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


• If you have trouble logging in, go to https:fearofflying.com.campfirenow.com
  
  

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

==========

 

At Last A Way To Get Passengers To Watch The Safety Videos

 

Read about it at this link and see it all on youtube.

 

==========

 

Hoping They Find The Black Boxes?

 

If they do, they will learn the cause of the accident and fix that one thing. If they don't find the black boxes, they will have to come up with every possible thing that could have caused the accident, and fix all of them!

 

For example, after TWA 800, investigators were sure residual fuel in the center tank had been heated due to unique circumstances enough to cause a vapor which exploded due to a spark. But what caused the spark? That was never figured out. As a result, everything that remotely could have caused the spark was worked on, and this resulted in twenty-three (not just one) modifications to the 747, and other airliners which had some similar engineering.

 

This mean many things were done to enhance safety on several planes, rather than just one on one plane. Though it is nice to know exactly what the problem was, it enhances safety more when the exact cause can't be pinned down and more has to be done.

 

==========

 

The Negative Consequences Of Positive Thinking

 

 I've long been of the opinion that "top-down" therapy is grossly overrated. For example, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy teaches client to counter negative thoughts with positive ones. Norman Vincent Peale's "Power Of Positive Thinking"is a classic example of the notion that if you only think right, you will feel right.

 

New research confirms that, rather than making a person feel better, this kind of use of positive statements makes a person feel worse. You can read more at this link.  Self-help books may inflate the egos and bank accounts of authors like Wayne Dyer but many such books leave readers feeling like they are a total failure!

==========

 

 

The FAA is setting up a panel to draft recommendations for battling fatigue problem at regional airlines. The panel is to provide recommendations by September 1st. 

 

See story at this link.

 

==========

 

No Connection With Your Safety 

 

An airline based in Yemen crashed. Tragic, but it has no bearing on flight safety in the U.S. or internationally with a major airline.

 

==========

 

Double The Protection With New Seats

 

Most planes now have seats that provide twice as much protection in a crash. See this link.

 

==========

 

Here are some tips from Tom Corboy, MFT, Director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles

    1. Accept the anxiety. Accepting that anxiety exists doesn't mean liking it or resigning yourself to being anxious forever; it just means accepting reality as it is.

    2. Challenge distorted thoughts. People often interpret a panic attack as a significant threat, but it's important to realize that "nothing catastrophic is going to occur as a result of being anxious or even panicking."

    3. Breathe. Instead of hyperventilating, which energizes anxiety, "make a point of consciously breathing."

    4. Resist the urge to flee. Running away from anxiety only reinforces the idea that you're unable to handle it. Tolerate discomfort. It won't hurt us. It will naturally dissipate over time if we sit with it.



Pitfalls and Pointers



You may hit some snags as you work toward managing your anxiety. Here's a list of common ones and practical solutions:

• Keeping symptoms to yourself. A primary care physician can't make a proper diagnosis or treatment recommendation without having all the information. 
  

• Fighting anxiety as if it were your adversary. It's important to understand that anxiety is a helpful response and a normal part of life.
  
  

• Masking it. Whether it's alcohol, illicit drugs or benzodiazepines (such as Xanax or Ativan), these substances offer short-term relief and are akin to running away from anxiety. They can increase avoidance and impair your ability to overcome anxiety-provoking situations.
  
  

• Giving up too quickly. Interventions can take a while to work. Keep your long-term goals clearly in mind, giving each treatment enough time and effort.

• Being too motivated. Jumping in head-first isn't recommended either,. Instead of sprinting through treatment, give it time to sink in and strike a balance.

 General Tips

• Have realistic expectations. It's unrealistic to think that you'll eliminate anxiety forever. Instead, realize that you'll be able to manage symptoms and stop avoiding certain situations.

• See stress as normal. It's normal to feel stressed. You can't fight stress, but you can work through it, Abramowitz said.

• Adopt a balanced approach. Step back and look at things in a more objective light.

• Adopt an anxiety-free lifestyle: adequate sleep; a balanced diet; exercise and a solid support system.

• How we treat our bodies also directly affects anxiety sensations. Being out of shape can make your heart race even when you're just walking.
  
  

 

The Effects Of Deregulation 

 

A study by Demos, a New York-based nonpartisan public policy research organization, shows thirty years of deregulation has left the airline industry near financial collapse, wiped out thousands of jobs, lowered wages and working conditions for employees, incredible stresses on flight crews, caused a downward spiral in safety oversight, and caused the airlines to lose more than $33 billion since 2000.



Deregulation was promoted as a process to enhance consumer choice and industry efficiency.



The report says the airlines appear to have no long-term strategy except more of the same -- more outsourcing, more service cutbacks and hidden charges, more wage and benefit reductions and more consolidation in the hope of surviving.



The report says. "It is simply not in the public interest to have airlines engaged in a race to the bottom on wages, benefits and working conditions."



The report notes that 10 years ago, two-thirds of all heavy aircraft maintenance was performed by the airlines themselves. Today, more than 71 percent of heavy maintenance is outsourced to domestic and foreign subcontractors, which presents an oversight nightmare for the Federal Aviation Administration, the report states.



American, which employs 7,000 people at its Tulsa Maintenance & Engineering Center, is one of the few U.S. carriers maintaining its own aircraft. 

 

Read the whole story at this link.

 

==========

 

Marge Simpson Beats Fear Of Flying

 

See the Simpsons episode at this link.

SOAR Will Work For You Too

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

Do a SOAR Course "On The Go"

We are always here to help. 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.

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