Taking Flight Resources

These resources are here for you to enjoy and use. They include some helpful essays on topics related to the fear of flying, a letter of introduction to the flight crew to use when boarding the plane, and various videos to help you expand your comfort zone with flying. We will be adding to these continually, and welcome your suggestions; just send a message to the TF Team from the Forums.

Fear of flying & anxiety/stress reduction websites/programs:

  1. www.anxieties.com cassette/CD program

  2. www.fearofflyinghelp.com Captain Stacey Chance; online course, DVD

  3. www.fearofflyingdoctor.com Flying in the Comfort Zone Dr. Michael Tomaro, PhD Free information on website, list of the 10 Golden Rules for fear of flying treatment linked here: http://www.fearofflyingdoctor.com/program_standards.htm
    Offers Fear of Flying seminars in Madison, Wisconsin and has a FF program on VHS (3 tapes) and two booklets. There's a flight video, taken in the cockpit, useful for desensitization.

  4. Cure Your Fear of Flying; DVD on Airbus 320, Capts. Jonathan and Jessica Curd
    www.cureyourfearofflying.com

  5. www.heartmath.org For biofeedback and more. Their program Freezeframer works well in collaboration with a biofeedback therapist. They have a new portable biofeedback device, 'EmWave'. There are many free articles on their website related to emotions, the heart, and stress reduction. http://www.heartmath.org/free-services/index.html

Aviation DVDs:

For anyone interested in learning technical details about flying and flight training, there are many DVDs available for purchase from the following companies:
  1. King Schools: http://www.kingschools.com/searchResults.asp?SKW=Private&LinkTitle=Private%20 Pilot

    2. Sporty's: http://www.sportys.com/acb/Category....D=19&CATID=180
    For FF's...Non-Flier's Guide to the Cockpit http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl....roduct_id=3747
    Flying Route 66 http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl....roduct_id=6190
    Flying Conditions and Terrain http://www.sportys.com/acb/showdetl....roduct_id=3683

  2. Jeppesen: http://www.jeppesen.com/wlcs/application/commercewf?origin=category.jsp&event=link(browse)& wlcs_catalog_sourceKey=wlcs_categories&wlcs_catalo g_destinationKey=wlcs_siblings&root_category_id=AT &wlcs_catalog_category_id=AT1
    Private Pilot Video Series (3 DVD's); Flight training

  3. Become a Pilot with Rod Machado: www.RodMachado.com Aviation Humor DVD

  4. Marv Golden Pilot Shop (San Diego): extensive and well-organized library of aviation books, many other pilot resources:
    http://www.marvgolden.com/books/books-default.htm

  5. Stay Alive! A Guide to Survival in Mountainous Areas (VHS) tel 1-800-582-5802
    Stay Alive! A Guide to Survival in the Desert Southwest also available
    (More for the GA pilot flying in wilderness areas...packing your survival bag...)

Movies with an aviation theme:

  1. Airplane (Comedy 1980)

  2. Snakes on a Plane (Comedy...unless you have a snake phobia...2006) (actually got some good reviews on Amazon.com)

  3. One Six Right: The Romance of Flight

Audio CDs Related to Fear of Flying or Relaxation:
  1. Fly without Fear: Proven Breathing Techniques for In-Flight Relaxation

  2. Fly without Fear: Guided Meditations for a Relaxing Flight: Krs Edstrom

  3. Overcome the Fear of Flying Glenn Harrold (Audio Hypnotherapy)

  4. Breathing: The Master Key to Self-Healing Andrew Weil

Computer programs
  1. Stens metronome (biofeedback; helps in pacing breathing...can set to a certain number of breaths per minute, plays in the background on the computer, makes a breathing noise (or you can customize with your own .wav file), and there is a colored graphic): https://bear.he.net/~stens/epistore/?productId=569

Music CD's

1.) Quiet Joy http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Joy-Doc-...1867498&sr=1-1

Books on Fear of Flying and Anxiety

1.) The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Edmund Bourne http://www.amazon.com/Anxiety-Phobia...1869527&sr=1-1

2.) An End to Panic: Breakthrough Techniques for Overcoming Panic Disorder by Elke Zuercher-White http://www.amazon.com/End-Panic-Brea...1869744&sr=1-2

3.) Don't Panic by Reid Wilson http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Panic-Rev...1869997&sr=1-1

4.) Conquering Panic, Anxiety, and Phobias: Achieve Success Through Virtual Reality Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Brenda Wierderhold http://www.amazon.com/Conquering-Pan...1928621&sr=8-1

5.) The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron http://www.amazon.com/Highly-Sensiti...1870045&sr=1-4

6.) Flying Without Fear by Duane Brown http://www.amazon.com/Flying-Without...1928735&sr=1-1

7.) This is Your Captain Speaking by Captain Ray Stark http://www.amazon.com/This-Is-Your-C...1929799&sr=1-1 Note, There are only two customer reviews on Amazon for this book, one of them done by our very own Andrea Drake! (Jeff's wife).

