Written by Alex Gervash, commercial pilot (31 years) and fear of flying specialist (18 years, 16,000+ cases treated)
He woke from a coma to see 9/11 on TV. That moment created a fear of flying that had nothing to do with planes.
He was in a terrible road accident. Fell into a coma.
When he finally woke up, the first thing he saw on the hospital TV was September 11, 2001. Planes crashing into towers. People dying.
In that vulnerable, disoriented moment, his brain created a powerful association:
Near-death experience = Airplane = Death
He developed an intense fear of flying. Not because he was ever in a plane crash. But because his brain linked airplanes with the most traumatic awakening of his life.
This is how the amygdala works. It doesn't need direct experience. It just needs correlation.
He woke from almost dying → He saw planes → Planes = Death
The logical brain knows this doesn't make sense. But the limbic system doesn't care about logic. It cares about survival. And it encoded a clear message: Airplanes are connected to death.
Years of therapy helped him understand this connection. His fear wasn't about aviation safety. It was about trauma, timing, and the brain's desperate attempt to make sense of catastrophe.
In Short
He woke from a coma to see 9/11 on TV. That moment created a fear of flying that had nothing to do with planes.
Trained in psychology and trauma therapy (EMDR, Somatic Experiencing)
Founder of phobia.aero & SkyGuru App
Alex Gervash leverages a rare dual background, combining 31 years as a commercial pilot with 18 years of psychology expertise to help passengers overcome fear of flying. As a trauma therapy specialist trained in EMDR therapy and somatic experiencing, Alex has successfully treated over 16,000 individuals struggling with flight anxiety, panic attacks on planes, and specific triggers like landing fear. By teaching clients how to regulate the autonomic nervous system, he transforms the experience of airplane phobia into one of manageable flight comfort. Beyond his clinical work, Alex developed the SkyGuru app, providing in-flight support to more than 200,000 users worldwide who seek to conquer their flying phobia.
