You are a fearful flyer I was, too. In 2001, I had a flight almost redirected because I was screaming my head off at 30,000 feet. I overcame it, and so will you. The most annoying sentence to hear when you're afraid of flying is that "statistically, it is the safest way to travel." This book won't tell you that. Instead, it will give you 30 practical tips to lower your fear before, during and after your flight. It will also suggest witty answers to the "very helpful people" who tell you not to be afraid. What this book won't do - Provide you with illuminating and very original knowledge such as "Statistically, you're more likely to be killed driving your car to the airport" - Attempt to reassure you with nonsense like "oh, if you die in a plane crash, you don't have time to feel a thing!" - Figure out which of your mother dropping you from your crib, or your terrifying swimming teacher forcing you to dive from a 10-meter platform is responsible for you not being able to step on a plane. You'll have to figure that one out on your own. - Give you a free pass to consume large amount of alcohol the night before your flight. Good try, though. What this book WILL do - Suggest 30 tips and many more small tricks to lower your fear before, during and after your flight. And maybe even get a hug from the Captain at the end of the flight. - Share real stories and real advice from people who went through it before you. - Propose witty answers to the eggheads who tell you that flying is safe. - If all fails, give you at least a laugh, and awesome origami patterns to try out at the airport (see at the end of the book!) How do I buy it? The book is available as an e-book on Amazon, Lulu, iTunes or your usual favorite e-book seller. If you can't find it, contact me and I'll fix that.

1. IS
THIS
YOU
ON A PLANE?

3. 3 MONTHS BEFORE YOUR TRIP, YOU'RE ALREADY
LOOSING SLEEP, WEIGHT (for the lucky ones), YOUR
SENSE OF HUMOR AND POTENTIALLY YOUR WIFE,
DUE TO YOUR CONSTANT WORRYING.

4. FOR YOU, PLANES ARE SCARIER THAN A HOODED MAN
DRAWING A KNIFE IN A DARK ALLEY, OR WALKING IN
FRONT OF A TRUCK GOING AT FULL SPEED.

5. BUT THE SCARIEST THING
ON EARTH REMAINS BEING
IN A PLANE, WAITING TO
TAKE OFF.

6. CONGRATULATIONS!
YOU ARE AEROPHOBIC.
BUT DON'T DESPAIR, THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO
CURE YOUR PROBLEM.

7. 30 THINGS, ACTUALLY.

8 BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT

14 THE DAY BEFORE
AND DURING YOUR
FLIGHT

8 AFTER YOUR FLIGHT
HERE'S A PREVIEW...

8. BEFORE
YOUR TRIP

9. TIP #2: COME OUT OF THE CLOSET
TELL STRATEGIC PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR ISSUE: Your family, the people
flying with you, a few good friends, the person who books your company flights...
ASK FOR THEIR HELP: to support you, to participate in your recovery, to watch
over your kids when you're preparing, to be patient, to cover your rear at work...

10. TIP #3: PROTECT YOURSELF FROM PLANE NEWS
PLANE CRASHES ARE LIKE
SHARK ATTACKS: RARE,
BUT OVER-COVERED IN THE
MEDIA AND LITERATURE.
Because they catch your attention
and help sell more papers / movie
tickets / books.
Avoid watching movies depicting
crashes or reading about creashes
on the Internet. Ask people
around you to filter the news.

11. TIP #4: DEFUSE YOUR TRIGGERS
1. WRITE DOWN
WHAT SCARES YOU
ABOUT FLYING, from
what scares you just a
little (seeing a plane in the
sky, picking up someone
at the airport...) to what
sends you hide under your
bed (having to take a
plane tomorrow, waiting
for it to take off...)

12. TIP #4: DEFUSE YOUR TRIGGERS
2. “EXPOSE” YOURSELF GRADUALLY TO WHAT
SCARES YOU. Learn to breathe to prevent panic attacks
(breathing techniques described on page 27 and on page
62), then put yourself in the situation that scares you the
least. Rate you fear on a 0-10 scale, every minute. Once
your fear has decreased by half, stop. Repeat three times
before moving on to the item that's next up on your fear list.

13. TIP #9: RECLAIM YOUR “NIGHT BEFORE THE
FLIGHT”
DOES YOUR NIGHT
BEFORE A FLIGHT
LOOK LIKE THAT?
Learn how to pack, how to
eat, what to tell your loved
ones, and what activities to
do so that you don't end up
living the most traumatizing
night (or don't wake up with
the biggest hungover) of
your life.

14. TIP #9: RECLAIM YOUR “NIGHT BEFORE THE
FLIGHT”
Things like AVOIDING
CAFFEINE at all cost...
… or GIVING YOURSELF
PRIORITY over anyone else's
desires or packing issues (so you
don't turn into the Hulk and start
yelling at everyone before crying
uncontrollably).

