AIRLINES

Anxious about flying after the Ethiopian Air crash? Here's one way to cope

Melissa Yeager
The Republic | azcentral.com

Just after the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines flight, the questions started coming on Capt. Ron Nielsen's Facebook page. When he'd open his email, he'd find similar inquiries.

"They want to know if it is safe. Would you fly?" Nielson said.

Nielsen runs the Phoenix-based Fearless Flight, a class in which he coaches nervous flyers toward calmer skies by helping them find ways to manage their flight anxiety.

Nielsen is in a unique position to offer this course. He is an Air Force Academy graduate and did a tour in Vietnam. During his 40 year career, he has clocked more than 16,000 hours as a commercial pilot flying a Boeing 737. He also holds a master's in counseling and for the last 31 years has helped people conquer their fear of flying.

He said the fears he's hearing now mirror the fears he heard after the disappearance of Malaysia Flight 370, which attracted large media attention when it vanished after departing Kuala Lumpur in 2014.

It's not atypical for people to feel anxious after hearing news of an accident, he said. 

"We get that little voice that says, 'You know I wasn't too big on flying and now I'm hearing all these things that can go wrong and I just don't think it is safe.' And that has nothing to do with safety. All it has to do with is your confidence and the ability to find some peace on the airplane," Nielsen said.

RELATED:Boeing 737 Max: Debunking traveler myths about the Boeing 737 Max

How to manage flight anxiety

Nielsen said he sees two types of anxiety: mechanical and emotional. Those anxious about the mechanics of the flight are nervous about everything that could go wrong on the aircraft — from maintenance to turbulence.

Emotionally anxious people are worried about their own reaction on the plane. Usually the trigger for these flyers is the door closing. They feel stuck and they missed their last chance to leave the aircraft.

Nielsen's classes help people identify their anxiety and find strategies for managing it. He has a couple suggestions for those feeling anxious about flying following the news about the Ethiopian Airlines crash.

First, manage your news diet until a preliminary report is issued. Nielsen said you don't need to ignore the news completely, but be aware that while the investigation is still underway, a lot of news is speculative until a report is issued.

If you're scheduled to fly, he said don't be afraid to let your flight attendant know you're feeling nervous. Ask if you can speak to the pilot. "Ask him what he thinks about flying this airplane," Nielsen said.

Southwest 737 MAX 8 aircraft

Ask Capt. Ron Nielsen questions on Facebook

At 6:30 p.m. Arizona time Tuesday evening, Nielsen plans to hold a Facebook Live  completely dedicated to the crash of the Ethiopian Airlines flight. Viewers can ask him their questions about flying and anxiety related to flying.

In addition, Nielsen holds free classes to help people overcome their fear of flying. His next course will be held April 6. Nervous flyers will spend 90 minutes in a classroom before touring a Southwest Boeing 737. This class is free. However, Nielsen also offers paid classes, which end with students purchasing a ticket to join him on a short graduation flight.

You can connect with Melissa through email at melissa.yeager@azcentral.com. You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.