The Mental Flight — Your mental flight training
Experience your flight safely in your mind before you board the plane. PassengerGuard is your scientifically evaluated app against fear of flying — with 8 modules, audio flight simulations and the unique Mental Flight method.
- Complete flight in your mind — from boarding to landing
- 8 modules · 36 lessons · 1h 39min audio training
- Works offline in airplane mode
- Scientifically supported — Ruhr University Bochum
- Complete flight in your mind — from boarding to landing
- 8 modules · 36 lessons · 1h 39min audio training
- Works offline in airplane mode
- Scientifically supported — Ruhr University Bochum
What is Chairflying?
Chairflying is a mental training technique originally developed by pilots. Pilots use this method to mentally rehearse flight procedures before entering the cockpit — improving their performance and safety.
The principle is simple: you sit in a safe environment (at home, on the sofa, in an armchair) and experience a complete flight in your imagination. You use all your senses: you hear the aircraft sounds, feel the takeoff, see the cabin around you.
This technique isn't just used by pilots — professional athletes like ski racers, Formula 1 drivers and Olympians also train mentally to achieve peak performance. Science confirms: mental training activates the same brain regions as the real experience.
Your Mental Flight in 4 steps
Preparation
You sit down comfortably, put on headphones and start the Mental Flight in the app. A calm voice guides you through a brief relaxation exercise.
Boarding & Takeoff
You hear the real sounds: the pilot's announcement, the doors closing, the engines starting. You experience takeoff in a safe environment.
Cruise & Turbulence
The flight continues — with seatbelt signs, drink service and yes, even turbulence. Everything is explained and accompanied by calming guidance.
Landing & Arrival
The descent, the landing gear, the touchdown. You've made it — and your brain has stored the flight as "safe".
8 modules for your path to relaxed flying
Understanding fear of flying
Learn where your anxiety comes from and how it works.
Knowledge about flying
A pilot explains every procedure, sound and safety standard.
Mental flight (audio simulation)
Experience an entire flight in your mind — with real sounds and explanations.
Relaxation & meditation
Guided meditations and breathing exercises for every phase of the flight.
Phases of flying
Understand every moment: boarding, takeoff, cruise, turbulence, landing.
Special situations
Turbulence, sounds, night flights — explained and demystified.
Quiz & knowledge test
Test and cement your knowledge about flying.
Instant relief
Fast calming for acute anxiety — also in airplane mode.
Training plan — scientifically supported by Ruhr University Bochum
Our scientifically grounded training plans help you master your fear of flying step by step. Choose between the 4-week plan for sustainable training or the intensive week for rapid preparation.
4-week plan
Sustainable training
4 weeks, 2–3 sessions per week
Ideal for long-term success
Intensive week
Fast preparation
7 days of intensive training before the flight
Ideal for short-notice travel plans
Scientifically evaluated — Ruhr University Bochum
PassengerGuard was evaluated and accompanied in a scientific study conducted by the Research and Treatment Centre (FBZ) of Ruhr University Bochum.
November 2023
Study launch with a detailed briefing for all participants
3 months of training
Supported training phase with intensive app-based training over 3 months
March 2024
Fear-of-flying training at Düsseldorf Airport led by Dr. André Wannemüller
The results were featured on WDR television in the programme "Hier und Heute".
Why mental training works against fear of flying
Neuroscience shows: when you vividly imagine a situation, your brain activates the same neural networks as during the real experience. Through repeated mental rehearsal of the flight, your nervous system adapts to the situation — the fear response weakens.
- Habituation effect — flying feels more familiar
- Fear reduction — your brain "experiences" the flight as safe
- Stress response decreases — heart rate and cortisol normalise
- Self-confidence grows — you know what to expect
Mental training — the method of the pros
Formula 1
Racing drivers mentally drive every lap in advance — corner by corner, braking point by braking point.
Alpine Skiing
Ski racers visualise the run before the start with eyes closed — every gate, every turn.
Pilot Training
Chairflying is an integral part of pilot training — mentally rehearsing all flight phases and emergency procedures.
Which app helps against fear of flying?
