stops, the imagination that had been helping us vanishes.

Now it is as if we could be stuck here forever. I think anxiety about this has to do with childhood trauma in which we were temporary abandoned and no matter what we did, we were not responded to. It is common for parents to put very young children to bed, close the door, and let them "cry it out". Parents figure it does no harm because when the children grow up, they won't remember the incident. Yes and no. The details of the incident are not recorded in memory but the emotions are recorded into memory. Why? Because our ability to remember an event (explicit memory) matures at around the age of five. But our ability to record emotion (implicit memory) is mature at birth.

The memory of the feelings when abandoned is carved into our psyche. The emotion can replay if something that is emotionally similar takes place. As I've said before in this newsletter, research byAlan Schore shows that when children left to cry it out seem to have fallen asleep, they are not asleep at all, but immobile in a state of dissociated terror. They have given up. No one cares. No one who will respond no matter what they do. They have been abandoned.

When a chid is left to cry it out, for a while, the child imagines the parent will return. But, when the child gives up, that image is given up. Progress toward a time when this will be over has stopped. There is no light at the end of the tunnel. There is no available image of relief.

For the adult, there is no light at the end of the tunnel when progress toward the end of the flight stops. Though we know logically that the plane will at some point resume its progress, emotionally we are thrown back into a replay of childhood abandonment, when we gave up, expecting the situation would never end.

In the Strengthening Exercise, we ask you to find a moment in which another person focuses on you, cares about you, cares about your feelings, and is attuned and empathic. That is the antidote to abandonment, and when we link a moment of flight to such a moment of empathic attunement, when that moment of flight takes place, anxiety about it is controlled.

So to get relief when progress toward the end of the flight pauses, link that to a moment of real connection with another person.

=========

Freedom From The Terrible Crippling Fear

Hi Captain Tom:

I always enjoy reading other folks' experiences with flying and their feelings of freedom from the terrible crippling fear of flying that they've been able to develop from taking your courses.  In the last year I've flown from Austin to San Francisco and back several times to visit my daughter, who moved there from Texas. And without panic! Without writing a new will every time I've gotten on a plane! Without tranquilizers (never did use alcohol--don't drink at all, so this wasn't an option)!. I never could have made these trips without taking your course. Absolutely worth every penny I paid for it.

One thing I'd like to recommend to people--I've found that smaller airplanes feel more "homey" to me and less like I'm in a huge cattle car, and less anxiety-producing for sure than the really big ones. I've flown on the Airbus 320 several times and love that plane--feels sturdy and comfy.

I've recommended your courses over and over again (even to people on planes!) My husband is a physician who's several times told patients in his practice who fear flying about your course--he's seen the results of it right at home!

==========

Spread My Wings

Good morning, Tom.

I have flown back and forth from Richmond, Virginia to Los Angeles, California so many times that I am now "Priority Access" on American Airlines.  I am one of the first to get on the airplane; I don't have to pay for luggage; and I get to walk thru the "Priority Access" walkway (woo hoo!). This is from the same person who got heart palpitations simply dropping off others at the airport.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to spread my wings and to visit my grandsons on the west coast. Obviously, your program works!

==========

SOAR Will Work For You Too

Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.

SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.

• Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or
  


• Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com
  


• No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.

You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.

Full Length Course

• The full length SOAR Video Course on 11 DVDs provides the maximum help possible.
  


• More info.
  

Accelerated Courses

Flying tomorrow or the day after? Be ready to fly in 90 minutes with Rapid Relief.

Flying in three to ten days? Get comprehensive help with SOAR Complete Relief.

• Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.
  


• A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.
  


• What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.
  

Everything to you need is just a click away. Start viewing on your computer two minutes from now.

==========

Unsure Which To Choose

If you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act. Or set up an appointment for us to talk by clicking this link.

We are always here to help. Every course includes at least one counseling session. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.

==========

Discuss Or Schedule An Individual Session -- Call 877 332-7359

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

• find out how I can help you with flying
  


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session
  


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.
  


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.
  


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.
  


