Chat Wednesday 9 PM - 11 PM Eastern Time (new chat software)








 

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



  • dial (712) 432-3900



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





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How Are YOUR Results?





If not as good as you want, come on the Group Phone Counseling session. We can fine tune how you are doing your flight preparation.



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Today's Tweet About Turbulence Injuries


Unhelmeted bikers get bashed heads (sometimes). Unbelted passengers get injured (sometimes). Turbulence isn't dangerous. People are stupid. 




  • turbulence is NOT a safety problem for the plane.



  • turbulence is a safety problem for people too stupid to wear a seat belt. No one gets hurt wearing a seat belt (unless some unbelted fool falls on them).



  • turbulence is a PSYCHOLOGICAL problem because it defeats your strategy to get on the flight but keep the flight out of your mind. OK when smooth, but in turbulence, the motions intrude. That reminds you that you are in a place where you have no control and no escape.


The answer: retrain the mind to not react to what happens when flying. See http://www.fearofflying.com/relief and the videos at http://www.fearofflying.com/about/media.shtml 



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The Comfort Of Being In Control

 

There is something about being in control that makes us more comfortable. Today, when driving, I had an insight into why. I was driving southbound in Connecticut on the Merritt Parkway with the cruise control engaged to maintain speed. I approached a point where another highway merges with the Parkway. As I looked to my right at several cars that would be merging into my lane, I began to feel uncomfortable that the car was on cruise control, so I disconnected it. Suddenly, I realized why being in control makes so much difference. Ordinarily, all I had to do was to consciously picture how I wanted to pace my speed and position viz a viz the merging cars, and intuitively whatever I needed to do would be done. But with the cruise control on, my being in control was interfered with.

>Most of us drive pretty much on mental autopilot. Yes, we see the road ahead, but we don't have to give it much thought. As we see the road, the visual information goes to the subcortex where our unconscious procedural memory - having years ago memorized how to drive a car - takes in the visual information, computes how to get the job done and does it.


So long as things are routine, the mental autopilot located in the subcortex does the driving. But when is something non-routine takes place, the cortex - our higher level thinking - needs to come on line. Though the subcortex does a great job of driving when things are routine, it can't  handle anything that is non-routine because it can't think "out of the box".


As I saw the about-to-merge traffic, my amygdala recognized this as a non-routine situation and triggered the release of stress hormones. When the stress hormones were released, my high level cortical thinking was activated. I stopped listing to classical music on the radio and enjoying the scenery, and focused on the situation.


But my subcortex couldn't fully carry out the plan. Why? Because a change in speed was needed, and the cruise control was on. Though my subcortex operating on mental autopilot would ordinarily unconsciously adjust my speed to carry out the plan my cortex envisioned, the cruise control was in the way. Though my subcortex is wired to follow and carry out the plan devised by my cortex, the cruise control on my car isn't!


I switched off the cruise control. Immediately I felt comfortable knowing my mental autopilot could intuitively carry out the plan developed by my cortex to merge with the traffic.


I suddenly realized how beautifully integrated the subcortex is with the cortex. When playing tennis, though the cortex decides where to hit the ball, it is the subcortex that gets the movements done to hit the ball  there. In this case, my cortex decided how to merge with traffic, but needed the car's cruise control to be disconnected so my subcortex could adjust the speed as it needed to.


Anything that gets in the way of this beautiful integration of the cortex (with its plan) and the subcortex (with its execution of the plan) takes away control from the cortex. That makes us feel out of control, because we identify with the (more conscious processing of the) cortex more than with the (less conscious processing of the) subcortex.


When the cortex's plans are not actively carried out by the subcortex, it isn't happen. And when it isn't happen - since we identify with it - we aren't happy. This is why flying as a passenger - not unlike riding in a taxi as a passenger - is not comfortable. As a passenger, we see what needs to be done in traffic, and if the taxi driver isn't doing exactly that, alarms go out inside us. 



It is easier, though, as a passenger with a trusted driver. Even if the trusted driver does something slightly different than we might do, we can tolerate it. Or can we? Some of us can, and some of us can't. The more insecure we are in the world, the more the plan we have in mind is THE plan that must be carried out. The more secure we are in the world, the more flexible we are and the more we can accept another person's way of doing things.



