Overcome your fear of flying in Laval

Does fear paralyze you every time you have to fly? Whether you've experienced an in-flight incident or your anxiety is more related to a fear of the unknown, aeronautical therapy at AéroSim Expérience could help you travel without apprehension.

Having been uncomfortable flying myself since 2002, when my plane suffered a major crash due to an "air pocket", I was very curious to see if aeronautical therapy, which gives a better understanding of how planes work, would help me control my fear.

Well, since my "course", I've flown no less than six times and experienced several periods of turbulence without batting an eyelid!

Here's a review of my experience.

Aeronautical therapy

There are two options for those who would like to take aeronautical therapy: a 120-minute experience ($149) and a full day ($360). I chose the former.

The instructors, all pilots, start with a more theoretical part, adapted to our fears. Among other things, they explain what makes a plane fly, the function of different parts and the impact of weather on flight conditions.

Since my fear was caused by turbulence and "air holes", my instructor, Pierre-Lou Costerg, took the time to explain to me everything that can cause turbulence, and how the aircraft has been designed to ensure everyone's safety. Much to my surprise, I even learned that there's no such thing as "air holes", just the changes in air pressure that can sometimes cause these unexplained drops, which are mostly harmless, if uncomfortable.

I also found our discussion of harmless and potentially dangerous clouds particularly interesting. By the way, this is not a purely theoretical course and questions are welcome. I also found it refreshing that no one hid from me the fact that, yes, there are dangers, but that pilots know about them and can avoid them.

In fact, on a recent flight, the plane circled for a long time shortly before landing. This is the kind of situation that would normally make me panic (is there something wrong?), but a glance out of the window showed me some nearby cumulonimbus clouds and that the pilot was avoiding them.

We then join our instructor in the simulator, the first professional-grade simulator for the general public in Canada. It's here that we experience a flight, but as a pilot, giving us a better understanding of all the measures taken to ensure passenger safety.

And let's face it, the simulator ride is a lot of fun, even if you're there to learn! It's amazing how realistic it is. When I got out, I had the same feeling as when I get out of a plane after a long flight. And as an added bonus, you can choose which airport you want to leave from and which one you want to land at, so you can imagine yourself in the shoes of real pilots for a few moments.

AeroSim Experience

AéroSim Experience is located in an industrial district of Laval, just off Highway 440. In addition to aeronautical therapy, you can take solo or duo flights in the Boeing 737 simulator, or fly FlyFighters in the F16 simulators.

Group packages are also available.

1177 Highway 440, Local 201. Laval, QC H7L 3W3. Telephone: 450 490-1316