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)

Virgin America Whistle-Blower Is Jobless, Homeless and Bankrupt

When someone buys an airline ticket, they choose the cheapest fare they can find, naively think that all airlines are the same, and that airline management will do the right thing when it comes to safety. I wish it were true. And sometimes it is. But not always. From time to time I remind readers what an FAA inspector told me. He said, "The FAA is a 'paper tiger'. There is very little we can do about safety. The most important safety equipment on an airliner is a unionized pilot."

When an airline pilot considers taking a stand on a safety issue, he or she had better be backed up by a union. Otherwise, he or she could be fired. The same is true about maintenance personnel. Hector Aldana is now jobless, homeless and in bankruptcy after being fired by Virgin America Airlines for bringing safety concerns to the attention of supervisors and managers. He can't find a job in aviation because no one wants to hire a whistle-blower. Aldana claims that Virgin was not properly maintaining their airliners. See article at this link.

For a list of airlines where the pilots are part of the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), see this link. Though you will not find American Airlines on the list, they do have their own pilots union. The largest airlines with no union are JetBlue and Virgin America. Virgin Atlantic does have a pilots union.

==========

"It Had Been 30 Years Since I Had Flown"

Dear Tom, thank you again for your wonderful course. Before I found you, it had been 30 years since I had flown, petrified with fear and images of a fiery death in a speeding casket!! That's how I thought about airplanes and flying.

It's been about 6 years since I completed your course and I thank you every day!!! My first flight was 10 hours to Munich - can you believe it?????!!! I have flown hundreds of times since then, some flights better than others, and have just this year stopped taking my 1 Xanax prescribed by my doctor to take before a flight. I refuse to take anything now and I am still very pleased and ecstatic with the results.

My oldest daughter got married and moved to Louisiana and had a baby boy  who is now 3 - if I couldn't fly I would be miserable not being able to see him as often, I fly practically once a month to see him and the only tears on the plane are when I have to come back home and leave him and my daughters.

Thank you, God bless you, continue to do your good work, for you have freed this prisoner forever!!!! May the new year bring you continued good health and strength and peace and love and please use my letter as a reference if you need too. This is the ONLY program that helped me and I would recommend it to anybody!!!

With sincerest thanks always and forever,

==========

Backed Out Three Times. Now Back From South America

Hi Tom:

Well, I did it or I should say SOAR and I did it !

I am back from my wonderful trip to Colombia, which wouldn't have been possible if not for SOAR. As you know, I backed out of this trip three times but was able to complete it after completing SOAR.

On the first leg of the trip, I sat next to someone even more scared to fly than me.  He asked for three drinks in the first half hour of a routine flight.  I almost requested a seat  re-assignment because of the look of terror in his face.  Instead, I wound up talking to him for several hours, telling him about SOAR, and educating him about the safety of the aircraft.  Of course, we had a routine and safe flight.

From Miami to Medellin, I felt a bit of initial anxiety when the pilot said there were thundershowers in the Medellin area and we could expect turbulence.  But I went back to the strengthening exercises and they worked. I don't think my stress level got above a 3 on 1 to 9 scale.

When I felt the bumps, I noticed that the water in the glass was barely moving.  The next thing I knew, I felt a relatively hard bump and it was nothing more than us landing. What surprised me most is that we had landed in strong rain and I didn't even know it.  It certainly didn't seem dangerous. I had commented to one of the flght attendants that I was a fearful flyer, and he told me, believe me, I would be the last one to be up here if it were dangerous.

The return flight from Medellin to Miami was interesting. It was supposed to be three hours but felt more like thirty minutes, why, well I can't believe it either ...because I slept for more than half of the flight.

Miami to Los Angeles was the best leg of them all.  I flew first class on a 767. I highly recommend the DVR players to distract and make the flight go faster. This was a five hour flight and after what seemed like about two hours, I heard a loud bump. A flight attendant remarked a bit alarmingly, "I hope that was the landing gear." As it turned out , the pilot was not much of a chatter, and we had arrived in at LAX twenty five minutes early. I am sure that the college professor, who was sitting next to me, had no idea that I was.....emphasis on "was" a fearful flyer.

Truly, the most dangerous part of the trip was the drive from LAX to San Diego at night. I was too relaxed after the long flight and had to keep myself awake. Surprisingly, the commuter flight from LAX to San Deigo would have costed more than the entire flight from LAX to MDE. But the drives were certainly the most dangerous part of the trip.

