They help calm the fight or flight response.
Are you afraid of flying friendly skies? Not to fear. A self-proclaimed “former fearful flyer” and an airplane captain have released flashcards that will help prevent air travel from turning into a nightmare at 30,000 feet.
“The cards will just walk you through things,” Utah’s Brian Morris, the reformed fly-drophobe, told Komo News.
Cleverly dubbed Flight Deck Fear Of Flying Flash Cards, the paper squares guide petrified passengers through every step of the flight from taxi to takeoff and beyond, Morris explained.
“Approximately 30 minutes prior to landing, the captain will start the descent reads one of the cards, which cost $18.95 per deck.
“It’s like having a Pilot in your pocket!” the site reads.
The flash cards were inspired by the Salt Lake City native’s lifelong battle with aviophobia — fear of flying.
“I’m that guy who sits on the plane sweating and sometimes crying and needing a lot of attention from the flight crew,” recalled Morris.
His flight fright began when he took his maiden plane trip at 12 years old — an experience he described as “very turbulent” and “very scary.”
“From that day forward, I had this extreme fear of flying,” said Morris, who said his mile-high heebie-jeebies only intensified as he grew older.
The turning point came when the aviophobe asked to officiate a friend’s wedding, which meant facing his fears head-on.
Determined to conquer his debilitating air hysteria, Morris turned to a Facebook group called “Lovefly,” where he met his future “Flight Deck” co-creator Captain Emma Henderson.
“Brian and I met up because when I was working for my airline, we ran fear of flying courses and I was a fear of flying presenter,” said Henderson.
She helped him cope with his condition by walking him through every process of the plane trip from takeoff to landing and even the strange sounds, which Morris took copious notes on.
From there, the idea for a “Flight Deck” was born.
“And he realized — we both realized — that there was a market for that because so many people have that fear,” Henderson said. “And so Brian turned this idea into an actual deck of cards.”
Fortunately, it appears that the deck is helping others leave the Mile Cry club as well.
“The hundreds of emails he receives from customers who have found solace in his flashcards are a testament to the impact he has had,” reads the site. “These stories of transformation and empowerment serve as a constant reminder of why he does what he does.”
