wrote in
oups.com:
I've also seen high-time ex-military/airline pilots
handle similar situations with aplomb.

Yes, one of my favorite instructors would start off
a new student by saying "I flew combat in Vietnam,
and I trained raw recruits to fly, so nothing you do
in the air today is going to scare me, so let's fly!"
It took away a lot of my fears, and it also made me
want to do my best flying to try to impress such an
experienced pilot. That was easier since I knew he
wouldn't freak out if I did something wrong.

--lw