I can't say I feel 100% anxiety free but I have improved well beyond my expectations.  And as you say, "it just keeps getting easier." I have replaced the scary movie with good memories of safe and enjoyable flights thanks to you and SOAR.

==========

SOAR Will Work For You Too

Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.

SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.

• Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or


• Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com
  


• No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.

You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.

Full Length Course

• The full length SOAR Video Course on 11 DVDs provides the maximum help possible.
  


• More info.
  

Accelerated Courses

Flying tomorrow or the day after? Be ready to fly in 90 minutes with Rapid Relief.

Flying in three to ten days? Get comprehensive help with SOAR Complete Relief.

• Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.
  


• A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.
  


• What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.
  

Everything to you need is just a click away. Start viewing on your computer two minutes from now.

==========

Unsure Which To Choose

If you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act. Or set up an appointment for us to talk by clicking this link.

We are always here to help. Every course includes at least one counseling session. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.

==========

Patrick's Column This Week

The big news is that kiddie wings are no longer a threat. Read it at this link.

==========

Discuss Or Schedule An Individual Session -- Call 877 332-7359

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

• find out how I can help you with flying


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)

• The chat is at:http://www.fearofflying.com/talkread/chat.shtml
  


• Log on as a guest, or register by clicking here
  


• Some versions of Internet Explorer do not work. If you have trouble, try another browser.
  

Free Group Phone Counseling With Capt Tom Wednesday 10 PM - 11 PM Eastern Time

PLEASE NOTE NEW GROUP PHONE NUMBER

• dial (805) 309-2350
  


• when asked, enter the conference ID 9352101 followed by the # sign
  

   

  
  

That is a question fielded in USA Today by retired captain John Cox. Have a look at this link

==========

Barnett's Statistics

Dr. Arnold Barnett, Ph.D. of MIT periodically releases statistics on airline safety. A video lecture by him on the statistics is at http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/691

==========

First Transatlantic Flight

I just wanted to let you know about my first ever transatlantic flight. Last year at this time I couldn''t even have considered getting on a plane that was crossing the ocean. I was having a hard enough time traveling back and forth on shorter commuter flights up and down the East Coast (to visit family/friends) and in and out of Texas (for work).

My fear of flying came on suddenly and without warning. I''d always been comfortable with flying and actually enjoyed the experience up until my mid 20s. A bumpy flight coupled with some emotional ''turbulence'' I was experiencing at the time led to a panic attack on the way back from visiting my family for the holidays two years ago. For about a year, I avoided flying entirely or, when I couldn''t avoid it (work, family obligations), was completely miserable for weeks before my trip and of course, dreading the return flight as soon as the first one landed!

Fast forward to two years later - I was invited to visit a friend in Europe over the holidays this year and I didn''t even think twice about booking the ticket. In the past, when I clicked ''confirm'' for a ticket purchase online, I used to think, ''I''ve just signed my own death certificate.'' This time, I thought, ''I get to fly on a 747! Awesome!'' The flights on the way there were choppy due to that lovely winter blizzard that was moving off the East Coast. I won''t lie and say I enjoyed that part, but I was able to relax and remember all of Capt. Tom''s words of wisdom - ''Turbulence is no problem for a plane'', ''Picture the plane moving through Jell-O'', ''5-4-3-2-1'' etc. It was so reassuring to know what all the noises, bumps, and sensations were, and to have a way of coping when the emotions got overwhelming. I thoroughly enjoyed my trip and didn't even think about the return flight until I got to the airport. We're already planning another trip sometime in the next year.

Aviation has even become a bit of a side hobby of mine, and I enjoy reading about the history and mechanics of flight in my spare time - out of genuine interest, not obsessive fear. It's been a long journey to get to this point, and I don''t think I could have done it without the SOAR course, and most especially, the community of people working through this together on the website. All the stories and forum posts have been so helpful in letting me know I''m not alone and that there are ways to deal with this. Thank you Captain Tom, and I wish you many more success stories in 2011!!

==========

"To The Surprise And Joy Of My Family I Went To Spain"

Capt. Tom,

I'm writing to let you know I went (and came back!) from Spain! Saw my daughter who lives in Madrid and had a wonderful time. Couldn't have done it without you including the "Take Me Along" my daughter had downloaded to my iPod. I could not have done this with out you and SOAR and I am very appreciative.

