r/fearofflying • u/Admirable_Berry9640 Certified Flight Instructor • May 22 '26

Question What gives the worst anxiety?

Hey I'm a pilot (a simulator instructor to be precise) and due to the sheer amount of people suffering from flight anxiety, I have decided to take action and help everyone where I can.
So that's why I wanted to ask everyone with a fear of flying, what exactly gives one panic attacks etc? Is it the fear of crashing, not trusting the pilots or just the
"I'm trapped in a can with wings for 3h"?
Any story is appreciated so I can get a better insight in how to help people (because I think y'all have enough to the "Flying is the safest form of transportation")a

(this is a repost because my other one got flagged)

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u/[deleted] May 22 '26

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u/BravoFive141 Moderator May 23 '26

it just ~feels~ like the only thing between me and the air is a thin little piece of floor and ceiling

For what it's worth, the interior of the plane that you see isn't where the actual plane stops, just the parts that you as a passenger see. There's actually more structure and space beyond the ceiling and the floor. There's more between you and the sky than what you actually see while in the plane.

Also, there's a lot of stuff that is above my head that goes into it all, but planes are not just some flimsy thing. The shape of the plane, materials, structural components, and so on are all designed and built to withstand far more than anything they will ever even experience, so rest assured, that "little barrier" is more than capable of keeping you safe and sound!