Perico Durán, pilot, on the fear of flying: “That’s the trap of phobia”
In his book, “Volar Sin Miedo” (“Flying Without Fear”), Perico Durán discusses the methods to overcoming the common phobia of flying.
The fear of flying is one of the most common phobias today, even in an era when air travel is considered one of the safest and most widely used forms of transportation. Behind this fear there can be many different triggers - a sense of losing control, fear of heights, turbulence, or even negative past experiences.
Pilot Perico Durán, however, is convinced that it can be overcome. In his book, “Volar Sin Miedo” (“Flying Without Fear”), he addresses readers directly.
“I know that fear of flying can feel overwhelming, like something that has always been there and can’t be changed. But that’s not true. You weren’t born afraid of flying. If you learned it, you can unlearn it.”
He continues: “Fear of flying can seem like a mountain you’ll never be able to climb. But as you take small steps, you begin to realize it’s more manageable than you thought. Fear doesn’t have to define you or stop you from doing what you want. Everything starts with the decision not to let fear keep running your life.”
Durán also emphasizes how often people underestimate themselves: “We tend to focus on our weaknesses, on what we lack or think we can’t do. But the truth is, you’re far stronger and more capable than you believe. I’m sure you’ve overcome difficult moments before and learned things that once felt impossible. This is no different.”
How to overcome the fear of flying
In the book, published in February by Planeta, Durán lays out practical guidance for confronting and overcoming this fear.
“The first step is to be clear about your goal. You need to define precisely what overcoming your fear of flying means to you,” he writes. “The second condition is to fight for it, and that requires commitment, effort, and consistency.”
If he had to offer just one piece of advice, he says, it would be this: “Don’t stop flying.”
“It may sound simple,even bold, but I can assure you it’s essential. When you avoid getting on a plane, the immediate sense of relief reinforces the idea that flying is something you should escape from. That’s the trap of a phobia: the more you feed it through avoidance, the stronger it becomes.”
On the other hand, every time you choose to fly, even if you feel nervous or uncomfortable, you send your brain a very different message: I can do this. “That message,” Durán explains, “gradually weakens your fear. With each flight, you stop seeing it as a threat and start seeing it as something you can handle.”
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