I flew in the past but it was never pleasant and I would spend the week prior in anxiety and checking weather reports!

Thanks for your course and your help. To the surprise and joy of my family I went to Spain!!

Thanks again.

==========

Back From Italy

I have to say, some thing in this program works! My flght to Newark got cancelled so I had to fly to Chicago, then to Frankfurt, then Rome. I was calm as a cucumber on the Chicago trip...weird!  And I did okay on the others but I was dead tired.

I showed the letter to all the captains and was very well received -- even had my picture taken in the cockpit in Frankfurt, Germany. All the pilots were very receptive and made a special effort to alert me to turbulence or any other problem. They were glad to hear there was a program and were planning on telling others about it, too.

Thanks Captain Tom.....I had so much anticipatory anxiety that I never thought it would work but my friends are impressed, too.

I am so proud of myself for making this trip and after all that flying, the trip home from Newark to Cleveland seemed like a taxi ride.  I especially want to address the turbulence issue because it was very bad on the way from Newark -- I just kept repeating to myself that turbulence is not a safety issue -- and I watched the ice in my water and it was only shaking!  Thank you!  

==========

SOAR Will Work For You Too

Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.

SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.

• Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or


• Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com
  


• No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.

You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.

Full Length Course

• The full length SOAR Video Course on 11 DVDs provides the maximum help possible.
  


• More info.
  

Accelerated Courses

Flying tomorrow or the day after? Be ready to fly in 90 minutes with Rapid Relief.

Flying in three to ten days? Get comprehensive help with SOAR Complete Relief.

• Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.
  


• A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.
  


• What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.
  

Everything to you need is just a click away. Start viewing on your computer two minutes from now.

==========

Unsure Which To Choose

If you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act. Or set up an appointment for us to talk by clicking this link.

We are always here to help. Every course includes at least one counseling session. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

• find out how I can help you with flying


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

 

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

 

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)

• The chat is at:http://www.fearofflying.com/talkread/chat.shtml
  


• Log on as a guest, or register by clicking here
  


• Some versions of Internet Explorer do not work. If you have trouble, try another browser.
  

Free Group Phone Counseling With Capt Tom Wednesday 10 PM - 11 PM Eastern Time

PLEASE NOTE NEW GROUP PHONE NUMBER

• dial (805) 309-2350
  


• when asked, enter the conference ID 9352101 followed by the # sign
  

   

  
  

Rumination

Robert Leahy, author of The Worry Cure: Seven Steps to Stop Worry from Stopping You, has written a good article on rumination. You can find it at this link. I've fitted some of his ideas to what fearful fliers deal with when approaching a flight.

Some anxious fliers ruminate as a way to deal with anxiety. It, instead, compounds the anxiety problem. When you contemplate disaster on your flight, though initially you recognize that as conjecture, as you continue rumination, what you imagine gets memorized. Anything memorized seems real. So once the conjecture becomes memory, the disaster begins to look like an omen. You "just know" your plane is going to crash.

Some rumination is due to worry that some vitally important question will be overlooked. For example, the important question may be whether to take the flight or not. But the more you think about it, instead of solving it, the more overwhelmed you become.

Researcy by Adrian Wells at the University of Manchester, shows ruminators think they have a responsibility to figure something out, and believe that rumination will bring clarity, insight, and solve the problem. It doesn't. It leads to getting stuck, withdrawing from reality, and getting trapped in a movie inside your own head.

Self-reflection and rumination are different. Reflection quickly leads to an answer. Rumination questions, but fails to come to a decision because of a need for certainty. That's unfortunate, because there is no certainty in our uncertain world.

Many people who ruminate about an upcoming flight claim they have no choice. But, if they are ruminating and the phone rings, they stop ruminating and talk on the phone. Bad things happen to good people, and rumination doesn't change it. Yes, there are cases in which a person has died because they took a flight. But the risk of staying home is greater than the risk of taking a flight. Why? Because when you drive 5.4 urban miles, you have faced the same risk as taking a flight. Most of us drive multiples of 5.4 miles every day.

Rumination does not lead to safety. Nor does lack of rumination cause risk. When you start to ruminate about a flight consider the following.

