Pilot offers tips on how to overcome flying fears

A British Airways pilot has penned a self-help book for nervous flyers on how to conquer their fear of flying.

Based on the airline’s one-day seminar Flying with Confidence for travelers, the book serves as a basic primer on how planes operate and also provides relaxation tips on how to overcome their fear, based on advice from clinical psychologists.

The ebook, "Flying with Confidence: The proven program to fix your flying fears", will be available March 7 on Kindle and as an audio CD.

Here are a few facts and tips from the book that includes everything from butt clenching, deep breathing and muscle contraction.

-Turbulence is uncomfortable but not dangerous. It is a perfectly normal part of flying caused by nature.

-When you feel anxious, hold your breath, then take a long deep breath in, followed by a long deep breath out. Continue long deep breathing.

-Combine the deep breath in with a muscle contraction. Clenching your buttocks is most effective, as it overrides other nervous signals going up and down your spinal chord.

-A commercial aircraft flying at 30,000ft can glide for 100 miles even if all the engines fail.

-Plan your flight with an agenda of things to do, every half hour to keep your mind occupied, things you never get round to. Write a letter, watch a film, read a book, eat a meal.

-Pilots undergo a rigorous selection procedure and are one of the most highly trained and tested professions on earth. They are subjected to simulator tests every six months.

-Commercial aircraft are checked before every flight by pilots and engineers. Routine maintenance is conducted at regular, specified intervals by licensed engineers.

-Air traffic controllers are trained and licensed professionals operating under a very strict set of rules. All pilots have to abide by the rules of the air.

-Visualize yourself stepping off the aircraft into the arms of loved ones, or into a lovely warm climate, or into a successful business meeting.