Research indicates about 35 of every 100 people develop a fear of flying at some point in their life. Almost everyone knows someone who has it. If you've ever mentioned to others that you aren't comfortable with air travel, you've probably already discovered just how common is the fear of flying.

Fear of flying is a condition that merits proper attention, and which we are increasingly in a better position to deal with, particularly thanks to clinical research. We now know that fear of flying is similar to other phobias, and that it cannot be dismissed simply as fear of the...