• How will ruminating about this help me? What can I gain? 


• Will I reach certainty if I continue? Has it worked in the past?

If you feel driven to ruminate, set aside some time to ruminate. If you start to ruminate off schedule, write down the issue, and take it up during rumination time.

==========

Small Non-Routine Situations Can Trigger Unexpected Anxiety

Rumination isn't the only problem. Even a gate change can cause near panic. Or getting notification that your flight is changed from one type of plane to another. We could come up with a lot of intellectual explanations for why that caused anxiety, but the answer is really very simple.

The sub-cortex is trained to handle routine tasks. It can perform the steps required to drive a car or ride a bike without your having to pay much attention to doing it. You do it on sort of mental autopilot.

Meanwhile, the amygdala is monitoring everything going on around you. It is dividing everything into "routine" or "non-routine". If routine, it takes no action. It leaves the part of the brain that handles routine matters - the sub-cortex - doing its job.

But if something non-routine is sensed by the amygdala, it needs to engage the cortex. The cortex can handle non-routine situations with what is called "executive function", the decision-making part of the brain that can think outside the box and come up with a solution to non-routine situations.

The amygdala causes the cortex to focus on the non-routine situation by triggering the release of stress hormones. Examples are driving your car on mental autopilot and someone pulls into your path, but also when a store offers a today only sale)

Once engaged with the non-routine situation, your executive function is supposed to be able to quickly assess the situation and dispose of it either by a decision on how to deal with a non-routine threat, take advantage of a special price, or simply dismiss the non-routine situation as not worth doing anything about and not worth thinking further about.

But flying is a challenge for executive function, so we use the strengthening exercise to reduce the number of non-routine alerts it gets. And it is really interesting that ANY change, like switching from a 757 to a 319 can trigger stress hormones. Maybe anyone would wonder if that is OK (which it is), but a gate change? Yes, even that can trigger anxiety. A client told me a few weeks ago they went into near panic when a gate change was announced. Now obviously a gate chance is in no way a risk. But the very fact that it was a non-routine situation triggered stress hormones the person wasn't expecting.

==========

If Worried How Pilots Will Receive You, Read This

Hi Captain Tom;

Just a thank you email letting you know how successful your program is and how it worked for me.

I planned and prepared months in advance a Christmas trip for my family from San Diego to Banff, Canada. I listened to my SOAR DVDs and downloaded "Take-Me-Along" weeks in advance.

Left our house at 2am for a 7:30am flight! Drive up was uneventful no "anticipatory anxiety". Ate breakfast before our flight (have never been able to eat before any flight!) I gave my letter to the gate agent, he acted confused and mumbled something about calling 'health-services"! Right then a Captain walked up to the desk and I quickly asked the agent to pass the letter over. Turns out he was the  Co-pilot (Copilot Antoine) and was very interested in the program and wanted to help in any way he could.

Long story short...The Captain (Captain Mark) actually escorted me personally onto his aircraft and into the cockpit! I, of course was so excited because everyone in the waiting area was looking at ME walking with this handsome Captain!!! Kind of fun like being a celebrity! "

Both pilots gave me the flight pattern and what to expect; "we will make several turns then experience some turbulence", etc. It turns out they were right on!!! Imagine that? I listened to my "take-me-along" most of the flight, very reassuring. I was also able to watch some TV shows!!! Fun!

When we were descending into Calgary Cpt Mark had the flight attendant move me to first-class where the turbulence wouldn't be as severe. There I met a nice 'seasoned' traveler who talked me thru the 'bumps and rolls' and before I knew it we were on the ground!!! Hey, no biggy!

We had to de-ice before departure in Calgary...I thought that part was interesting (tad unnerving) but just listened to my 'take-me-along'...all was well.

Planning my next trip over Valentines day to SFO with hubby!!! Want to fly Virgin!!!

PS I've flown in the past with help from "Xanex"...Happy to report I no longer need nor wish to take

any drug before, during or after a flight. I have my wings and I can fly!

Thanks for reading and Thank you for doing what you do best...getting us in the air!

==========

40,000 Flight Miles Since SOAR

Capt. Bunn,

Three and a half years ago, when I finished graduate school, I purchased your course because my overwhelming 8-year fear of flying looked like it was going to severely cripple my ability to get to job interviews. I was in such bad shape that even logging onto a travel website to look at ticket prices made my heart race and my head throb.