A good fear-of-flying app does more than teach you about flying — it trains you with the very methods regarded as the treatment of choice in psychotherapy: cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and step-by-step exposure. Add to that chairflying (the Mental Flight) — mentally rehearsing a complete flight — and instant relief that works anytime and offline, even in airplane mode on board.
- CBT techniques: you learn to recognise anxiety-triggering thoughts and reframe them.
- Chairflying/Mental Flight: you experience the flight mentally and let your nervous system get used to the situation.
- Offline instant relief: calming and breathing exercises available in airplane mode on board — exactly when you need them.
PassengerGuard combines all of this in 8 modules with audio flight simulation and instant relief — and was supported by a scientific study at the FBZ of Ruhr University Bochum.
How CBT and exposure work against fear of flying
The German S3 guideline on the treatment of anxiety disorders names cognitive behavioural therapy with exposure as the treatment of choice for specific phobias — and fear of flying is one of them. PassengerGuard translates this principle into an app you control yourself.
Cognitive work (CBT)
You learn to recognise catastrophising thoughts ("the plane is going to crash") and replace them with realistic ones — supported by pilot knowledge about sounds, turbulence and safety standards.
Exposure in small steps
Instead of facing the fear all at once, you approach it gradually — through the Mental Flight, in which you mentally live through the flight until your nervous system gets used to the situation.
Instant relief for the moment
For moments of acute anxiety on board there are guided breathing and calming exercises — offline in airplane mode, with nothing to prepare in advance.
A fear-of-flying app or a fear-of-flying seminar?
Both work — they simply suit different needs. A fear-of-flying seminar with real pilots and psychologists and an accompanied real flight is excellent (Stiftung Warentest rated such a seminar "very good"). An app is the cheaper, always-available complement or alternative that you can repeat as often as you like — including right on board.
Fear-of-flying seminar
- Cost
- a one-off cost (a single fee, typically several hundred euros/dollars, e.g. incl. an accompanied flight)
- Effort
- 1–2 days, tied to a date and location, a single event
- On board
- an accompanied real flight — but no tool for later flights
- Strength
- real pilots & psychologists, rated "very good" by Stiftung Warentest
PassengerGuard app
- Cost
- an affordable subscription (terms from 1 week to 12 months) + lifetime option — see the App Store / Google Play for current pricing in your region
- Effort
- anytime, anywhere and repeatable as often as you like
- On board
- offline instant relief in airplane mode — with you on every flight
- Strength
- CBT + Mental Flight, supported by a study at the FBZ of Ruhr University Bochum
In short: a seminar is ideal if you want one intensive start with a real flight. PassengerGuard is the affordable, continuous solution for the time in between and after — and for whenever the anxiety actually hits on board.
Choose your path to relaxed flying
No hidden costs. Cancel any time.
Quick Relief
- All 8 modules
- Breathing exercises & meditations
- Offline in airplane mode
- Pilot expertise & sound explanations
Recommended
- Everything from Quick Relief
- Structured training plan
- Quiz & knowledge tests
- Mental flight simulation
Transformation
- Everything from 3 Months
- Full control & repetition
- Unlimited access to updates
- Long-term training based on the university plan
All plans are subscriptions that renew automatically for the chosen term. You can cancel any time up to 24 hours before the period ends, directly in your App Store or Google Play account.
Everything about PassengerGuard & the Mental Flight
Related Topics
Understanding fear of flying
Where fear of flying comes from, how safe flying really is and when it becomes a phobia — clearly explained.
Learn more18 tips to overcome fear of flying
Proven strategies for before, during and on the day of the flight — step by step towards relaxed flying.
Learn morePanic attack — instant help
Immediate tips for panic on the plane: breathing exercises and calming techniques you can use right away.
Learn moreThe best fear of flying apps compared
A fair comparison of SkyGuru, SOAR, VALK & PassengerGuard — strengths, pricing and a table.
Learn moreFear of flying app FAQ
Answers on training, instant relief, offline use and the subscription — all on one page.
Learn moreFear of flying glossary
Method and technical terms like the Mental Flight, CBT and exposure explained briefly.
Learn moreRuhr University Bochum study
How the FBZ Bochum evaluated and accompanied the PassengerGuard training.
Learn moreReady for your first Mental Flight?
Start your mental flight training now with the PassengerGuard app.