Foreword
It is often difficult to separate anxiety from danger because your body reacts in almost the same way to both.
What triggers that anxiety in people often stems from a lack of knowledge about what they are experiencing. One person may never feel anxiety because they understand what is happening around them. Because of this advanced knowledge, their body and mind may feel it in a significantly different than someone who is lacking that knowledge. Most people have a fear of the unknown.
“If I only knew what this is was all about, I might feel differently.”
It has become common place to fly all over the world. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has reported:
“On average, every day more than 8 million people fly. In 2013 total passenger numbers were 3.1 billion—surpassing the 3 billion mark for the first time ever. That number is expected to grow to 3.3 billion in 2014 (equivalent to 44% of the world’s population).”
Aviation data companies like FlightAware keep track of all (or at least most) of the airplane in our skies. And according to FlightAware, in the past year there were an average of 9,728 planes — carrying 1,270,406 people — in the sky at any given time.
ABC News reported back in October 2013 that 25% of the USA population is nervous about flying. In the United States, that translates to about 81.5 million people. If you use that percentage against the 3.3 billion people who fly every year the statistics should be close to 825 million people! That is a staggering number of people who are nervous or downright scared to fly.
As well, there are 20 million people who are “freaked out” to fly. In my own experience flying around the world, it appears to me that many people have no idea how airplanes work, how they stay in the air, and what the associated risks are with flying. I have listened to comments made at airports, overheard passenger conversations, and have concluded that most people are just not knowledgeable about flying. Some of their fear are about things that cannot happen.
My name is Peter Brandt and I spent over 15 years working as an Aviation Systems Technician. I worked on a wide variety of airplanes including helicopters.
I was designated an Air Force trainer and when the air force engine, airframe, and electrical trades merged, I taught the Aero Engine phase to the other trades. I’ve also taught airplane theory of flight.
As an engine technician I was trained to start and run the airplanes and taught others to start and run airplanes as well.
Finally, I was a Vibration Analysis Specialist and developed vibration programs for helicopter and propeller driven aircraft fleets.
I understand there are people who have a legitimate “fear of flying” and for those people, they may wish to talk with a professional who specifically treats phobias.
I am not a doctor who can remove your fear of flying through some type of therapy, but I am here to talk to those people who are uncomfortable with flying. People who really don’t know enough about flying and are interested in alleviating their fears with some basic knowledge. It is those people who may find it beneficial to read this book.
I can educate you about how airplane fly, how jet engines work, and what keeps helicopters in the air. To be honest, if you knew what I know, much of your fear of flying could disappear altogether.
In this book I will teach you what I have learned and explore with you what is new and exciting in the world of aviation.
You will learn about theory of flight, how airplanes and helicopters get into the air and how they stay there. I will also teach you how jet engines run and create thrust, and why they are super- efficient at what they are designed to do.
I will also discuss many of the things that people mistakenly think are true and explain how they could never happen. As well, you will understand about weather, water, fire, and turbulence are addressed.
But first, it is important to understand how airplanes fly. Even if an airplane loses all its engines, most airplanes are designed to be major gliding machines that can get you back to the ground with minimal discomfort.
So how likely am I to die in a plane crash?
"If you take one flight a day, you would on average need to fly every day for 55,000 years before being involved in a fatal crash," M.I.T's Sloan School Statistician Arnold Barnett told ABC News.
Dutch consultancy To70, estimated there was now one fatal accident for every 16 million flights.
"2017 was the safest year for aviation ever," the firm's Adrian Young said.
The US National Transportation Safety Board did a review of national aviation accidents from 1983-1999; it found that more than
95% of airplane occupants survived accidents, including 55% in the most serious incidents.
These statistics may or may not make you feel better. But you should know that no matter where in the world an accident or incident has occurred, investigators spend the time to figure out what caused it. Once that has been established, the international bodies require manufacturers to make all necessary changes to fix it to all the airplanes still flying around the world, so it doesn’t happen again.
Instead, let me tell you what I’ve learned and see if I can make you more comfortable with knowledge.
So, let’s get started!