Over 40,000 in-flight miles later, I feel compelled to write to you -- from 35,000 feet, where I've connected to the in-flight WiFi -- to thank you for helping me get my life back. I don't even need any of the conscious preparation or techniques any more. I realized today as we were accelerating down the runway for takeoff that my legs and shoulders were instinctively relaxing (instead of the tensing up they used to do) without my even thinking about it.

These flights have resulted in some very gratifying interviews (in CVL), offers (in RDU), and jobs (in PDX and, now, SJC), and I've been able to fly all over the country to attend meetings and conferences that I previously would have skipped with some lame excuse. I've also been able to travel with my wife and family to locations that we couldn't have made it to otherwise.

While most of my flights have been smooth and relatively boring, I've flown through bad weather, turbulence (it's even a little bumpy right now), and rough landings, and I sometimes feel like the experienced and calm guy that all the nervous people look at to feel better.

Again, thank you for your program, and your continued support. I've recommended you to at least a dozen friends and acquaintances who have found themselves unable, unwilling, or uncomfortable flyers, and I can only hope it's been as successful for them as it has been for me.

==========

SOAR Will Work For You Too

Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.

SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.

• Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or


• Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com
  


• No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.

You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.

Full Length Course

• The full length SOAR Video Course on 11 DVDs provides the maximum help possible.
  


• More info.
  

Accelerated Courses

Flying tomorrow or the day after? Be ready to fly in 90 minutes with Rapid Relief.

Flying in three to ten days? Get comprehensive help with SOAR Complete Relief.

• Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.
  


• A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.
  


• What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.
  

Everything to you need is just a click away. Start viewing on your computer two minutes from now.

==========

Unsure Which To Choose

If you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act. Or set up an appointment for us to talk by clicking this link.

We are always here to help. Every course includes at least one counseling session. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

• find out how I can help you with flying


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

 

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

 

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)

• The chat is at:http://www.fearofflying.com/talkread/chat.shtml


• Log on as a guest, or register by clicking here


• Some versions of Internet Explorer do not work. If you have trouble, try another browser.

PLEASE NOTE NEW GROUP PHONE NUMBER

• dial (805) 309-2350


• 
  
  
  

  when asked, enter the conference ID 9352101 followed by the # sign
  

   

  
  

  
  
  
  

Worried About Winter Flying?

If you are worried about delays, that makes a lot of sense. When the snow starts falling, its starts raining delays and cancellations. Runways have to be plowed. That means no takeoff or landings for a while. Then when the runway is ready, planes have to be deiced. From a pilot's point of view, the best thing to do is find a lounge chair in the crew area and get ready for a long day hanging around to see if you are going to be needed.

If you are worried about safety, that doesn't make a lot of sense. There is a good article on winter flight operations by Patrick at this link.

==========

The CNN Video

CNN's story on SOAR is at this link. When a person does their first post-SOAR flight, I don't recommend they do it on a turboprop. But that is what CNN set up, which mean Laura had to deal with a lot of turbulence plus the unfamiliar sounds turboprops make. I'm sure she will do much better on her vacation flight that is on a jet.

==========

Fly Honda

A Honda Jet flew its first test flight last week from the Honda Aircraft Company facility at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. Honda claims it has one hundred orders for this plane, its first business jet.

==========

An Email About The Strengthening Exercise

I wanted to tell you that I believe I have at last felt the strengthening exercise. Now I see I had not done the exercise as it is supposed to be done.

It happened this way: two colleagues at work had a baby on December 2nd. We were all very happy for them, but I would not visit them until last Sunday. I hadn't realized that this was the first time I could hold a newborn in my arms. I do have cousins with children, but I wasn't there when they were born. So now I truly understand why you emphasize in the exercise this feeling of holding a newborn.

It's indeed a very special and truly beautiful experience. I thought the baby would reject me holding him, or would shake a little bit since I'm not family. Instead, I felt a newborn really trusts fully. He didn't move, but was so quiet. Just smiled from time to time and it was such a peaceful experience. I put it back to sleep and it really, really is magical.