15. THE DAY OF
YOUR FLIGHT

16. TIP #11: WAIT, BREATH, FOCUS
Three tips in one.
#3: FOCUS TO THE POINT OF
OBSESSION.
On anything you want BUT the
plane. Do you like sudoku, crossword
puzzles or World of Warcraft? Are
you able to immerse yourself totally
in a crime novel or a car magazine?
Pick an activity that can occupy your
mind fully, bring it to the airport, and
indulge in it every time you have a
minute to yourself.
- Make sure your tools will pass
security.
- No electronic gadgets, as they have
to be turned off at take off.
THE TRICK IS NOT TO GIVE YOUR MIND A CHANCE TO
COME UP WITH SCARY OR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS. EVER.

17. TIP #17: WHILE WAITING TO EMBARK...
One of the tips in this section is NOT TO LOOK AT YOUR PLANE.
The only people usually glued to the boarding gate's windows are kids and fearful
flyers. You can tellthem apart by the look on their face – the former being excited and
the latter about to pass out. Kids are also usually smaller in size.
Unless you're a plane mechanic yourself, looking at your plane won't give you a clue
whether something's wrong or not. If you're a fearful plane mechanic, you might see
things that don't exist. So just don't look.

18. TIP #18: INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE CREW
• They'll note where you're sitting and pass the
word to the attendant closest to you.
• They might give you a better seat, where less
turbulence is felt, or where you're more
accessible to them.
• They'll check on you discreetly throughout the
flight. More opportunities to ask for snacks!
• They'll answer your questions about the
plane, the noises, the smells, the pilots, and
why this wing is on fire.
• They may arrange for you to meet the pilot or
co-pilot, depending on the airline.
• They'll give you a lollipop at the end, like at
the dentist. That part's not true, but I keep
hoping.

19. AFTER
YOUR TRIP

20. TIP #23: RIDE YOUR HIGH
GOOD JOB!! YOU DID IT!
Before you CELEBRATE
PROPERLY (whatever
“properly” means to you –
but don't do drugs, kids,
drugs are bad!):
WRITE A LIST OF WHAT
WENT WELL, WHAT
YOU'RE PROUD OF,
WHAT YOU'VE LEARN IN
THE PLANE.
It'll come in handy later.

21. TIP #25: WE HOPE YOU'LL FLY AGAIN WITH US SOON
One of the keys to long-term healing is to repeat the
experience.
So go on, make the airline happy and FLY AGAIN SOON.
You can't afford it? You don't have time? You've got
responsibilities? You live too far from the airport?
The Excuse Buster® will sort this out for you. And if it's not in
the book, email your excuse at
email@flyingfear-thebook.com. I'll bust it for you.

22. TIP #27: LOSING FEAR IS LIKE LOSING WEIGHT
IT TAKES TIME AND EFFORT.
Be patient and stick with it.
One day, you'll stop eating chips and
chocolate all day losing sleep over your
next flight.
All those tips will become habits (like going
to the gym, I'm told. I'm not quite there yet.)
GOOD LUCK!

23. DON'T TELL ME FLYING IS THE SAFEST WAY TO TRAVEL!
By Véronique Meunier, illustrated by Spencer Hill
Available on Amazon.com, .co.uk, .fr, .de, .it
Soon on iBookstore, Nook, and all ebook retailers.
Paperback copies available October 16, 2012.
www.flyingfear-thebook.com
© Copyrights Veronique Meunier and Spencer Hill, 2012.

24. Véronique Meunier wrote her Spencer Hill didn’t discover his
first novel when she was 13 crayons until he was into his
years old. It was called A Tout third decade, but has been an
Jamais and told the terrible avid scribbler ever since.
story of two junior-high lovers
who keep being drawn apart by Amongst his varied cartooning
their parents and teachers. At jobs, Spencer has illustrated
the end, the boy dies (pushed Need to Know Cartooning for
through the high school window Harper Collins, spent 18 months
by the local bully! Rough!) and drawing the weekly cartoon strip
the girl decides not to take her for Fone! Magazine and drew a
own life – but rather to live caricature for the comedian
happily ever after. Smart gal Daniel Sloss.
(not like that Juliet lady in
Shakespeare's old tale). In addition to cartoons in any
form, Spencer likes drumming,
Since then, Véro has written the challenge of people without
many short stories and has a sense of humour*, the smell
translated books by published of freshly brewed tea and
authors. Don't Tell Me... is her reading a good book at the
first self-published work. waterside. Spencer does not
like stepping on snails, people
When she's not writing, Véro who spit in the street, the news
likes walking, eating chocolate, in any form and flies (the type
speaking about chocolate and with wings not the ones which
dreaming about chocolate. She hold up your trousers).
does not like running out of
chocolate, incessant rain, and You can see more of Spencer’s
people who says “I can't” or “It's work at www.spencerhill.co.uk
not my fault.” or www.cartoonstock.com
www.flyingfear-thebook.com