The PassengerGuard Fear-of-Flying Study — Ruhr University Bochum (FBZ)
The PassengerGuard training was evaluated and accompanied in a study by the Research and Treatment Center for Mental Health (FBZ) at Ruhr University Bochum, led by PD Dr. André Wannemüller. The university accompanied and assessed the training — it did not co-develop the app. The numbers below describe how that study ran.
The PassengerGuard training was evaluated and accompanied in a study by the Research and Treatment Center for Mental Health (FBZ) at Ruhr University Bochum, led by PD Dr. André Wannemüller. The university accompanied and assessed the training — it did not co-develop the app. The numbers below describe how that study ran.
How the study was set up
- Period
- November 2023 – March 2024
- Participants
- Around 150 people with fear of flying
- App users
- Around 50 of them trained with the app over three months
- Method
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) + Mental Flight (chairflying / “Kopfflug”)
- Location of the training flight
- Düsseldorf Airport (DUS)
- Media coverage
- WDR television (“Hier und heute”)
How the study ran
- 1
November 2023
Briefing
The study began with a detailed briefing of the participants. Around 150 people with fear of flying took part, and roughly 50 of them went on to train with the PassengerGuard app over the following three months.
- 2
3 months of app training
Accompanied training phase
Over three months, the app users trained independently with PassengerGuard — working through cognitive behavioral exercises, breathing and relaxation techniques, and the Mental Flight, a guided mental rehearsal of a complete flight from boarding to landing.
- 3
March 2024
Training flight at Düsseldorf Airport
The study concluded with a real training flight from Düsseldorf Airport (DUS), accompanied by PD Dr. André Wannemüller of the FBZ. The results were later featured on WDR television in the programme “Hier und heute”.
Why the method works — and what it means for you
Why the method works
PassengerGuard builds on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and graded exposure — the approaches the German S3 guideline on anxiety disorders names as first-line treatment for specific phobias. Repeatedly rehearsing a flight in your mind lets your nervous system get used to the situation, so the fear response gradually weakens.
Mental Flight (chairflying)
The core method is the Mental Flight — known in German as “Kopfflug”. You experience a complete flight in your mind, from boarding to landing, before you ever step on board. This form of mental rehearsal, also called chairflying, is the same technique pilots and elite athletes use to prepare.
What it means for you
The training is built for everyday use: it works offline in airplane mode, so the instant relief is available even at 10,000 metres without a connection. PassengerGuard was developed in Germany and is available for iPhone and Android — you can train at your own pace, whenever and as often as you like.
What the study was — and what it was not
This was an evaluation and accompaniment of the PassengerGuard training by the FBZ research center at Ruhr University Bochum — not a co-development of the app. The app does not replace medical or psychotherapeutic treatment. If your fear of flying severely restricts your daily life, please seek professional support.
Frequently asked questions
Train with PassengerGuard
Start your fear-of-flying training with the app that was evaluated by Ruhr University Bochum — at your own pace, on iPhone and Android.
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