8.) Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers, PhD http://www.amazon.com/Feel-Fear-Do-A...1930937&sr=1-1

9.) The Feeling Good Handbook by David D.Burns, M.D. Cognitive therapy; self-help exercises for anxiety and depression http://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Good-H...2095566&sr=8-1

10.) Airplane Yoga by Rachel Lehman-Haupt "...A complete stress-busting in-flight yoga workout for beginners and experts alike." http://www.amazon.com/Airplane-Yoga-...2095793&sr=1-1

11.) The Joy of Flying: Overcoming the Fear by W.H. Gunn, PhD http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Flying-Ove...2096397&sr=1-1 This is an excellent little book by a retired TWA Captain. It is small enough to carry with you on the plane.

12.) Wings of Discovery by Captain Stacey L. Chance: A short story about overcoming the fear and learning to love flying by flying ultralight aircraft. http://www.amazon.com/Wings-Discover...2096803&sr=1-1

13.) The Right-Seat Handbook - A White-Knuckle Flier's Guide to Light Planes by Charles F. Spence
http://www.amazon.com/Right-Seat-Han...2097748&sr=1-1

14.) The Gift of Fear by Gavin de Becker http://www.amazon.com/Gift-Fear-Surv...2178261&sr=8-1

15.) Fear Less - Real Truth about Risk, Safety, and Security in a Time of Terrorism by Gavin de Becker http://www.amazon.com/Fear-Less-Safe...2178386&sr=1-1


Books with an Aviation Theme

1.) Flying South by Barbara Cushman Rowell http://www.amazon.com/Flying-South-P...1931246&sr=1-1

2.) Zero Three Bravo, Solo Across America in a Small Plane by Mariana Gosnell http://www.amazon.com/Zero-Bravo-Acr...1931308&sr=1-1

3.) Fire and Air: A Life on the Edge by Patty Wagstaff
http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Air-Life-...1940649&sr=8-1

4.) Yeager, An Autobiography by Chuck Yeager http://www.amazon.com/Fire-Air-Life-...1940649&sr=8-1

5.) Flying Carpet - The Soul of an Airplane by Greg Brown http://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-E...2097132&sr=1-1

6.) The Greatest Flying Stories Ever Told edited by Underwood http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Flyin...2097648&sr=1-1

Technical Aviation Books


1.) Guided Flight Discovery - Private Pilot; Jeppesen; You may be able to find it used on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Jeppesen-Guide...2098445&sr=8-1 Otherwise, try Jeppesen or Marv Golden Pilot Shop. This is a textbook for Private Pilots & students, and for anyone else who wants to know a LOT of details and history of all aspects of general aviation.

1.) Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewiesche http://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-E...2097132&sr=1-1




Fun Stuff

1.) The Klutz Book of Paper Airplanes http://www.amazon.com/Klutz-Book-Pap...927012&sr=8-15

2.) Paper Airplanes with Dollar Bills - Another Way to Throw Your Money Away http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Airplane.../dp/1402729405

3.) 365 Tiny Paper Airplanes Page-a-Day Calendar 2008 http://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Paper-Air...1927175&sr=1-3

4.) Paper Airplane Fold and Fly It 2008 Day-to-Day Calendar http://www.amazon.com/Paper-Airplane...1927276&sr=1-2



Resources which look interesting (Recommended by pilot friends):

1.) Fate is the Hunter by Ernest Gann http://www.amazon.com/Fate-Hunter-Er...2097296&sr=1-1

2.) West with the Night by Beryl Markham http://www.amazon.com/West-Night-Ber...2097516&sr=1-1

3.) A Gift of Wings by Richard Bach http://www.amazon.com/Gift-Wings-Ric...2098723&sr=1-1

4.) One by Richard Bach http://www.amazon.com/One-Richard-Ba...2098843&sr=1-1


Traveling with children: (might also help phobic adults; illustrations, simple explanations!)

DVDs:

1.) I'm a Good Little Traveler (preparing children for flying) http://www.amazon.com/Good-Little-Tr...917249&sr=1-23

2.) Airport http://www.amazon.com/Airport-Byron-...917249&sr=1-23

Books:

1.) Going on a Plane, First Experiences http://www.amazon.com/Going-Plane-Fi...917249&sr=1-23

2.) Amazing Airplanes http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Airpla...917249&sr=1-23