I used the image of the newborn baby because it has such power. And today I really felt how the strengthening exercise really works. During the exercise I feel really how stress hormones start to be consumed. I believe it will help me in general.

==========

I Was Even Convinced That You Had Most Likely Written The "Success Story" Testimonials Yourself

Dear Captain Tom,

I write to thank you for your outstanding program. I have been a terrified flyer ever since I became pregnant with my eldest son (now 7 years). I cannot describe how frustrating and limiting my fear has been. I have always been a traveller in spirit, someone who loves new experiences, places and people. I have tried on many occasions in the past to overcome my aeroanxiety - medication, meditation, alcohol - but to no avail. I have cancelled several trips over the past years, costing in both the financial sense and in self-esteem. I admit that I was sceptical about your program. I was even convinced that you had most likely written the 'success story' testimonials yourself! Clearly, I was wrong, as here I sit writing one.

It is with pride that I now report that... I just flew from Melbourne, Australia to London, England... and back!! This comprised of 6 flights in total. I had a wonderful time - unusual, as in the past when I have made even very short trips, I have spent the entire holiday fearing the return flight. This wasn't just a holiday, but a pilgrimage of familial connection and self discovery. As a 1st generation Australian, it was amazing to discover my English heritage and family. I truly believe this would not have been possible without SOAR.

I had a fair amount of anticipatory anxiety. I was particularly concerned that the Strengthening Exercises would not work, as I am not particularly "good" at these visualising practices. I used the take along MP4 and calmed myself at the airport. I arrived early and was given permission to meet the pilot. I'm really glad that you included the little pep talk about the importance of meeting the pilot in the take along video. I almost chickened out, as I was worried they'd think I was crazy! The pilot and co-pilot were fabulous. They were happy to show me everything and answer my questions. Actually, I found all of the pilots and co-pilots that i met along the way to be this way, and it certainly helped to make me feel better. On the first leg of my long-haul (Sydney to Singapore), the British Airways pilot even came back to economy to see if I was ok! The crew were equally as helpful, and at any times of turbulence would come and check on me. What was most impressive was that at the changeover to a new crew (for the second leg of the long-haul), the new pilot and crew must have been told about me and continued to keep an eye out. Talk about service!

I had a few moments of mild-moderate anxiety on the first flight, which was only a one hour from Melbourne to Sydney. I was able to draw on my knowledge of the mechanics of the plane, and (mostly) the psychology of fear to rationalise with myself. Being "ok" built my confidence in my ability to manage any arising fear, and I seemed to get better and better at it. On the return flights, I had very little anticipatory anxiety and only mild moments during the flights. I felt comfortable and did not need to meet the pilots. I trust them now! When the entertainment system broke down shortly after take off, I did not panic. In the past, I would have taken this to be a certain sign of death. This time, I was able to rationally distinguish the cabin from the engineering of the plane. Meeting the pilots on the initial flights, and talking to them about the mechanical upkeep, helped a lot here. The flights were all fairly uneventful. There were, of course, normal episodes of turbulence, which did not worry me because I now have an understanding of what causes it, and the effect (none) on the plane. Best news of all and a sure sign of success...I slept for 4 hours on the way back!!! A first. Even Xanax and alcohol could not enduce sleep in the past.

Thank-you again for your dedication to curing aeroanxiety. You have allowed me, and the thousands of others that you have helped (I believe you now!), a freedom of life that would not have been possible without SOAR. I have a new job starting in January, which will include regular traveling, so my fear management could not have come at a better time. I am also busy planning my next holiday! Can't wait!

==========

SOAR Will Work For You Too

Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.

SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.

• Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or


• Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com


• No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.

You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.

Full Length Course

• The full length SOAR Video Course on 11 DVDs provides the maximum help possible.


• More info.

Flying tomorrow or the day after? Be ready to fly in 90 minutes with Rapid Relief.

Flying in three to ten days? Get comprehensive help with SOAR Complete Relief.

• Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.


• A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.


• What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.

Everything to you need is just a click away. Start viewing on your computer two minutes from now.
>==========

Unsure Which To Choose

If you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act. Or set up an appointment for us to talk by clicking this link.

We are always here to help. Every course includes at least one counseling session. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.

