We have no experienc eof using either of these methods in helping people to overcome their fear of flying. However before these therapies can benefit the fearful flyer it seems self evident that it would be wrong and unhelpful if the basics of aviation are not understood.

To me it would appear that in the event of the therapy not working on a flight, then the fearful flyer could become vulnerable again. The facts about flying must be the basis for developing any long lasting strategy.

If there is a fundamental belief that a plane will fall out of the sky if the engines stop, nothing will prevent that thought surfacing. If there is a fundamental belief that the wings can fall off then that belief will make itself known at times of stress.

You must be the owner of your strategy, you must be aware of how you have come to the conclusions that you have and you  must know how to answer your own questions when they arise.

My belief is that if hypnosis is so powerful why is not all our learning done under such circumstances?  Would you feel safer if pilots were trained to stay ‘cool’ because of a thought planted in their minds or would you prefer them to have learned those skills through training.

Finally, as we often say in our explanations if you were climbing Mount Everest who would you go with a hypnotist or an experienced mountaineer?

Captain Keith Godfrey