Maybe my military background made me appreciate the video sent to me by a friend and fellow former military pilot. Below.  I couldn’t help thinking about the relevance for people with a fear of flying… 

On a recent trip accompanying a fearful flyer, I was reminded how easy it is to get stuck in the “serious” nature of fear of flying.  The flyer I was helping asked many questions—many of which reminded me how little the average person knows about what goes on behind the scenes to support each and every flight, whether it be a military fighter or commercial airliner.  I returned home to find the video link contained herein.   

The Serious Side of Overcoming Fear of Flying 

In trying to soothe a fearful flyer’s fears, we spend so much time talking about the technical aspects that go into insuring safety is paramount in each and every flight that it’s easy to forget the “human” factors behind the scenes.  The serious but funny video clip reminded me of the esprit de corps of people on the ground who make it possible for pilots like me to fly with confidence.  If you’re a non-aviation person, it may be hard to understand that there is a special attraction to aviation that bonds all the people who work in aviation, the ones who fly and the ones who stay on the ground.  That bond is love of aviation—some folks just want to hang around airplanes.      

Watch these ground crewmen who “marshall” their “charges” in and out of parking areas during flight operations.  Reminds me of the TSA agent at my home base of Phoenix Sky Harbor, who checks people’s boarding passes with a smile and an impromptu song.   Whether airline personnel have a big or small part in getting a plane off the ground, imagine that same sense of pride and professionalism in those whose job it is to guarantee the safety of the traveling public, not to mention the reputation of the airline for whom they work.   

An Aviation Attitude of Safety

Whether it’s with a song or a stern expression, a goofy dance or stiff hand motions, the people in aviation share an attitude!   And those collective attitudes displayed are representative of my experience both as a military pilot and as an airline pilot for the past 40+ years.  What you see here is symbolic of people who work behind the lines to make each and every flight a safe one. 

 http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=z3f0YbQDxp0