People were not meant to fly, at least not without the help of feathers, wings, or planes. Not only are you fighting the orders of Mother Nature by attending one of several aviation colleges, such as Institute of Aviation at Parkland College, and learning to fly, but you will also learn how to fight biological responses. Here is more on that subject and what you will learn.

Fight, Flight, and Freeze...in Mid-Air?

Humans (as well as several other animals) have a "fight, flight, or freeze" response to dangerous or emergency situations. On the ground, this biological response keeps you safe. In the air, in a plane, it can completely work against you. However, you can learn to make this response work for you by training and flying a lot. You begin training this response first in a flight simulator and then in the air.

How Each Reaction in This Biological Response Affects Your Ability to Fly

The "Flight" Reaction

The "flight" reaction is to try and get away from something dangerous or from an emergency situation. If you experience such a situation in the air, there is nowhere to go inside the plane. Thus, you may respond by ejecting from the plane or trying to divert the plane away from the impending danger. The plane is, for all intents and purposes, an extension of yourself, and the flight reaction while in actual flight is to move the plane as far away from the danger as you can. Good training will help give you some options on what to do if you feel like your body is reacting with the "flight" reaction.

The "Freeze" Reaction

The "freeze" reaction is the worst one of all. You absolutely, positively CANNOT freeze in the midst of a dangerous situation while flying a plane. Precious seconds tick by that could make all the difference between a safe landing and death. In aviation college, there is a heavy focus on learning how to train yourself not to freeze in these situations. That does not mean you will never "freeze," but it does teach you how to recognize the panic and the inaction and how to snap out of it before you crash.

The "Fight" Reaction

The "fight" reaction is the best one of all because the adrenaline you feel forces you to think quickly and take action. During a "fight" reaction, you think and move simultaneously, analyzing your best options to get through a situation and come out ahead. When you are flying a plane in the air, this is critical because it saves you the several seconds between recognizing a situation and taking action. That literally could mean life or death. As you move through your training in an aviation school, you will learn how to activate the "fight" response on command, rather than just waiting for your body to decide. Your body may try to override, but what you learn in flight school will help you take control back.