Up until then, it was the safest plane in the world, with a perfect, accident-free record. Because more people are flying than ever before. And it will double in the next 20 years. Even considering this increase, however, with the odds of dying in plane crash at one in ten million, the accident appears to be anomaly. Especially when driving a car should seem like suicide, with a one in five thousand mortality rate.
Fearful fliers like to be in control.
They are usually very creative people, and that tends to work against them. On planes they scrutinize every noise and imagine wings falling off. The what-ifs are limitless. Hauptner points out that many people acquire their fear while they're in their late 20's or early 30's. People come to me all the time, and they say 'I used to fly all the time, but now I'm terrified.