The Landing is the Hardest Part

Fear of flying is one of the rare fears that isn’t known by some fancy other name. Though it can be called Aviophobia, most people just refer to it as fear of flying. It is also an extremely common fear, affecting millions of people across the world.

For many people with fear of flying, the takeoff is the scary part. Sitting there in the seat, waiting for the plane to start moving, can be almost unimaginably terrifying. And the feel of the wheels leaving the ground, that gut lurch that comes with actually being airborne, is too much for many people.

As frightening as takeoffs are, it is the landing that frequently should be feared. Plane crashes that occur during landoff are often more devastating than those that occur during takeoff. And just a quick look at recent headlines makes it clear there are many things that can go wrong during landing, including:

• Failure to properly deploy landing gear, as caused an accident in Fayetteville on December 10th, 2015
• Being incorrectly routed by the air traffic controller, as happened in a recent New York plane crash that resulted in the death of the pilot
• Skidding off the runway, as occurred with a Southwest flight on December 10th

The more you think about all the things that can go wrong while landing an airplane, the more understandable the fear of flying becomes. You must trust the airlines and the pilots and the air traffic controllers all know what they are doing, and that no corners are being cut.

If you or someone you love has suffered through a plane crash, the fear of flying might very well affect you for the rest of your life. Psychological counseling might be necessary, as well as medical care for any injuries you might have suffered. Determining the cause of the accident is key, particularly in regards to whether there was any negligence on the part of the airline, pilot, or air traffic control. Please contact an experienced attorney who will know how to determine whether negligence was a factor.