How do you get passengers over the fear of flying?

"Gerald Sylvester" wrote in message
news
I recently got my PPL and find that most people are scared sh*tless to
go up. One friend came along and was just blown away and had a ton
of fun. Just about everyone else is "oh my god, I am so scared
of airplanes." This weekend I was going to go with my CFI to celebrate
my passing my checkride in a brand new SR-20 and people are still
shaking in their boots scared to hell and simply will not go.

Is this me or is it just the general public?

Any ideas? I hope this doesn't sound stupid but just my impression the
since passing my checkride.

Gerald


Scared of airplanes or scared of you?

A lot of people put airline pilots on a pedestal, up there with doctors and
the like. It's not possible for you, a lowly -insert occupation here- to
know how to competently operate something as complex as an airplane.
Especially with other people in it. Not to mention that you are more likely
to survive a crash in an airliner than in a little tin can.

This sound harsh, but many people actually think this way. To go up in a
small airplane would mean changing things they believed as true their whole
lives. Not an easy thing to do. Oh well, it's their loss. Going up with
one person and having them spread the word can be better than you doing it
yourself.