Did you know that aerophobia, or an extreme fear of flying, is one of the most common fears out there? For some people, flying can create such anxiety and terror that it stops them from ever getting on a plane for vacations or even visiting their family.
This segment from Inside Edition shows how a former airline pilot decided to use his job expertise for good in order to help a woman finally overcome her fear of flying.
Tiffany Schmermund, 36, is so scared to fly that she’s only done it twice in her life. Tiffany boards a flight traveling nearly three hours from Florida to Texas. The entire time she’s either grabbing onto the armrests super tight or covering her eyes.
Inside Edition decided to pair her up with a seasoned veteran, Captain Ron Nielsen, with the hope that she would come out of things a changed woman.
Captain Ron is a retired pilot who now helps fearful flyers try to overcome their aerophobia with just a few easy tips.
“The first exercise is about breathing. And what this is designed to do is help control your breathing and lower your anxiety,” Captain Ron explains to Tiffany. He then suggests getting a bag to hold up to your mouth while you’re doing your deep breathing in order to help you focus on the task at hand.
He also shows Tiffany a numbers game as well as a writing activity where she’s supposed to use her nondominant hand to write out her name. All of these exercises are in preparation for Tiffany getting on a flight with Captain Ron by her side.
Was Tiffany able to overcome her fear of flying on the flight back to Florida using Captain Ron’s tips? Watch the full video to find out.
