"The fear of flying is less a single phobia than a place where other fears converge. For many people, it's rooted in one or more anxieties that flying brings into focus - the fear of turbulence, of heights, or of having a panic attack in front of strangers with no escape. For Vance, being inside an aircraft activates her claustrophobia - a condition she developed at nine years old. A series of surgeries caused her to feel severe anxiety in closed spaces."
"Then she adds "B", for belief - the idea you have about the turbulence. Someone might believe, for example, that turbulence means the pilot has lost control, and the plane is going to crash. Finally, she writes "C" - the consequence of that belief. For most everyone in the room, the consequence is often panic. "It's just an airplane," she tells herself. "Airplanes don't harm anybody.""
"A metal staircase is rolled up to the 787's back entrance. One by one, participants climb inside. They wander down the aisles, absorbing from all senses. One person peers into the oven in the galley. Another taps the top of each seatback. Vance pauses at the emergency exit door window, her hands clasped behind her as if she's walking through a museum."
A group practices exposure-based strategies for flying fear aboard a grounded Boeing 787 at San Francisco International Airport. Participants systematically engage the cabin environment by touching seatbacks, peering into the galley oven, and standing at the emergency exit to reduce avoidance. Fear of flying is framed as multiple converging anxieties, including turbulence, heights, and fear of public panic. One participant, Vance, developed claustrophobia after surgeries at age nine and experienced worsening panic during adolescence. Facilitators identify beliefs about turbulence and consequent panic, use cognitive labeling of A-B-C components, and guide an imaginal first-person rehearsal while simulating onboard announcements.
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