==========

Patrick's Column This Week

Patrick takes on the TSA for "investigating" a pilot who pointed out flaws in security. How political is that? See the column at this link.

==========

Discuss Or Schedule An Individual Session -- Call 877 332-7359

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

 

• find out how I can help you with flying


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

 

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

 

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)

• The chat is at:http://www.fearofflying.com/talkread/chat.shtml


• Log on as a guest, or register by clicking here


• Some versions of Internet Explorer do not work. If you have trouble, try another browser.

PLEASE NOTE NEW GROUP PHONE NUMBER

• dial (805) 309-2350


• 
  
  
  

  when asked, enter the conference ID 9352101 followed by the # sign
  

  
  
  
  

==========

There's Still Time To Give Someone The Whole World.

Arrives before Christmas via download or FEDEX

• The SOAR program is not about hope. 


• SOAR produces results. 


• Open up the whole world to someone who finds it difficult or impossible to fly.
  

Consider giving the "Take Me Along" download. This is set of videos that can be put on a laptop, iPod, iPhone, or iPad to let me coach them through the flight. Order the download ($59.95) at this link. Just make a not of the user name and password you enter, and include that info when you present the gift.

Another possibility is the Complete Relief Course ($299.95) at this link which includes "Take Me Along" FREE! Choose online viewing, download, or DVDs.

To set up any special arrangements, just call us at 800 332-7359.

==========

Outsourcing Concern Continues

The Transportation Department's inspector general has warned that the FAA is not properly inspecting overseas maintenance stations. The report says the FAA is behind schedule on 207 inspections, some eight years overdue.

Story at this link. A ConsumerReports article on the outsourcing problem is at this link.

==========

Life-Long Dream

Just a short note to let you know that I was able to fulfill a life-long dream of visiting the UK because of your course. I should probably let you know that I first took your course a few years ago, so yes, the lessons have longevity! Not only was I able to get through many legs of the trip (like 5!), but I have gotten to the point where I can sleep through most of it! My traveling companion was ready to shoot me for being able to do this!

Thanks again for an amazing program and for being instrumental in making my dream come true!

Gratefully

==========

==========

SOAR Will Work For You Too

Even if you are doubtful, SOAR nevertheless works. This is because we, with the help of brain scan research that showed us how the mind works, broke the code on flight anxiety, claustrophobia, and panic.

SOAR was established in 1982 because no programs existed that could help people with moderate to severe difficulties. Even today, no other program offers help that is effective except for mild difficulties. No matter how difficult flying is for you, we can help.

• Call me at 877 332-7359 between 10 AM and 6 PM Eastern time or


• Set up a time online at http://soar.genbook.com


• No Charge. No Obligation. Just get the information you want.

You will feel better as soon as you make the decision.

Full Length Course

• The full length SOAR Video Course on 11 DVDs provides the maximum help possible.


• More info.

Accelerated Courses

Flying tomorrow or the day after? Be ready to fly in 90 minutes with Rapid Relief.

Flying in three to ten days? Get comprehensive help with SOAR Complete Relief.

 

• Accelerated courses give you the most help possible in the time you have available.


• A twenty-minute private session and unlimited group counseling sessions are included.


• What you pay is 100% transferable to the SOAR Video Course 11 DVDs.

Everything to you need is just a click away. Start viewing on your computer two minutes from now.

==========

Unsure Which To Choose

If you are unsure which is best for you, please call me at 877 332-7359 so we can talk it over. You will feel better as soon as you decide to act. Or set up an appointment for us to talk by clicking this link.

We are always here to help. Every course includes at least one counseling session. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern.

==========

Discuss Or Schedule An Individual Session -- Call 877 332-7359

Call between 11 AM and 6 PM Eastern Time (same time zone as New York)

You'll reach me easily. The toll-free number rings my cell phone.

 

• find out how I can help you with flying


• discuss the possibility of a counseling session


• set up a time that fits your schedule

Outside the U.S. and Canada call 203 258-4803

 

• a twenty-minute session is $60.00 if not enrolled in a course.


• one twenty-minute session is free if enrolled in any course.


• additional twenty-minute sessions are $60.00.


• two one-hour sessions are included in the SOAR Guaranteed Program

Schedule An Individual Session Online

 

Note: Times Listed Are Eastern Time (same as New York)