When riding in a car as a passenger, we sometimes tense up when we think the driver doesn't see what we see. Take that principle all the way back to childhood. Were there times when you sensed your parent didn't see the frightening thing you saw? Or was the parent frightening? Emotional security as a child depends on being able to depend on your parent to tune into you so that the parent knows what you are concerned about. When we don't get enough of that, we don't grow up trusting situations where anyone else is in control. At least until trust is built up. In any case, it is better with a trusted driver than a taxi driver. That's why you will feel better when you meet the captain. Your sense of control returns, somewhat, by proxy.


 

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So Much For Whoopi's Fear Of Flying Cure



Virgin Atlantic put Whoopi Goldberg their fear of flying course and then ran a huge media campaign claiming she was cured. Whoopi says she can't fly unless heavily medicated. Here is a video clip of her appearance on The View heavily medicated after a flight. 

 

It is no surprise that the Virgin course - based on relaxation exercises - didn't work. Research shows relaxation exercises are completely useless for fear of flying.



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Capt Tom's Interview On "The Career Clinic" With Maureen Anderson



It's about an hour long. You can download it by going to http://content.streamaudio.com/podcast/1666/ChannelID_470.xml  and selecting the 7/3/10 broadcast



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What Is Holding Up Legislation To Prevent Pilot Fatigue?



Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander, both Republicans from Tennessee have blocked passage by threatening a filibuster. Why? According to the New York times, to protect FedEx. See http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/16/opinion/16fri3.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=pilots%20tennessee&st=cse 

 

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FAA Action Against Gulfstream International



According to this story an FAA inspector recommended in 2008 that Gulfstream International be shut down due to allegedlyl intentional violations of FAA regulations and falsification of documentation. The FAA instead placed a $1.3 million fine and ultimately accepted a $550,000 settlement. The FAA opened its investigation in response to a whistleblower complaint by a former Gulfstream pilot who said he was fired for refusing to fly a plane with a malfunctioning collision-avoidance (TCAS) system.

 

Gulfstream operates 19-seat aircraft for United Airlines and Continental.



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First Flight At 73 



I took my flight to San Diego from Boston on Sunday, July 11th.  I am still amazed at what a wonderful experience it was.  It was my first flight ever and I was flying with two of my children and four grandchildren.  We boarded the plane before other passengers, and upon meeting the FA at the door I asked if I could meet the Captain.  She was most agreeable and led me and some of the kids to the cockpit.  She relayed my request to them and the Captain and Copilot eagerly invited me to sit in the captain's seat and my granddaughter in the copilot's seat encouraging the kids to take my picture!!  They were rather amused that a 73 year old woman had never flown before and asked where "they had been hiding me all this time!" They were very interested in the Soar course and thought it was great that I was willing to give it a try.  The Copilot suggested that I sit in the window seat so I would know what was going on.  I took the window seat and so enjoyed looking out over the clouds.  I was so excited and comfortable, I cannot imagine that I waited this long to experience flying.




During the flight my son and switched seats and I sat on the aisle for a while. That was OK too.  The Captain made an announcement as we were flying over Arizona that he had gotten clearance to fly over the 4 corners (Nevada, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico  - I think).  The flight attendant came to me and said the Captain wanted me to take the window seat again so I could view the Grand Canyon.  What a breathtaking sight. He even tipped the plane for a better view!  When leaving the plane, the Captain stepped out of the cockpit and asked me "How was that?" " It was so wonderful, thank you so much" I answered with a big smile on my face.  On the flight home, I again experienced anticipatory anxiety in the boarding area and practiced the 5-4-3-2-1 before boarding.  Once I was on the plane, my anxiety left me - I was perfectly at ease, no anxiety.  And for that, I thank you Tom and the SOAR program you developed. Without the SOAR program I doubt that I would have taken the trip.  I am forever grateful to you Tom for dedicating your life to helping people like me.

Because of this experience, a whole new world has been opened to me. I feel more fulfilled and whole than I have ever felt in my life.  I guess it is never too late to learn and experience new exciting things that life has to offer.  Just think, I can go anywhere in the world that my imagination leads me (or my grandchildren lead me)!


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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.





  • 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.


Start viewing on your computer screen in two minutes.




  • Get a compact version of the SOAR Course.

  • Load it on your laptop, iPod or other media player. More info.


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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.




We are always here to help. As you go through the program, call or email whenever you have a question or a concern. 



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Patrick Discusses "Near Misses"



See his salon column at this link.









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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)