White-knuckle flyers and their struggles while suspended in those big aluminum tubes in the sky inspired Chicken Soup for the Soul Presents The Fearless FlightKit. Compiled by pilots Ron Nielsen and Tim Piering, the kit contains a pocket-sized guide to bring onboard that explains every sound and sensation during takeoff and landing. The Real Life Fearful Flyer Stories booklet details the sagas of ordinary people who are also licking their panic habits. Finally, the kit’s 30-minute “Flight Harmonizer” CD grounds fearful thoughts before and during flight with a mesmerizing blend of voices, sounds and music. Some intonations soothe (“Your seatbelt is firmly attached. You are safe.”); others lead flyers into New Age territory (“It’s about taking off in all areas of your life”). Obsessing about crashes and other terrifying possibilities will be almost impossible while this gentle symphony swirls through your ears.
But the most persuasive aspect of the kit is the confession of Fearless FlightKit creator Nielsen, who flies commercial aircraft and also has a degree in counseling. “I really believe in the power of self-disclosing,” says Nielsen, who was nearly grounded by his own fear of flying during his Air Force training. “My expertise comes from my own fears in life.”
